BY-LAWS AND RULES OF DIAS Y FLORES GARDEN
520-522 East 13th Street Bet. Avenue A and B
May 2009
Mission
It is the purpose of the Dias y Flores Garden to provide a green, beautiful, restful, safe and congenial space for gardeners to garden and for the community to enjoy.
The garden will be open to the community as often as possible and will also serve as a public space for community meetings and other community functions.
By-Laws
1. Membership
1. To become a member of the garden one must attend a monthly meeting, at which one pays the annual membership fee, signs the contract and signs up for a minimum of ten open hours. Members will then receive a key to the garden gate and the tool shed. Members can sign up for a box, which will be awarded according to one’s seniority on the list and availability of plots.
2. There will be at least one official meeting per calendar year. Members must attend the annual meeting when the Board of Directors will be voted on. Monthly meetings are held from April through November; additional meetings may be held as necessary. Meetings will be posted well in advance.
3. A contract is to be signed by each member where by they agree to pay garden dues by the annual May meeting are responsible for keeping the garden open a minimum of 10 open hours a year, and to abide by all the rules and bylaws of the garden. A member may opt out of their open hour obligation by compensating the garden $100 (in addition to garden fees). Every member has to sign this contract at our Mandatory Annual Meeting.
2. Board of Directors
1. A minimum of three people will be elected by a majority vote of members in good standing to serve on the Board of Directors for a term of one year. Any member in good standing can be a candidate for the Board. A list of candidates will serve as a ballot at the annual meeting. Members will vote by checking the names of those whom they wish to serve. Board members are elected by majority vote. Members can vote by proxy.
The Board of Directors’ responsibilities include: maintaining a list of members, along with a waiting list of members who want a box; maintaining a map of box assignments; posting meeting dates and plot assignments; acting as the contact person with the city and other garden groups; calling meetings and arranging clean-ups and garden activities; adjudicating disputes between garden members; maintaining minutes of garden meetings, enforcing the bylaws, warning and/or expelling members who violate rules by a majority vote of Board members. The Board of Directors will appoint a treasurer and a secretary. The treasurer’s responsibilities include collecting member fees, maintaining accounts for expenses and membership. The secretary will take meeting minutes and maintain a book of previous minutes and other garden information.
3. Decision Making
1. By-laws and Rules are approved or amended by a majority vote at garden meetings. All motions made at a meeting, including proposed changes in by-laws and rules will be voted on at the next meeting. These motions, or proposed amendment, must be announced through a mailing to all members at least one week prior to the meeting date. Written proxies are accepted. In case of an emergency the board of directors can make interim decisions.
Rules
1. Membership
1. There is a minimum subscription per member per year of $10 per garden member households. Members with plots pay an additional $15. The steering committee can also waive or reduce garden fees for hardship cases.
2. If unable to commit to 10 open hours, members agree to remit an extra $100 to Dias y Flores
3. As an interim measure to losing membership if open hour obligations are not filled, a no show $10/hour fine will be applied for each whole or part of open hours unserved. If the fine is not paid within 30 days, membership shall be revoked. After two paid fines in one season, a third dereliction will cause membership to be revoked.
2. Plot
1. In order to encourage as much participation in the garden as possible, only one plot per household is encouraged.
2. All gardeners are to keep their plants within the frame assigned to them. Plants must not shade their neighbor’s frame. Gardeners must maintain the walkways around their plots, keeping them free of weeds and trash.
3. Members should have their boxes planted by June 1st and keep their plots maintained. There is a waiting list for plots and members who do not have their boxes planted by June 1rst or maintain their boxes throughout the growing season may forfeit their boxes.
4. As boxes become available, current plot holders have first choice of switching places with the new plot. Plots given up permanently by garden members revert to the garden.
5. Frames around boxes must be the same size as other frames. Maintaining the boxes is the plot keepers responsibility. Gardeners must obtain approval of the board of directors for any improvements or changes to frame.
3. Compost
1. Only compostable items may be put in the compost pile–no bricks or meat, etc. Private compost piles must be inside a member’s frame, although use of the group compost is strongly encouraged.
4. Events
1. If a member wants to have a party or meeting in the garden, he/she is required to post notice with name and telephone number a week before the planned date. Parties and meetings must not restrict uninvited garden members’ use of the garden. All trash must be disposed of, and noise should be kept to a minimum to avoid irritating neighbors.
5. Open Hours
1. Members are solely responsible for the times for which they sign up. It is the member’s responsibility to find a replacement (by checking the sign-up calendar and contact sheet) with whom she/he can switch times. The Monthly Leader must then be notified.
In the event of rain or very cold conditions, the garden can be closed, but members must remain available to re-open if the rain stops.
Members are required to respond to Monthly Leader’s reminder of commitment, by phone or e-mail, that he/she acknowledges Open Hours’ commitment and will follow through.
2. In the week before each member’s scheduled open hours, the Monthly Leader will contact all those (by phone, e-mail or face-to-face) signed up to remind them of their commitment. Monthly Leaders will be granted 2 – 1/2 hours open hours duties for this service.
Monthly Leader shall keep a log of calls, e-mails, etc. and actual attendance.
6. General
1. Personal belongings should not be stored in the garden during any season. Anything you put in the community area becomes community property.
2. Garden members must not weed, pick or harvest in anyone else’s frame without the permission of the garden member assigned to that frame.
3. No worms should be removed from the garden
4. In good faith, members must do community work in the garden every year.
5. Children must be accompanied and supervised at all times. Gardeners are to accompany their visitors at all times.
6. Dogs need to be on a leash at, or if free must be attended by owner at all times. Dogs have to be kept out of tended areas wether personal plots or communal planting areas.
7. Only biodegradable pesticides to be used in the garden; if you are in doubt, bring info or product to the next official meeting.
8. We request your courtesy towards others when using cell phones or smoking in the garden.
9. While members are not mandated to participate in all meetings, they are on notice that the second Thursday of each month is reserved for garden business and no competing events should be scheduled.
10. Any activity such as underage drinking, drug use, littering, disturbing the peace or garden vandalism is strictly forbidden. Police may be called and memberships immediately revoked.
11. Making copies of garden keys is strictly prohibited. Please pay garden for extra key if needed.- and turn in key if not renewing membership.
