Meeting Minutes, 22 May 2008The Executive Committee of the Sheboygan Community Garden (SCG) met in the Social Room of Monticello Apartments, 5051 Sheboygan Avenue, Madison, at 7:00 pm, on May 22, 2008. Co-coordinator Pat Soderholm presided over the meeting, which was attended by Cheri Buresh, Jane Dennis, Mary Malischke, Mike Marcoe, Ben Sommers, Lynda Southwick, and Geren Zhang. Soderholm distributed copies of the meeting’s agenda and the treasurer’s report. Co-coordinator Mary Malischke reported garden happenings: the workday team had cleaned the toolshed; CAC Garden Technician Ben Sommers had purchased a pitchfork (@$100-200) and supplied wood chips for the Saturday workday. Malischke bought brackets and hooks for the toolshed and two new shovels; there was no objection to her being recompensed for the purchases. The Treasurer’s Report, prepared by Marie Vander Zanden, May 19, 2008, recorded a monthly starting balance of $1,484.63, listed payments-in from 2 sources, and noted payments-out for 6 items. The ending balance for the month was $2,982.96. The treasurer’s report was accepted as presented. Minutes of the last meeting had been sent out too late for review by most Executive Committee members. Minutes were temporarily approved, and the Secretary was asked to be timelier in distribution. Calendar 1) Lynda Southwick of the Social Committee received a huge vote of thanks for her quick response to a late notice of a Garden Potluck, held May 7, 2008, in a rain-day location at Monticello Apartments. The next social gathering will be June 21, 2008. Melanie Cain-Feris is in charge of that event, and is welcome to ask Padma Kodali for assistance. How about having an ice cream social, it was said. This is the longest day, so we could hold the social late, say at 7:00, and bypass a preliminary potluck dinner. Planners should expect 40-50 people; they could ask for donations from Shoeps Ice Cream, Ben and Jerry’s, Chocolate House, and Copps. The rain location could be Sunday, June 22, though the main event is planned for Saturday, June 21. 2) Cheri Buresh reported that the workday, May 17, 2008, was well attended and a lot was accomplished. The work on plot 51b was miraculous, for a half-dozen people worked hard; the plot owner had planted by 6:30 and had invited a new family to garden with him. The next workday is Wednesday, June 11, 5:30-8:00 pm, in the evening. This is the pine-tree cleanup day: anything that had been left there in storage must be removed by 5:30 pm on this date. CAC Garden Technician Ben Sommers would drop off an empty truck to be filled with the garbage. An announcement will be made one-week before June 11, warning gardeners that they must clean up their storage places under the pine trees. A reminder of the workday will be sent at the same time. Plot Allocation: There were now about 5 persons on the waiting list, which had decreased from a total of 29 people. There were still unweeded plots, it was said. Some members needed volunteers to weed; others would be reminded. Report on Garden Communication: New emails have accumulated and will be posted on the Garden Information list as they become available. The non-emails from last year are still good unless the gardeners have left. Soderholm will ask Hannah Lee to help with translation. Policies Personal water barrels: After some discussion of placement, availability, and aesthetics, it was decided, without objection, that no water containers are allowed in personal garden plots at Sheboygan Community Garden. There are large, 39-gallon water barrels placed on the main paths of the garden. Garden Technical Ben Sommers may increase the number of barrels, getting 7 more like containers. Abandoned plots: It was decided that the standard last-planting date for Sheboygan Community Garden is June 1, and there will be no garden fee refunds after that date. Individual exceptions to this rule may be determined by the Board. Expansion beyond 2 full plots: It was reiterated that a single member-family can garden a maximum of 2 full plots at Sheboygan Community Garden. This policy applies to gardeners who were “grandfathered” into the present-day policy of a maximum of 1 plot per member-family. Plots in other gardens: It was discovered that member-gardeners were not only grandfathered-in for 2 plots but also were tilling plots in other gardens. For the time being, this policy dilemma was tabled. In the interim, the overall Community Action Coalition list of gardens will be referenced. Access pathways and personal equipment in path: It was decided that no extraneous personal items are to be placed in the garden pathways at Sheboygan Community Garden. Gardeners can use only their personal plot spaces for such equipment. Random leavings in the pathways will be removed. Adding people who have not been on waiting list: Any new garden-member at Sheboygan Community Garden must come from the existing Waiting List, on which date of admission is recorded. Any enrolled gardener may share with whomever, but only that enrolled gardener is recorded on the membership list. (The person sharing the plot may also place his/her name on the Wait List in case a plot space becomes available.) Publicize “outside” meetings: The Board would prefer that notices placed either on the bulletin board or on the toolshed be concerned with activities related to Sheboygan Community Garden. Ground and Equipment: It was announced that Alexis Cook had volunteered to oversee hose maintenance at the garden. It was recommended that a mowing schedule be established and that continual attention be paid to trimming around edges and under the table. Transition Committee: CAC Coordinator Joe Mathers is in charge of this committee, which is to experiment with gardening methods to be used in the transition to a new location for the Sheboygan Community Garden. Newsletter/Website: It was recommended that Mike Marcoe, compiler of the newsletter, aim for June 10 as a date for the spring issue. Marcoe asked for submissions by May 28. The Board will investigate a posited need for an official garden photographer. Other: It was announced that abandoned plots need to be cleared and tilled by Saturday morning, May 24. Volunteers were enlisted. The Education Committee planned to present a Row Cover Workshop before the next workday and sought help with stooping and bending. CAC Technician Ben Sommers has the knowledge to share, and Harini Sampath could help with education. The Sheboygan Garden has been granted 3 parking permits. Permit holders will be free to use the DOT parking lot in the daytime. First offers, it was decided, go to Nicolai Bodnikevich, Lea Heine, and Sandra Loose. Other gardeners may park in the back of the garden lot during DOT working hours. The Executive Committee meeting closed @ 9:00 pm. The next Sheboygan Garden Executive Committee meeting will be held June 26, 2008, in the Social Room of Monticello Apartments, 5051 Sheboygan Avenue, at 7:00 pm. Co-coordinator Mary Malischke will be presiding.
|
