Merchant Park Community Garden

(only full garden members are eligible to vote in this election and other garden issues)

You can also view and download a printable copy of this application here:
Executive Committee Nomination Form

Voting

A. Each member in good standing shall have one vote regardless of how many garden plots s/he has paid for.
B. Voting shall be by secret ballot and done online.
C. A majority vote of those members in good standing, who are present, shall elect the officers.
D. Replacement of officers between elections, as necessitated by special circumstances, will be voted on at a general membership meeting to be held in a timely fashion.

Duties of Executive Committee Officers

1. President:
   1. Calls and facilitates meetings and will be, ex-officio, a member of all committees.
   2. Will oversee garden operations in accordance with garden purpose, rules and by-laws.
   3. Will work with the alderman’s office, other city agencies and organizations as needed.
2. Vice President:
   1. Assists the President, and in case of the President’s absence or inability to serve, shall perform the president’s duties
   2. Execute special duties as assigned by the president
3. Treasurer:Is the custodian of all funds (which shall be paid out upon order by the Executive Committee) for the garden and, as custodian,
   1. Maintains an accurate accounting of all financial ‘inputs’ and ‘outputs’ to the garden bank account and maintains receipts from these transactions.
   2. Makes regular reports on income and expenses to the Executive Committee
4. Secretary:
   1. Takes notes at meetings and reads them for approval
   2. Keeps track of action items and reports on action items at meetings
   3. With the help of the Translation Committee, obtains translations of notices to be sent out in Spanish
   4. Sends out notices announcing each meeting at least 10 days in advance of the meeting
   5. Maintains a list of committee volunteers’ names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
   6. Tracks attendance at each meeting via a sign in sheet.
5. Membership Director:
   1. Maintains a database of all membership data and makes this data easily accessible to the Executive Committee.
   2. Works with the marketing and communication committee to get yearly plot applications out to existing members, people on the waiting list for a plot and to advertise plot availability to the general public.
   3. Maintains a list, in order of receipt, of requests for garden plots.
   4. Assigns vacant spaces to eligible new gardeners on a first-come, first-serve basis.
   5. Keeps the Executive Committee advised of all changes to gardeners’ information.
6. Committee Chairpersons: Organize meetings for their committees, oversee committee work and report on committee work at Executive Committee Meetings.

Committees

1. MPCG will have committees. One person will be selected to be the chairperson for each committee. The Chairperson will be responsible for keeping the Executive Committee updated on the progress and actions of the committee.
2. Standing MPCG Committees should include the following:
   1. Plot Planning and Construction:
      • This committee exists to plan the overall layout of the garden area, plan the location and size of garden plots, determine what materials will be used to execute the garden layout plans, budget for any new construction or features of the garden and oversee garden construction.
   2. Water:
      • This committee exists to ensure that water is available at the site and that all gardeners have safe, timely access to water. This committee will also be in charge of trying to implement rainwater collection system as part of an overall water plan. This committee will need to prepare a budget each year and submit it for funding of its initiatives.
   3. Maintenance and Monitoring:
      • This committee will be in charge of securing and maintaining the garden and any garden assets (tools, etc.) This committee will look into fencing options to secure the gardens area and will maintain fencing. This committee will also be in charge of monitoring the garden plots to make sure they are being kept up according to garden rules. If there is a violation of rules or other dispute about plot use, committee members will contact the gardener(s) to work out a resolution to the issue. If unable to resolve the problem ‘one-on-one’, the chairperson of this committee will take the problem to the Executive Committee for resolution. This committee will need to prepare a budget each year and submit it for funding of its initiatives.
   4. Fundraising:
      • This committee will compile all the budget needs from the various committees and determine if fundraising is needed beyond income generated from plot fees. If so, this committee will organize fundraisers, research and write grants and look into other possible fundraising opportunities, from partnering with local organizations to getting discounted materials from local suppliers.
   5. Marketing and Communications:
      • The Marketing and Communications committee will work on tools like the website, the Newsletter, the Facebook page, flyers, and other means of communicating with the committees, our neighbors, and our sponsors and partners. The committee will also need to prepare a budget each year and submit it for funding of its initiatives. In addition, the Marketing and Communications committee will also create and maintain a bulletin board system onsite at the garden in which all of the following will be posted:
      • Notices of all upcoming meetings and events
      • City gardening news or activities
      • General information (times to plan, who to contact with questions, garden pests, etc.)
      • The Marketing and Communication Committee will also work to translate pertinent garden information, notices and forms into Spanish. The committee will translate material into other languages as the need presents itself.
   6. Composting:
      • The composting committee will be in charge of creating and maintaining a compost system on the garden site. The committee will need to prepare a budget each year and submit it for funding of its initiatives.
   7. Social
      • The Social Committee will be in charge of planning events for members and the surrounding community. This committee will also be in charge of creating and dispersing a yearly calendar for garden members that lists both social events as well as meetings, fundraisers and other pertinent information. The committee will need to prepare a budget each year and submit it for funding of its initiatives.