Meeting Minutes, 28 February 2008

The Executive Committee of Sheboygan Community Garden (SCG) of 2008 met in the Social Room of Monticello Apartments, 5015 Sheboygan Avenue, at 7:00 pm, on 28 February 2008. Co-coordinator Pat Soderholm presided over the meeting; attendees included, Cheri Buresh, Sonam Choedon, Jane Dennis, Mary Malischke, Linda Page, Pat Soderholm, Nancy Stroud, and Marie Vander Zanden.

After introducing committee members and electing Marie Vander Zanden as vote-worthy representative of the Social Committee, the Executive Committee discussed the proposed Agenda for Sheboygan Community Garden Board meeting, Thursday, February 27, 2008, 7 pm (see attached).

Sheboygan Community Garden Preservation Committee update was given by Linda Page, who included the Transition experimentation proposal of Joe Mathers, CAC technician.

Page reminded the Committee that the Ad Hoc Committee, comprising Preservation Committee members, City representatives from Planning, Zoning, and Parks divisions, and State representatives from the Department of Administration, had, upon review, selected 3 sites for potential relocation of the Sheboygan Community Garden: that is, 3 sites in Rennebohm Park, 2 sites in the Van Hise-Hamilton schoolgrounds, and an as-yet undetermined site in the redeveloped Hill Farms/DOT property area (sites were later elucidated by map). Since the last Sheboygan Board meeting, where the feasible-site selections had first been presented, the Ad Hoc Committee had given a presentation to the Hill Farms Neighborhood Association to say what the committee had done and the rankings chosen after its matrix review; the meeting table was opened for input and suggestions, but none was received. The Ad Hoc Committee’s next step is to meet with the Hill Farms Planning Committee, hoping to receive detailed comments on the garden’s relocation process. In advance of the scheduled meeting, the Ad Hoc Committee prepared a memorandum (which was attached to copies of background documentation, criteria considered, and maps) to Hill Farms and Van Hise-Hamilton representatives asking them to formulate specific questions and concerns. At the same time, a letter was addressed to Alder Tim Gruber, who represents the area surrounding the Hill Farms site, asking his assistance in the effort to get information to residents along Sheboygan and Segoe Avenues as well as other neighborhoods and interested parties. The Ad Hoc Committee intends to get as much input as possible from affected neighbors, whose concerns can be addressed (or ignored). The State wants to move rapidly with its Planned Unit Development, projecting April as a determinate date. However, the City of Madison’s Common Council added the relocation of the Sheboygan Community Garden as a prerequisite for undertaking the General Development Plan, which is consequent of its PUD. The Preservation Committee has found the City representatives’ becoming advocates as they learn more about community gardens.

Joe Mathers, CAC representative on the Ad Hoc Committee, had said, via email, that Sheboygan gardeners should prepare for a transition to another site, wherever that may be. He proposed that we initiate a “group experience” with alternative forms of gardening, say, with container gardening or with worm composted soil. That way, Sheboygan gardeners could be prepared for location, for instance, on a rooftop in the present location or at a less grounded site. The Sheboygan Board voted positively on this proposal, opting for devoting a whole plot to experimental gardening techniques. Perhaps gardeners could even use the Plant-a-Row plot as part of this experiment. The Board said that we could present this experimentation proposal in a Spring mailing preceding the opening potluck. Meanwhile, Mary Malischke would confer with Jack Kloppenberg and/or Sam Dennis.

Discussion of the Sheboygan Community Garden’s calendar for social days and workdays was presented Marie Vander Zander and Cheri Buresh. (Lynda Southwick, co-chair of the Social Committee, had provided an email communication address.)

At the last Board meeting, it had been decided to schedule the opening meeting/potluck on April 17, 2008, with the potluck at 6:00 pm and the meeting at 7:00 pm, both in the Senior Center. The Board hopes to get all dates, both social and work, collected in a “little booklet” that all gardeners can get at the opening potluck/meeting; Vander Zander will work on this booklet, perhaps contacting Newsletter volunteer Mark Marcoe. Shall Sheboygan have a monthly potluck, it was asked. Since we have a workday every month, how about a potluck at the same time? The trend of discussion led to questions of dates, that is, the need for some variance, such as weekdays as well as weekends, and comments on the need for publicity, that is, not only of calendar dates in the Sheboygan booklet but also of special signs and hurrahs in the weeks preceding. Buresh will consider the various days and give suggestions at the next Board meeting. The question of rain dates entered the discussion, that is, the next day or the next week. Gardeners can always get options for workdays from Buresh, who keeps a running list of things to be done posted on the shed. The Board wanted to get more committee members for the workday subcommittee. Discussion turned back to social gatherings: another Solstice Party would be good. How about a theme a month? What about a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream social? Bring recommendations to the March 27 meeting.

A report from the Mayor’s Community Gardens Committee regarding a change in plot fees, which would take effect this year at registration of the Sheboygan Community Garden, was presented by Mary Malischke.

The revised plot fees have been simplified greatly, Malikschke reported, with only 3 levels of annual plot fee -- $10, $35, and $65 -- proportionate to family size and income. “By renting community garden plots on a sliding scale according to the size of household or gardening group and its income,  [the City of Madison hopes] to make city-supported gardens affordable to everyone and also have adequate funds to operate them.” In addition, CAC must have a fee structure for all gardens that receive its services; for the long term, CAC has created a New Garden Fund, which will receive 10% of the garden fees generated annually. During the registration of the Sheboygan Community Garden, the Board noted, it is imperative that gardeners provide responses to the CAC demographics question about income and family size. Gardeners can neither pay their fees nor garden until these demographic questions are answered. Linda Page will oversee the process of getting these forms returned to CAC.

As of February 28, over 2/3 of the pre-registration forms, which were distributed to all 2007 Sheboygan gardeners, had been returned. These forms, asking whether gardeners wished to continue gardening at Sheboygan in 2008, provided space to verify name, address, phone, email, current plot and size, and wishes for changes in plot and size. Before registration, the Plot Allocation Committee will reply to all gardeners who responded, hoping for some registration forms to be completed and fees to be paid before the opening potluck/meeting on April 17. Gardeners cannot garden at all, it was emphasized, until these registration (and demographics) forms are submitted. The Board will try to get these parameters clearly stated in its revised policy (bylaws) statement.

The Sheboygan Community Garden Board reviewed the draft of the “Sheboygan Community Garden By-laws” submitted by Sue Brown.

It was immediately decided that the Board needs a working committee to look at this draft. Lauren Nagle was reviewing the draft at present, and Mary Malischke and Pat Soderholm volunteered, with her, to make up the working committee. All Board members may look over this draft and suggest changes. We will consider the revised “rules” or “policies” (not bylaws) at the April Board meeting. Mary Malischke will email copies of the revised draft to all Board members. Henceforth, for dating purposes, all copies of Sheboygan rules and policies must have the date and the initials of the compiler clearly posted. As inserts to the current draft, it was decided that Sheboygan Community Gardens make Orientation mandatory for all new gardeners; Soderholm will set the calendar for mandatory orientation sessions.

On review of the Plot Assignment process, led by Registrar Nancy Stroud, it was decided that all were of a mind that plot assignments, as determined by the Plot Assignment Committee, need not require Board approval.

In discussion of naming the 2008 Sheboygan Gardens Grounds and Equipment chair, Mary Malishcke informed the Board that Brian Kuhn was not willing to assume the position. Jane Dennis volunteered to inquire of Bill Brooks [who would be willing only to assume a co-chair position with, perhaps, Nat Page].

While discussing the Sheboygan Garden Newsletter/Website schedule, the Board wondered if newsletter editor Mike Marcoe would be willing to compile the Sheboygan dates and events booklet/handbook. It was said that Laura Anderton had requested hard copies of “good pictures” that she could scan. Linda Page and Mary Malischke volunteered to send pictures that had already been digitized.

The meeting of the Sheboygan Community Garden Executive Committee closed at 8:55 pm.

The next Sheboygan Community Garden Board meeting will be held on March 27, 2008, at 7 pm, in the Social Room of Monticello Apartments, 5015 Sheboygan Avenue.