Community Living AgreementsResidents in the Community We ask all community residents to make the following commitments:
Life in an Educational Center
Lost Valley is an Educational Center that needs the support and compliance of everyone who lives here in order to carry out its educational mission. This support manifests in the following ways:
Housing
Cost: The Property Manager has a chart with housing costs and associated fees.
Who gets to live where?: Housing is delegated on a seniority basis. Residents must submit a change of residence form to the property manager if they want to move to a new space. Certain housing is set aside for the use of interns. Other space may be reserved for program participants or guest instructors, contract workers or other guests.
Landscaping: Check with the Land Steward before starting any project.
Exteriors: Individuals are responsible for keeping porch and deck areas visible to the general public tidy and free of clutter.
Facilities
Hot Tub:
-Use tub or operate stove only with a resident who has been given an orientation and knows how to operate the stove and maintain the water level. If you are the last trained community resident in the tub, especially if you are with interns or guests, YOU are responsible for what happens to that water level and fire! You are to make sure we don't melt down the stove (which is what happens when the water gets too low and there is a fire in the box).
-Everyone must shower or bathe before getting into the hot tub.
-Please don’t dunk your head, unless you’ve just washed your hair.
-No glass or alcohol at tub.
-Stay out if you are contagious with anything or if you have open wounds (small nicks or scratches are fine).
-Clean up after yourself (personal items, towels, wood chips, etc.)
Sauna: Sauna may be used by community residents or conference guests, with prior permission and wood stove use instructions. Do not take any glass bottles in the sauna. Make sure not to overheat the stove. Water may be poured on the rocks on the stove to make steam. Please invite others to use the heat of the sauna (either with you or following your use) in order to maximize our use of wood energy.
Use of Community property: (i.e. bikes, tools, cleaning equipment, etc.)
All equipment must be kept clean and in good order and taken back where it is supposed to live every day- unless permission has been given to keep it in another location for a time. If something is broken or lost, the head of the department should be notified. If loss or damage is due to negligence, the resident may be asked to compensate in some way.
Individual property: If you wish to share your personal property with the community at large, please label it with your name, and be aware that it may be rendered unusable in a very short time. You may also choose simply to donate it to the community or the non-profit.
Roads: Please observe a speed limit of 10 MPH on Lost Valley driveways.
Emergencies
When the lunch/dinner bell is rung repeatedly, drop whatever you are doing and come to the lodge immediately! If you are the first responder, call 911.
Be aware of Emergency Exits and Evacuation Routes at all times.
There are fire hoses around the property. Each resident should be oriented in the use of them in case of emergency. Please ask the head of Maintenance for an orientation.
Water
We add chlorine to our water system to comply with Health Department regulations and ensure the safety of our water for drinking. The blue taps in the Lodge and Kitchen, and the filter in the Men’s bathroom at the office remove both chlorine and other particulates. Please use this water for drinking and food preparation.
Please be very conscious of excessive use of water, as fresh water is a precious and diminishing resource, and we currently use electricity for pumping and filtering.
Sustainability
Food and Community Kitchens
There are several different food plans available for residents. Please see the kitchen coordinator if you have questions about the plans.
The Kitchen Manager acts as manager for all kitchen shifts and matters of stocking and ordering food and kitchen appliances and supplies. Please leave the cooking utensils and food preparation equipment in the kitchen so that they can be used to prepare meals.
If you use a communal kitchen, remember that we are ALL SHARING THE SPACE. Clean up your dishes or other messes immediately. The Kitchen Manager may restrict access to the Lodge Kitchen during the conference season or if the residents prove unwilling to respect the space and keep it clean and functional.
Meat, fish and other foods: Meat and fish are to be cooked in the guest house kitchen, outdoor kitchen or personal kitchens, and kept out of the main kitchen. Do not put meat scraps or dairy in our regular compost.
Phone
Please do not use a cell phone in the Lodge, Sacred Yurt, Kitchen, or in other spaces when people are present who are not involved in your conversation.
The phone in the Lodge Kitchen is not for extended phone conversations. Please make or take your conversations to the cob phone booth or elsewhere.
Guests and Visitors
Guests are people whom residents have invited to spend time with us here for personal reasons. Visitors are people who are coming to “check us out” or have a tour, or for other departmental needs. We handle these situations differently.
Guests: We have a white board behind the Lodge Kitchen for communicating to the rest of the community when guests are coming to stay overnight. Please use it in advance of their arrival. Please see the Guest Policy for charges and other rules associated with guests.
Visitors: The visitor coordinator handles tours and overnight accommodations for visitors. Overnight visitors will also be listed on the white board and there will generally be an email sent to the list to announce their impending arrival.
Unannounced or Uninvited Visitors
From time to time Lost Valley has people come on property without notifying us beforehand. Some of these people may wish to take things from us or use the land in a way that does not accord with our agreements and needs.
Unanounced Visitors
The following protocol is suggested for handling encounters with people whom you do not know or are suspicious of:
S.C.A.N.
- See- See the person, make eye contact, note their appearance
- Contact - Contact them in a casual manner
- Ask - Ask if they need assistance
- Notify - Escort them and notify others for help
We also have a security log in the Guest House for noting the date, appearance and other relevant information about encounters with suspicious or malicious persons. PLEASE USE IT IF YOU HAVE SUCH AN ENCOUNTER, and alert the community to your experience so we know what to look out for.
Children
We ask parents to be proactive and honest with the rest of the community about their expectations about interactions between the children and community residents, and the ways in which the parent(s) are expecting support from the community.
Children and parents will pick up toys and dishes left in the lodge and on the property and put them away in agreed upon places. Parents must be extra vigilant of the ways that their children are leaving spaces, treating Lost Valley or others’ personal property, or affecting community gatherings, business meetings or events that we are hosting.
No bikes, wagons, or other toys will be left on the pathways, as they create a potential hazard in the dark.
Kid's space in public areas will be left in relative order after children have been playing there.
*Quiet time during meals for 45 minutes. No loud voices, running or roughhousing.*
Pets and Animals
Dogs can frighten and injure wildlife and sometimes behave unpredictably around the large number of conference guests, including young children, who regularly flow through Lost Valley. Cats can have a severe impact on the native small mammals and birds. Small indoor animals, such as parakeets, hamsters, and goldfish are unlikely to present a problem. Any prospective new pets have a "trial period" to determine if they will make good community members. If you are interested in introducing an animal to Lost Valley you must agree to and abide by the pet policy, which is available upon request from the Property Manager, and pay a pet deposit for dogs and cats. Exotic or particularly aggressive or large pets will require special arrangement.
Personal Behavior
Alcohol and drugs- We do not use alcohol in public spaces without prior approval by the Purpose Circle. Anyone whose behavior appears to be affecting their relationships within the community as a result of drug or alcohol use may be confronted by individuals or by the whole community, probably in the form of a 'wisdom circle' to determine the course of action.
Swearing- We do not consider swearing appropriate behavior as an everyday language pattern, especially if it is done in an angry or threatening way.
Violence- We are committed to a non-violent way of life. Violence to self, others, property, or the environment is not acceptable at Lost Valley. Acts of violence will be brought to a wisdom circle to find a solution. Repeated acts of violence will lead to expulsion from the community.
Revised March, 2009
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