Meeting Minutes, 27 MARCH 2008

The Executive Committee of the 2008 Sheboygan Community Garden (SCG) met in the Social Room of Monticello Apartments, 5015 Sheboygan Avenue, at 7:00 pm, on March 27, 2008. Co-coordinator Mary Malischke presided over the meeting; attendees included Jane Dennis, Yugandhar Kodali, Mary Malischke, Mike Marcoe, Linda Page, Nat Page, Matthew Reames, Pat Soderholm, Ben Sommers, Nancy Stroud, and Marie Vander Zanden.

After an introduction of participants, the Executive Committee discussed the proposed Agenda for Sheboygan Community Garden Board meeting, Thursday, March 27, 2008, 7 pm.

The minutes of the last meeting, February 28, 2008, were approved after removal of the response to agenda #5.

The “Sheboygan Community Garden Treasurer’s Report, March 2008” was presented, via Xerox copy, by Treasurer Sue Brown.  Comments covered the Post Office box rental rate of $50.00 and the 2007 water bill of $288.20. The water bill, it was said, reflected the SCG’s first year of metered water charge versus the past years of hydrant-use rates. Refunds for fee overpayments ($145.75) were issued because some gardeners, who received half-plots, had paid for whole plots. The Board brought up a line-item question regarding the absence of expenditures on the Mayor’s Bike Tour in August 2007, learning that receipts for cost of members’ donations must be turned in to the Treasurer to be recorded. The Treasurer’s report will be filed for audit.

The Sheboygan Community Garden’s Spring potluck and meeting is scheduled for April 17, 2008, at the Senior Center on Terrace Avenue. Napkins, utensils, coolers, and so forth are privileges provided by the Senior Center. Gardener participants must bring their own dishes and silverware along with their potluck contribution. Although the Spring potluck is set for 6:00, and the meeting at 7:00, the facilities will be open at 5:00 for preparations. Name tags and pens are still needed. Nancy Stroud and Sue Brown are to send out announcements the week of April 1. It was announced that Padma Kodali will no longer co-chair the committee.

The Board reviewed the 2008 Social schedule. Social Committee co-chair Marie Vander Zanden proposed the following dates: May 21 (Wednesday), June 21 (Solstice Saturday), July 25 (Friday), August 18 (Monday), September 18 (Thursday), and Fall Potluck, perhaps in the third week of October (12-18). Vander Zanden will send the combination of potluck/workdays, planned for each month, to Mary Malischke for inclusion in the 2009 Sheboygan Garden Handbook. Midweek potluck/workdays are to start @5:30 pm, with supper followed by an hour or two of work. It was suggested that a “Job for the Day” be posted with each potluck/workday reminder, luring people attracted to particular work.

Translators to be available for Sheboygan Community Garden meetings were proposed. Mary Malischke can contact a Hmong translator; Geren Zhang can translate Chinese; Nit Suetmeier and Thay Seuasoukseng, Thai and Lao (perhaps they understand Hmong); Fadey Feyman, Russian; Sonam Choedon, Tibetan; and Mario Dominguez, Spanish. If the translator is a gardener, translation can be voluntary; if not, the Board can decide whether or not to pay for the service.

Next, the Board considered the Sheboygan Community Garden registration process. Forms for registration are to be sent to all past gardeners (minus a few, and plus 32 prospective new) after April 1, with a cover letter, the request for plot and plot size desired, and family demographic information. This year the return of demographic information is mandatory. Gardeners can either send back their plot request with payment or bring the registration material plus payment to the April 17 potluck/meeting. All responses and payment must be mailed back by April 27. There was some discussion. If gardeners return their registration and demographic forms and pay their fees, they will be granted garden plots and handbooks. Compliance can be met either by mail or by attendance at the potluck. The waiting list people are separate. There are now 32 people on the SCG waiting list, and “no room” will be said to additional requests along with advice to “contact CAC.” The date of request is the first filter to be used to determine position on the waiting list. After that, the application-with-payment is the second filter. According to the standing Bylaws, gardeners have until April 27, or 10 days after the potluck registration date, to reply. At that time, anyone/everyone who has not returned forms and money goes to the bottom of the waiting list. If registration/demographic forms and money are received by the SCG before that date, the plot will be (re)assigned. April 19 is opening day for everyone who has turned in the requisite forms and payment. Remember, until registration/demographic forms and payment are in, gardeners do not have a plot. The whole process begins anew every season. Plots are reserved, not allocated, until forms/payment are received. According to the Bylaws, the Board is to approve plot allocation. At this time, the Board unanimously passed a vote of confidence in the Plot Allocation Committee’s proposal; it will meet for formal approval at 5:45 pm on the evening of the annual Spring potluck/meeting. Next year, it was proposed, the SCG could change the form/payment due-ate to be the same as the potluck/meeting date.

The committee for plot allocation will have a map of assigned plots to post on April 17. As money comes in to the Sheboygan Plot Allocation Committee, new names can be written in for unassigned plots. The committee will keep track of both efforts to contact prospective gardeners and to efforts to respond. If gardeners have not submitted payment by April 17th, their applications will go to the bottom of the waiting list. 

Newsletter compiler Mike Marcoe spoke of plans for two editions of the Sheboygan Newsletter this year. The early season newsletter, by May 1st or so, could include opening dates, meeting dates, and activity dates. The end of season newsletter could include what’s scheduled next.

For the Grounds Committee, it was moved, and seconded, that the Sheboygan Community Garden allocate up to $300 purchase a small, portable rototiller. The motion carried unanimously. CAC technician Ben Sommers will contact the Grounds Committee co-chair, Bill Brooks.

Ben Sommers reported for the Coalition Action Committee, saying that both free hay and free compost will be put in piles at the back of the garden. Gardeners can select as they choose. Sommers said that it has been decided that, next year, $300 will be the base charge for SCG’s working with CAC. The Board said that SCG will make that donation at the end of the year. Sommers admires “the time and work you’ve put in”; he, and his new truck, will help.

Mary Malischke and Linda Page volunteered to contact the Wisconsin Department of Administration Grounds person about providing an ADA ramp for wheel-chair access. A wooden plank could be sufficient, it was said, to reach a plot next to the southwest corner of the Sheboygan Garden. UW students could be contacted to construct the plank as community service.

Mike Marcoe and Mary Malischke volunteered to compose/compile the 2008 Sheboygan Community Garden Handbook. They will email their draft of the handbook to Board members for approval.

Garden Orientation is required for all new gardeners. This is a question of Sheboygan Community Garden procedures rather than bylaws. New gardeners in 2008 will have from April 19 to May 3 to receive orientation to SCG modus operandi.

The Sheboygan Community Garden Executive Committee meeting closed at 9:20 pm.