Summary
August 10, 2021 RCMG Board of Directors Meeting The August Board Meeting was held on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 via Zoom. The next Board Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 14, 2021 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. These meetings are open to all volunteers.
Meeting Guests
Fidelity Earnings project
Ann Aurelius (RCMG member) presented her committee’s Fidelity Task Force Report, which outlined the plan to spend the earnings of our endowment investment account (currently worth about $62,000) on projects proposed by members.
Application forms will be available on our website starting August 2022. Projects will be awarded in November, 2022, for projects scheduled to start in 2023. If you have an idea for a unique project, or something that hasn’t been available in our program, this is your opportunity, as long as it aligns with the mission of our organization and meets several other criteria.
Committee Updates
Education Committee Update
The Education Committee reported that the Garden Gate Tours have been well attended and have provided a wide variety of experiences for our members. Thanks to those who have opened their yards and gardens to our group. It has been a treat to see our fellow Master Gardeners in person as well!
New Member Committee Update
Due to the overwhelming interest in the Master Gardener program we were both blessed and cursed with an extremely large intern class (combining the 2020 and 2021 cohorts), which resulted in challenges for both interns and mentors. (Not to mention the challenges of a global pandemic!).
The New Member Committee presented a proposal to cap the number of new members that RCMG accepts to 10-15% of total membership in the future in order to provide a successful experience for all.
The State is also reviewing alternate methods of accepting and training Master Gardeners. More information will be forthcoming.
Communications Committee Update
The Communications Committee is busy as always! They are auditing the educational materials we have available for the public, both from the State and from Ramsey County. Many publications have never been dated, which they are working to correct. Signage for our projects, so important to create visibility for our program, is being created in template form for easy modification and printing
Leadership Updates
Secretary Update
Motion to approve July meeting minutes.
Treasurer Update
Update on July Monthly transactions & bank reconciliation.
Program Coordinator Update
We are easing into some community events and expect to have a presence at a number of Farmers’ Markets in the next week or two. We are looking forward to returning to these valuable and fun volunteer opportunities!
We have officially completed Phase II of our Strategic Planning process! It has been a long journey, and hours of work was contributed by many dedicated fellow Master Gardeners. Thank you to all who participated! Phase III starts next, which is the implementation of the ideas generated from the various Task Forces.
Board Chair Update
We still need members to fill the position of Vice-Chair for 2022 (then Board Chair in 2023) and Co-Chairs of both the Education Committee and New Member Committee. A survey will be launched at the member meeting next week to assess interest in serving in any of these capacities.
Please consider joining the Board! It is an opportunity to get to know your fellow volunteers and to have input in the future of our organization. Plus we are a LOT of fun!
2021 Board Leadership: Susan Mitchell (Chair), Nate Galloway (Vice Chair), Gretchen Hesli (Secretary), Amy Davis (Treasurer), Nilgun Tuna (Education Co-Chair), Sue Ellen Campbell (Education Co-Chair), Christine Strong (Membership Co-Chair), Kay Wimer (Membership Co-Chair), Nanette Boudreau (Communication Chair), Darren Lochner (Program Coordinator)
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