Attending: Cyndi Line, Barbara McKenzie, Anne Seidman, Irene Scarborough Ed Mitinger, Pamela Barnett, Carolyn Scott, Linda Witt, Gwyn MacDonald, Thom Hardenbergh and John Ventre

Meeting was held to mostly allow for discussion of proposed By Law changes to be presented to the garden body at the next general meeting and put to a vote if a quorum is present.

Results of agreed changes to By Laws are presented at the end of these minutes for review. Note: In Word® these changes are presented using track-changes).

Also discussed were the following:
• Council requested that Anne Harvey draft up a use and clean-up process for the compost toilet that may be placed on the website.
• Linda Witt requested Libby Fest be held once again as part of the “Mid-Summer Night Dream”. I was agreed to. Linda has agreed to lead efforts for it’s organization.
• First garden inspection will be held on May 15th at 6pm. John Ventre will request volunteers from the council as the day approaches.
• John will also send out requests for person to lead clean-ups starting with the June 15th clean-up and several more through the end of the season.
• A letter from Eileen Gallagher, of PHA, was read by Cyndi Line to the group. It pertained to some topics for the garden.
o Asking for a Bee contact. Carolyn’s and Don’s names were given.
o A Mural arts and storm water project that has interest in coordinating an event for awareness on 18 May. Anne Seidman volunteered to represent the garden and contact Eileen for further details and start an exchange. It was agreed by all that there was not much time before the date and the garden’s involvement would need to be carefully considered.
That is it. Thanks for coming.

GARDEN BY-LAWS CHANGES:
I. Membership:
A. Each plot must have at least one Voting Member, who:
A. Plots may be gardened by singular or shared gardeners. All gardeners must sign the bylaws and must have their names listed on the plot. Plots may have up to two keys. At least one gardener in each plot must be identified as the “key contact” for all garden matters.
[There was a note made during the meeting that in the section where residence requirement is stated, that section should be modified to state both gardeners should reside in QV.]
B. Each plot
1. has one vote on any matter coming before the membership for a vote;
The voting member must be identified upon sign in at a meeting; and

2. Each plot must attend a minimum of 5 meetings and 5 cleanups (or equivalent). Credit is earned at cleanup or meetings per plot not per gardener in attendance.
3. Each plot must register for and perform two weeks of watering duty, with at least one week during “hot”

4. Each plot must join and actively participate in a Committee, and

5. Each plot must renew membership annually by a May 1st deadline..
B. Each plot may have one assisting gardener. If the assisting gardener wishes to be a Voting Member, he or she must fulfill all the obligations of a Voting Member.

C. Eligibility for Membership
1. First priority will be given to Queen Village Residents: Delaware River to 6th Street; south side Lombard St. to the north side Washington Avenue.
2. The Garden Chair(s) maintain the waiting list of applicants for membership. Order on the waiting list is determined first by residency and then by date of application.
3. Applicants are accepted according to plot availability. Current gardeners have first preference to apply for a vacant plot. No household may have more than one plot. The Garden Chair(s) will maintain the plot list of assigned plots. Only the Garden Chair(s), after consultation with the Officers, may assign or transfer plots, and should do so based on the expected commitment of the applicants to the goals of the community garden and ability to meet ongoing membership requirements.
D. Membership Requirements

1. In addition to the requirements described above, each gardener (in single and in shared plots) is required to:
a. sign the SWQVCG By-laws
b. if required, sign the Neighborhood Gardening Association (NGA) Agreement,
e. meet the Garden Criteria and General Rules described below.

E. Plot Secession
Shared plots that have one of the members leave may remain with the second gardener with approval of the council. Remaining gardener should notify the council of their wishes as soon as possible.
E. Membership Fees
1. The purpose of membership fees is to pay for the total annual “basic” costs which include, but are not limited to, water and electric bills, irrigation system operation and maintenance, trash bags and mosquito control.
2. Each plot is responsible for paying membership fees for the plot. The membership fees are to be paid at the March garden meeting or as soon afterwards as possible but no later than April 1 or at another date arranged with the garden officers.
3. Each fall, the membership fees for the following year will be determined by taking the current year’s basic costs less the year’s fundraising proceeds designated for “general funds” and divided by the number of voting plots in the garden. The fees will be reviewed and approved by the garden officers and reported at the November garden meeting.
4. It is the intention of the garden membership that dues shall not be a barrier to garden membership.
5. A $2,000 “rainy day” fund will be kept in reserve for unexpected costs.
II. Meetings:
1. Meetings are held on the second Monday of every month from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, except the months of December, January and February. If the second Monday needs to be cancelled, the meeting will take place on the second Tuesday of the month.
2. Location of meetings October through March will be at an indoor site; from April through September, meetings will be held in the Garden unless the Chair(s) moves the meeting because of inclement weather.
3. Any plot attending fewer than five meetings per season, March through November, will receive one warning.
4. Any plot unable to attend at least five meetings due to issues outside of gardener control must inform his/her Row Captain.
5. Required meetings are earned per plot (not per gardener).

5. The Officers are to give notice and provide an agenda, noting the matters on which a vote will be taken, at least two days before a Meeting.
6. The members who have a right to vote who are present at any regularly scheduled meeting will constitute a quorum, except for amending the By-laws, when 50% of the Voting members must be present to form a quorum. There is one vote per plot. Voting members for plots will be noted upon meeting sign-in.
7. Except for amending the By-laws, all issues to be voted on shall be decided by a simple majority of the Voting Members present at the meeting in which the vote takes place (Ex.: If 20 Voting Members are present a simple majority constitutes 11). The vote of two-thirds of the Voting Members present is required to amend the By-laws, assuming a quorum is present.
III. Clean-ups:
1. Regular garden clean-ups are held the Saturday following a garden meeting. Rain dates for clean-ups will be Sunday following a garden meeting. Clean-ups require two hours of work in the common areas as directed by the clean-up leader and excludes any time spent working on the gardener’s own plot.
2. For those who cannot complete the required regular clean-ups, a task list and sign up sheet is posted in the garden shed. Members are to record his/her completed tasks and time to be counted towards the regular clean-up requirement on the sign up sheet. Two hours of tasks equal one regular clean-up.
a. A plot with fewer than the required regular clean-ups and does not without equivalent task time will receive one warning.
b. Any plot unable to attend the required number of regular clean-ups or complete equivalent task time due to issues outside of his/her control must inform his/her Row Captain.
c. Required clean-ups are earned per plot (not per gardener). IV. Election of Officers:
1. Officers are elected to a two-year term at the March meeting. The holding of an office is limited to two consecutive terms.
2. The officers are: Chair(s), Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Corresponding Secretary and Recording Secretary.
V. Row Captains:
1. One or two gardeners per row will be appointed by the Chairs to serve as Row Captain(s) for a term of two-years.
2. Row Captain duties include:
a. Making sure each gardener on his/her row keeps his/her garden plot free of weeds and debris and paths are clear and weed free.
b. Making sure no items are stored in any path (except watering cans).
c. Notifying gardeners in your row of special clean-ups and other events.
d. Notifying gardeners in your row without email service of all meetings, clean-ups, and other activities by phone.
e. Resolving gardeners concerns and grievances or bringing them to the attention of the officers if unable to resolve.
f. Coordinating and leading one clean-up per season.
g. Reporting the general health of the row to the Chair(s) on a regular basis.
VI. Garden Council:
1. The officers, Row Captains, and the immediate past Garden Chair(s) will constitute the Garden Council.
2. The Garden Council will serve as the By-laws Committee to consider proposed changes to the by-laws. The Committee will present its recommendations on the By-laws to the Members. Only the Members can approve changes to the By-laws.
VII. Garden Criteria:
1. Each garden plot must be cleared and planting begun no later than May 1 or the plot will be forfeited.
2. Each plot is responsible for mulching, weeding and clearing his/her plot and the paths surrounding it. Each plot must chip the paths bordering the plot.
3. Each gardener is responsible for maintaining the ‘health’ of his/her plot by removing noxious or invasive plants, sickly plant material, rotting plant materials and/or pest infested plants. Any plot receiving notice from a row captain, the Inspection Committee or Garden Council of unhealthy conditions in the plot must clear the unhealthy conditions within five days of receiving the notice. Plots with serious infestation may be cleared at the discretion of the Garden Council or Inspection Committee.
4. Absence: Any gardener unable to maintain his/her plot due to circumstances beyond his/her control must inform the Garden Chair(s).
5. Gardening activity and plant growth must be restricted to each individual’s plot.
6. The Garden Council will determine if any of the common gardens produce, materials, or supplies may be donated or sold. All proceeds will be turned over to the treasury for benefit of the garden only.
7. Harvesting of Common Areas: The Chair of the Orchard Committee will determine the harvest dates of all common area fruiting plants and will notify the membership of harvesting day(s). Each gardener may pick only enough fruit for a sampling. Please don’t be greedy.
VIII. Inspection Committee:
1. Consists of at least three members of the Garden Council, including a minimum of one current officer.
2. The Committee will conduct inspections in May, June, July and August to ensure that all plots and aisles are clean, healthy, and free of weeds, infestation, and hazards. Additional inspections may be conducted at the Garden Council’s discretion.
3. The Committee will notify the appropriate Row Captains of plots or aisle areas that do not meet criteria and the Row Captains will notify the members whose plots and aisle areas require remediation. Members are expected to reply immediately to such a notice and make arrangements to have the plot and aisle area back to standards within five days of the notice. Failure to comply within five days without adequate excuse, as determined in the discretion of the Chair(s), will result in a warning.
IX. General Rules:
1. As part of the community, gardeners are expected to participate in garden activities and preparation for special events, such as: the PHS City Garden Contest, Fundraisers, Festivals, Holiday Party, Special Projects, and Fall BBQ.
2. Grievances should be brought to the attention of the Row Captain. The Row Captain will attempt to resolve grievances and will convey unresolved grievances to the officers for resolution.
3. Removal or harvesting of any beneficial creatures from the garden is prohibited. No digging of worms.
4. Use of non-organic or synthetic pesticides or herbicides by individual gardeners is not permitted. The Garden Council encourages and prefers gardeners to utilize organic and natural gardening methods.
5. No one may climb trees except at the direction of the Orchard Committee.
6. Gardeners may not damage, prune, harvest, pull out weeds or plants or tend to other gardener’s plot unless specifically invited. Failure to comply with this Rule may result in loss of membership in the Garden. A dismissal requires a majority vote of the Garden Council.
7. Guests and children, must be accompanied by a Voting Member or assisting gardener and obey all garden by-laws.
8. Pets brought into the garden must be restrained on a leash, kept out of plots and the person responsible must clean up after the pet.
9. Illegal activities within the garden, by a Member or his/her guests, will result in the Member’s immediate expulsion.
10. Violation of any of the garden by-laws will result in a warning.
11. Any gardener who does not satisfy the Membership Requirements or receives two warnings in a season is eligible for dismissal. A dismissal requires a majority vote of the Garden Council.
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