Greene Acres Community Garden

Meeting Minutes 		ATTENDEES:  John (NYRP), Kim, Amanda, Seth, Eula
Earlene, Darielle, Al, Noah
March 8, 2004 	

AGENDA
1. Introductions, announcements.
2. Landscaping: Contractor update, Rainwater tanks, workdays.
3. Compost.
4. Events.
5. Membership/plots.
6. Financials.
7. Old/new business.

1. Introductions, announcements.
* John Wasiutynski (Brooklyn District Manager for the NYRP) joined the meeting.
* Keep meeting to one hour. Set standard agenda (above).
* March 20 is the Green Thumb Grow Together.

2. Landscaping.
* John Wasiutynski reported that the Starkie Brothers landscape contractors will finish their work during March or April.
* The paths between the beds will be covered in woodchips. Kim wanted to find out what kind of woodchips would be used to make sure that they are not too acidic.
* Can the garden get more topsoil from Green Thumb and more compost from the Bronx Zoo? John W will find out from Jason at the NYRP.
* Dariel wanted to know when the decision was made on the final design of the Rainwater Collection tank: The NYRP sent the final design to Amanda on November 25, 2003 (after the final garden meeting of the season, November 10). Dariel asked that the design be put on the Greene Acres website. NYRP will help Greene Acres build the tank. It should take 1-2 days of labor. 
* There will be workdays April 3, 4, 17 and 18. The goals of the workdays is to: build the rainwater collection tank, the streambed (we will need materials), the pond (need to know dimensions, depth and lining material, and John W will look into liability issues) and a flat bridge over the streambed. The goal is for the Starkie Brothers to be done before April 3 and for the materials to be delivered before April 3.

3. Compost.
* A compost membership will be added to the by-laws.
* The Park Slope Food Co-op wants to drop off compost every eight weeks. They will build large rodent-proof bins. Can we get their design? The bins could go in back northwest corner of the garden (near the shed). Will the Park Slope Food Co-Op's compost bins be large enough to take Greene Acres members and compost members compost too? For Co-Op members, their Co-Op work shifts can be worked in the garden, maintaining the compost bins. 

4. Events.
* Events discussion will be laid over until the April 12 garden meeting.
Over please.

5. Membership/plots.
* Members who do not pay their dues, attend a meeting and a workday by May 10 will loose their private boxes.
* Delinquent gardeners include: Zester & Nyah, Aaron, Leon, Carolyn, Vanessa.
* A raised, handicapped accessible bed should be built.
* Before other new beds are built, a tally has to be taken of what gardener members have plots and what members would like a plot and who on the waiting list would like to join and get a plot. Noah will send a letter out to garden members and those on the waiting list to gather this information.
* People on the waiting list should be contacted about volunteering at the workdays.
* Gardeners should put up signs if they plant in the communal areas.
* Sam Poe, who is a garden member, needs to come to meetings and address the rest of the members about any landscape plans he has.
* Noah will draft an amendment to the by-laws outlining landscaping processes and policies.

6. Financials.
* Greene Acres Community Garden has $342 in the bank. We expect to take in approximately $250 in membership fees in 2004 ($10 x 25 members) plus $5 per compost member. Gardeners are encouraged to come to the next meet with ideas on what to spend the money on.

7. Old/new business.
* What is the sustainability of the landscaping and landscape planning? The garden needs a long-term maintenance plan that outlines a framework for maintenance. Vandra volunteered to lead a long-range landscape planning committee.