PCG Bylaws

PROCTOR COMMUNITY GARDEN

SELF GOVERNANCE BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the organization shall be "PROCTOR COMMUNITY GARDEN".

ARTICLE II

PURPOSE

By tilling the earth to grow healthy, safe, and organic food, our purpose is to work individually and together to inspire ourselves and each other in the garden and to share with the Proctor Community at large.

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the Proctor Community Garden will be defined as follows:

1. Gardeners

Individuals or groups assigned to plots or boxes.

2. Wait-list gardeners

Individuals or groups waiting for a vacated plot or box in the garden.

Annual Dues shall run from January 1 through December 31. Plot/box fees are to be paid by February 1 for continuing gardeners. If rental fees and completed application forms are not received by February 15th , then the gardener shall forfeit the garden space. Delinquent gardeners may apply to the waiting list. New gardeners will be assigned beginning February 15th.

Community Service is required at the Proctor Community Garden. A minimum of four hours of service per plot per year toward the betterment of the garden is required. Lack of volunteer hours will result in termination of the plot for the following year.

Voting privileges are determined one vote per plot. Multi-plot gardeners will be viewed as a single voting member. Items for a vote of the gardeners will be presented by the Steering Team for voting.

ARTICLE IV

GOVERNANCE

Decision making regarding garden activities will be carried out by the Steering team of the Proctor Community Garden. The Steering team develops, interprets, and enforces the Rights and Responsibilities of the Proctor Community Garden. In the course of business, the Steering team will determine when agenda items require a vote of the entire garden community.

Members of the Steering team include the Garden Coordinator, five (5) team Leaders (Budget & Finance, Communication, Philanthropy, Physical Site, and Plot Manager) and one At-Large gardener. Each member of the Steering team shall serve for a term of two years. The leaders’ term of office shall begin January 1st. Terms of office will be established on even years for the Garden Coordinator, Physical Site Leader, and Communication Leader. All other leaders will be elected during odd years. Individuals must have worked a plot for at least one garden season (April to September) to be eligible for Steering team office.

Election of Leaders will be held during the month of September and conducted by the non-candidate leaders. Nominations for office must include the permission of said person. Voting will be conducted using a method determined by the Steering team. Gardeners who have met the volunteer hour requirement for the previous year and are current dues paying members of the Proctor Community Garden are eligible to vote.

Only one individual per plot may be on the Steering team at any given time. The roles and responsibilities of each leader are defined in the attached document, Proctor Community Garden - Steering Team Descriptions.

The Steering team will meet at least quarterly (4 times per year). Meetings will be scheduled by consensus of the Steering team members and published for all gardeners. A quorum must be present to conduct/vote on business. A quorum is defined as 50% of the Steering team. Any gardener may attend a meeting; voting rights are reserved for the Steering team.

The Garden Coordinator will direct leaders to form teams of volunteers to manage and maintain the Proctor Community Garden effectively. Activities of the teams will include but are not limited to: education, volunteer tracking, plot assignment, record keeping, communication with gardeners, maintaining common areas, food bank involvement, finances of the garden.

Vacancies of the Steering Team shall be filled as follows:

A vacancy in the office of the Garden Coordinator shall be filled by the Communication Leader. The new Garden Coordinator will serve until his/her successor is elected at the next regular election.

If a vacancy in a team Leader position occurs, a member of the garden will be appointed to take the position of Leader. Such appointed leaders shall serve until their successors are elected at the next regular election.

ARTICLE V

REMOVAL OF LEADERSHIP

Any Garden Coordinator or Steering Team Leader whose conduct is not in the best interest of the Proctor Community Garden may be removed by majority vote of the gardeners. Request for removal must be presented in writing to the Steering Team, who will conduct the vote.

ARTICLE VI

AMENDMENTS

These bylaws can be amended by a majority vote of the gardeners. Such amendments must be presented to the gardeners 30 days prior to voting. Presentation will include posting at the garden kiosk and may include electronic/regular mail service. The vote will be the responsibility of the Steering team.

ARTICLE VII

DISSOLUTION

In the event of the dissolution of this association, any funds will be released to Metro Parks Tacoma.


Proctor Community Garden, Bylaws – Adopted October 1, 2016 (Last update 2018) Volunteer hours from 8 to 4

Steering Team Descriptions

Garden Coordinator: (President)

  • Develops, interprets and enforces the Rights and Responsibilities for the garden.

  • Conducts garden elections for officers and other concerns brought to the PCG for review.

  • Determines need for funding of large projects, researches and writes grants.

  • Determines and assesses gardener yearly dues.

  • Connects with gardeners and others in the community.

Budget/Finance: (Treasurer)

  • Maintains the garden budget (both working and future expenses/income)

  • Handles money for the garden expenses/proceeds

  • Pays debts owed by the Proctor Community Garden

  • Collects and tracks membership fees

  • Maintains garden records

Communication: (Secretary)

  • Records and maintains meeting minutes

  • Maintains any electronic means of communication

  • Connects with other associations in the Proctor community

  • Responsible for sending out announcements to gardeners

  • Cares for the Garden Kiosk

Physical Site:

  • Directs and Cares for the communal areas of the Proctor Community Garden

  • Coordinates work parties for routine maintenance duties and large projects

  • Monitors water system and brings attention to hazards and repair needs

  • Connects with Metro Parks Tacoma for disposal needs

  • Connects with Metro Parks Tacoma for communal area care

  • Connects with Metro Parks Tacoma for deliveries to the garden (ie Tagro/compost)

Plot Manager:

  • Maintains contact information on gardeners

  • Maintains and monitors gardener volunteer records

  • Monitors garden for compliance in plot care and tending

  • Maintains and communicates with waiting list gardeners

  • Communicates with gardeners out of compliance, gives notice and rescinds plot rights

Philanthropy/Food Bank:

  • Selects and tracks food donations to entities of need

  • Maintains connection with charitable concerns in the community

  • Responsible for selecting means of transport for donations

At Large Gardener:

  • Supports Garden Steering Team Members

  • Controls tie breaking vote