Clinton Community Garden
Steering Committee Meeting
6 May 2014, 7:30 pm, Fountain House, West 47th St, New York, NY
Attending: Andy (’14), Lauren (’13), Stan (’13), Linda (’14), Britta (’14), Tom (’14), Mark (’13), Bruce (’10), Margaret (’13), Kathy (’14), Yaeko (’13).
We were joined by Dash Nelson and his father.
The meeting was called to order.
The April minutes, as adjusted, were accepted.
Mark advised John Keenan has sent a design for the compost area and storage loft. Noone has seen it yet except Yaeko. John K was to present a sketch and Mark was to draw it up for it to be presented to the s/c. If we do not see John or his design then we must proceed. Andy will contact John. Mark suggested concrete posts to the top of the compost area then wood above, basically creating the former structure but with concrete posts. Mark and John, Britta’s husband, will work on the design by email.
Dash Nelson, from the Boy Scouts, presented to the Steering Committee. Some of the benches are weatherworn with some cracked and rotten wood. For an Eagle Scout project Dash would like to replace some of the weatherworn wood with fresh wood, possibly untreated clear cedar. He believed it would cost approximately USD500.00 to fix. Dash plans to make bread, including basil from thier plot, and sea salt, and sell it for fundraising. Any additional money from fundraising would go the the CCG. Dash thinks it would be best to start mid July after school is out, and he can get his friends involved. It was suggested to Dash that he ask the lumberyard to donate all or part of the cost of the wood, and CCG can give the lumberyard a letter for donation / tax purposes. Tom pointed out that Dash and his team would have to work with the people who tend the plots under the benches, to be sure all stakeholders are involved. Tom offered to be the liason between the Steering Committee and Dash.
There was a motion to accept Dash’s proposal, it was seconded, and passed unanimously.
Lawn Update. Tom advised that many places in the lawn are ‘going like gangbusters’ though there are a few weak spots. We are now using some grass with rhizomes, which should fill out. All the cordoning should be off by May 23. Tom expects a seven year plan, which was started in 2009, and can be re-evaluated 2015-2016. The goal is to get 12% organic matter in the soil, when we started with 1.25% organic matter.
Andy advised that he was greeted by a person who advised they were a new front plot holder. Tom confirmed this and advised it had been a weed patch by the west bench by the native bed, and he had taken it upon himself to grow flowers there. At the July Steering Committee meeting, 2013, there was concern expressed that Tom had gone beyond his capacity when starting a new bed. Tom advised he then let other people garden that area. Tom advised he sees practically a total of four new potential front beds. It was pointed out that Tom had assigned someone a front garden plot, and Tom advised it was in lieu of him gardening that new plot, and claimed that the July minutes voted him the new plot. Representations were made that there was, in fact, a process in place to assign front beds to present back bed gardeners. Tom apologized for exceeding his authority by suborning this process.
There was a motion to let the new people garden this new plot for the remainder of the year, then take them off the plot at the end of the year, and it will then be offered to the back bed gardeners. This motion was seconded, and carried with one nay.
There was a motion to let the new people garden this new plot for the remainder of the year, then take them off the plot at the end of the year, and it will then be offered to the back bed gardeners. This motion was seconded, and carried with one nay.
There was a motion to let the new people garden this new plot for the remainder of the year, then take them off the plot at the end of the year, and it will then be offered to the back bed gardeners. This motion was seconded, and carried with one nay.
Tom will advise the new front gardeners that they only have until the end of this year for this front bed.
Wrought Iron. Andy will take the lead on getting the front fence completed. He will talk to the NYC Parks liason.
Key Sales. We ran out of keys tonight. We sold 22 keys, and made USD300.00, and left USD20.00 in the pouch. The new key form is in the large white envelope, complete the form, clip the money to the envelope and let Mark know you have the proceeds. For those who want a replacement key, all replacement keys must be purchased, we cannot swap out keys for free. Also, we will need all Steering committee members to do key sales at least twice to cover all key sales. Stan will have the current key applications added to Google contacts, and has already added the August and September key sales for signing up.
TD Bank Signatures – next week is not good, we will figure it out.
Sidewalk Committee – Andy gave a list of people who has asked for the sidewalk committee.
Plot Committee – New plots have been assigned for this year. It was suggested we do plot inspections before the next s/c meeting.
Ellen Martin advised her friend will take over her plot for a year so moved, seconded, voted and passed in favor.
Rose Bed – Millie has advised the hose in the front rose bed needs repair. She has some tape for it, but needs help.
May Pole Event – the person running it will email Andy with particulars.
Ninth Ave. Festival – We have applied for and have our permit. Additional shirts are ordered. Mark will speak with Steve about the details of organizing this event. Laura and Kazuo will help set up. Margaret will go through the volunteer list.
Tom suggested we send a thank-you note to Manhattan Plaza for donating 100 marigolds for the plant sale.
It was advised that Midtown West is not interested in the stone dust. Tom advised Stephen Pier (sp?) is interested in using it for resetting stones at the grape arbor.
The Treasurer’s Report was sent by Mark. This included the proposed structure of the budget. Mark proposed that there be one line item for an annual project. Mark will send the budget electronically and we will plug in number from our earlier proposed budget.
There was a motion to keep the figures much the same as last year, seconded, passed unanimously. The front bed gardeners will be reimbursed a similar levels to last year.
It was advised that Dru had asked for a tree pruning for the trees in Fountain House, in part because they shade plots so. Fountain House agreed last year to this as long as we paid. Andy will speak with Ed from Fountain House.
The meeting was adjourned.
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I believe it was also stated at the meeting that no new plots should be started in the front garden without approval of the steering committee.