Meeting Minutes

March 26, 2023

Voted to switch from a key lock to a combo lock for the front gate. The code will be shared with members and can be reset every season.
Compost
- Voted YES on the compost plans budget of ~$2,000.
- David/Peter will begin purchasing supplies this week.
- All materials here for the next meeting 04/08.
- The Compost Committee will put together a work plan for building a compost bin to discuss at the April 8th meeting.
Votes YES for open hours to stay the same as last year.
- A sign up to be sent out with the newsletter twice a month to ensure someone is at the garden during open hours.
Community Beds
- Seedlings will be planted in community beds by end of april/early may – april 7th order due.
A reminder that anything over $25 shouldn’t be thrown away without garden group approval.

Green thumb questions to be answered by Dec 31
Calendar Planning for 2023
- Include elections in the calendar for 2023 and have them earlier (maybe at Halloween Party)
- Close down garden meeting
- Be conscious of holidays when planning calendar
  - Don’t plan meetings on holiday weekends
Voted on keeping current board positions and will handle 2 empty ones in spring
- One treasurer and one green thumb board position still open
Credit union switch happening
Porta potty will be collected for winter
Key Discussion: People are not able to access Garden easily because of faulty keys from copying copies
- Try to make a bunch of copies of the key ahead of the season and use only the master key
- Spread lockbox code to board in case of emergencies
To discuss first meeting in the Spring:
- Policy about rescheduling meetings
- Having a sign up for running meetings
- Starting meeting at 10:30

Set a meeting in December. Dec 3 at 10:30 meeting before Holiday Market and breakdown after
Green thumb position open
Green thumb relicensing due end of December
Grant opportunity? Due Jan 10
Lockbox for new members?
- Can’t secure the garden because anybody could have the code
- Switch lock this year?
Holiday market dec 3, 12-3. 10% of sales go to red shed
Newsletter about elections and which board positions are open.

Green Thumb:
- Looking to get more shovels
- We can get these on October 29 between 10am-1pm
Events:
- Halloween Party:
  - Voted yes on $300 budget for food and drinks for the event
  - Still waiting to hear back on pumpkin donation from David for pumpkin painting.
  - Everyone loves the idea of a pie contest. We can include this on the second batch of flyers.
  - Travis will promote the times of the contests on IG.
  - Action Needed:
    - Alex is changing the flier to say 1-6pm and including the pie contest at 5pm – once we have this updated/printed Travis wanted to get the digital file to post on IG
    - Need people to hand out thank you cards and put up event flyers this week and next – send a list of donors to the team so we can do this
    - Need a firm list of volunteers for setup, tear down and a food run. Setup at 12:30, food runs the day of (make a list) and tear down after 6:00 pm. Have two volunteers for setup (Jeff and Alden)
    - Alden said his sister would be open to donating her time and performing at the event, although she is a solo artist and usually sings acoustic. Her IG is @dania_music_ .If this does not work Jeff may be able to DJ and set up a playlist that works.
    - If we have t-shirts left over do we want to sell those at the event?

Compost:

Missing hose is back!

Landscaping:

Put lids on barrels, white nets aren’t working

We have agreed on the Credit Union switch
Greenthumb to expand code for lockbox
Ticketed summer event confirmed, family style from Sophia Roe (!!!!) – more info to come!!

Events
- Potential event on the horizon with Sophia Roe maybe in september
- Sophia roe is a food blogger, James bears award winning
Landscaping
- Split up parts of the garden to water more consistently
Compost
- shipment of compost delivered!
- Try to cut up your rotting veggies before adding to compost and don’t put weeds in there
- Update on rebuilding compost bins: don’t have the resources to reconstruct and the cost of the pipe design is really expensive
- Can Greenthumb redo it? Reconvene at the end of the season to decide, prebuilt options?

Water
- Leave mosquito dunks in the water barrels!
  - Joe is getting more
- Hose is missing? We vote yes on using $50 on a 100 foot hose
Rat abatement updates:
- Green Thumb is renewing partnership with rat abatement companies which just expired and going to start again and run from July-next June.
- Proposal to have contractors install a small plexiglass barrier for a more permanent resolution which will cost a few 1000 vs constantly paying 200/month for extermination service.
  - Looking into estimates
Voted on having sign out front for Venmo donations
- Can do donation jar at events, smaller fundraising events,
- Can only have 2 events where we get money where we explicitly ask it for it (i.e. Summer fundraiser)
Landscaping
- Baby Morning Glorys are everywhere! If you see some pull them out :)

Community Bed updates:
- Add new trellises
- Putting in pumpkin seeds, arugula seeds etc.
Compost:
- Person from NYC Compost noted bad odor coming from compost
- People need to add browns to greens to counteract the odor
- Voted YES to have a 5 minute compost demonstration at a coming meeting from NYC Compost/or Steve
Rat Problem:
- Out of control, need to hire a professional exterminator
- Reach out to previous exterminator that city has used in the past
- In the meantime do we want to use mint scented bags as a temporary solution to trash/recycling?
Ornamental Cherry Plum Tree
- Tree is dying with no return
- Replace with a non-fruit tree is the best option
- Japanese Maple is an option, we are doing research and then can vote
- Tree can be no more than 20 ft
- Voted YES for parks to come remove the tree
Summer Fundraiser Recap:
- We raised shy of $3,000 (woohoo!)
Photoshoot:
- Someone from Edible Manhattan Group reached out on IG to do a photoshoot in the garden
- We have no problem but they need permits etc.
- Proposed solution if they have permits are to put in touch with events and ask for donations

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