by

Meeting #3 Minutes – March 8, 2024

Date: Friday, March 8, 2024
Start Time: 7:15 PM
End Time: 8:30 PM

In attendance:  Laura T., Jim, Maria, Luca, Leah, Lisa

Quorum (3 voting members):   yes
(Voting members must have a valid RCA membership and must be a current gardener of the RCG.)

Business:

Garden Orientation:  

  • Yes, agreed… Garden Orientation moved back to late April/early May.  

Budget 

  • Review the new DRAFT budget for 2024.  Add/Remove items.
  • MOTION:  Motion to ACCEPT the 2024 Budget as it stands/as amended as a guideline for our 2024 Season and deliver to RCA for their records.    Moved by Lisa, Seconded by Maira, unanimous acceptance.

RCG Terms of Reference (TOR)

  • Review the old and new v3 DRAFT TOR.
  • MOTION:  Motion to ACCEPT TOR v3 as it stands/as amended and deliver to RCA for their approval.   Moved by Lisa, Seconded by Jim, unanimous approval.  Now this document needs to be approved by the RCA.

Things to give away

  • Tree watering bags
    • MOTION:  Motion to give away the Tree Watering Bags to CALHORT and/or to another community garden in need of tree watering bags.  Moved by Lisa, Seconded by Leah, carried.
  • Leftover plastic fencing
    • MOTION:  Motion to give away the used plastic fencing to CALHORT and/or to another community garden in need of plastic fencing.  Moved by Lisa, Seconded by Leah, carried.

Discussion and Announcements:

Hose Reel Cart

Water Restrictions

  • I submitted a 311 ticket to the city today (2024-03-08) to ask how it affects us.
  • Discussion:  Suggestion to acquire a new Water Tank that could be filled from the hose to reserve the water for  times of great need.  330 gallon food grade water tank would be ideal.  Maybe we could get an old one that a local company is going to throw away.  There was a concern that it could be easily vandalized.  Thoughts to build a wooden structure over it with a large roof to capture water, and wooden walls to deter/prevent vandalism.  

Volunteer Experience

  • Work Independently vs. Garden Therapy – How did things work out for you?
  • Comments:  Difficulty finding work list online. Need more Reminders & Email links.
  • We’ll do that again!

Spring Cleanup – Tasks To Do (above and beyond the usual)

  • Empty and refill the HISTORICAL GARDEN
  • Check other beds for roots!

Green Sign Redesign

  • Steal color scheme from the RCA
  • Determine the verbiage required
  • Hand sign over to King if they are still open to taking on the redesign!

Bylaws Policies & Procedures v10 Approval

  • The RCG Policies & Procedures v10 was approved by RCG on October 28, 2023
  • The RCG Policies & Procedures v10 was submitted to the RCA on May 30, 2023 and approved.  CURRENT!

Tree Pruning/Unfencing

  • Asap
  • Comments:  Suggestion to enlarge the area for more trees!

Food Donations

  • Food donations for 2023
    • 10-15 safeway bags of greens (lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard), 8-10 bunches of radishes
    • 9 lbs of potatoes, 7 pounds of tomatoes, swiss chard, a squash and garlic (2 large boxes of produced to Rosscarrock Community Fridge)
    • 5 lbs carrots

Garden Theft/Vandalism

  • Please let Lisa know if there are any acts of theft or vandalism at the garden anytime through the year.  
  • Discussion:  Suggestions to build a fence.  Historically, the City didn’t allow us to build a fence around the community garden.  Possibility to build a fence “section” near the entrances of the garden or at the “corners” of the garden and use it as a location to post a sign.  Suggestion to use “cedar split rail fencing” as an attractive solution.  This fence section would not act as a barrier to entering the garden, but rather as a “feature” to enhance the appearance of the garden, cedar would match beds, and the sign would be informative.  Let’s pass on our thoughts to the RCA to let them know this is on our radar.

Gophers

  • Please let Lisa know if you observe any gopher holes ANYWHERE on the RCG grounds, including the bordering retention wall (boulders), raised beds, grassy mounds, etc.