St Charles County Master Gardeners

St Charles County Master Gardener

 

Steering Committee Meeting Minutes

 

Friday, 11 December 2020

 

Attendees:  Kevin Minard, Jan Carron, Rebekah Davis, Joe Walker, Cindy Platzer, Marsha Brown, Rebecca Poon, Laura Steimel, Del Moeller, Waneta Parmenter, Justin Keay, Nancy Torke, Fay Aubuchon

 

Call to Order:   Kevin Minard called the meeting to order at 9:04 AM

 

Secretary’s Report:   Rebekah Davis- November SC meeting Minutes- 13-Nov-2020

                        (approved electronically 24-Nov-2020 via email)

 

Treasurer’s Report:   Joe Walker- Joe reported the net monthly change for November

($xxxx.xx).  End of November 2020 cash in bank was identified.  Expenses for the plant sale are expected to start appearing soon.  Unallocated dollars are N/A.  Remaining Demo Garden allocation are N/A.  Revenue, expenses and net income were shown and compared to the last several years.

 

MU Horticulturalist Specialist:  Justin Keay-  Kevin Minard discussed selecting the MG of the month for the Extension newsletter,  Jan Carron will be interviewed for January.  Per the agreement made last meeting: the MG President is in charge of communicating and coordinating with the potential nominee’s and Alexandra McKinney on this matter.  The Steering Committee will discuss and select potential candidates for February's newsletter via email.

 

Dig-In 2021 Update:  Justin Keay reported that a marketing plan is now in place, everything has been worked out and trial runs will be ran on Zoom to ensure everything is ready and running smoothly.

 

Justin Keay mentioned that he is helping to create a vegetable production series of classes, more info will become available through the MG newsletter soon.

 

Master Gardener Core Training Class:  Justin Keay is working on dates for the next MG Training classes.  He mentioned that there were a lot of Trainees who took the fall virtual classes also.  After putting together a list of Trainees who have successfully completed their core training, Justin will work with SC in getting them oriented and/or assigned a mentor (this will be sometime in January.)

 

MU County Engagement Specialist:  Alex Reichert-  Kevin Minard reported Alex has elected to have his section of the SC meeting agenda removed going forward and will communicate through Justin Keay instead.

 

Committee Reports-

 

Membership:  Waneta Parmenter, Bonnie Winkeler-  Kevin Minard reported that Waneta Parmenter wanted to know what the Steering Committee thought about designating one person on the Steering Committee to oversee communication to the membership.  Waneta’s suggestions for the Communication Specialist are as followed:                 

•  Include a Communication Discussion AGENDA ITEM as part of each monthly agenda.

•  This person would be responsible for reading the MOMGA newsletter, attending MOMGA meetings, and presenting new information gathered to the SC at each monthly meeting.

•  After SC review and discussion –Develop the communication and providing the format needed for e-news, and MG meetings.

Steering Committee agreed that communication needs to be improved.  Joe Walker suggested creating an Ad-Hoc committee in January.

 

 Year-End Analysis membership must complete each January:

    The group discussed current requirements for MG’s to retain active status for 2020 (Education requirements are still in effect, volunteer hours have been waivered.)  Waneta Parmenter reported that a significant amount of Active MGs have not met any requirements – such as Education.  The group agreed to make the topic of the education requirement and ideas for improving membership participation a discussion for another meeting.

 

January meeting Discussion and Plan for Awards:  The January meeting is usually our awards meeting.  The SC agreed to keep the hourly awards ceremony in January with a presentation on Zoom announcing the recipients, the awards will be distributed at a later date (the SC will discuss distribution at the January SC meeting.)  Joe Walker mentioned that he will discuss with Mary Medina about possibly putting a link in the newsletter to an award recognition page.  Fay Aubuchon mentioned also putting the recognition page through the Extension’s newsletter.

         

Kevin Minard-   Emmeritus consideration for Mary Medina:  The Steering Committee voted and approved the request for Mary Medina to obtain Emeritus status.  

 

Demo Gardens:  Cindy Platzer, Marsha Brown-  Cindy Platzer reported that the Demo Garden Leads were meeting the next Monday (14 Dec.) to discuss garden budgets.  Marsha Brown explained that the budgets were to contain a minimum, maximum, and essential amounts depending on the Lead’s needs and wants for the next year along in accordance with  how well next year’s plant sale goes.

 

Two loads of leaf mulch are expected to arrive any time now.

 

Greenhouse:  Laura Stiemel, Nancy Torke- No report

 

Plant Sale:  Marsha Brown, Laura Stiemel-  Libby Wilson will be replacing Laura Stiemel on Plant Sale Committee going forward.  Seeding parties will be conducted in the Greenhouse next year starting the first week of January (the Greenhouse is set up to maintain social distancing with 8 stations.)  Justin Keay would like to see and approve the email for the seeding group before it is sent to ensure protocols are communicated.

 

Marsha Brown has received a copy of the Missouri Master Gardener Guidelines and is communicating with a CPA regarding opening an MG checking account.

 

Speakers:  Val Mertz-  The Paul Hendricks Award is being kept safe with Val Mertz until it can be awarded in person.  Speakers for 2021 are being investigated.

 

Hort Line:  Patti Kolek- No report

 

Education:  Jan Carron-  Jan Carron reiterated the progress on the 2021 Dig-In. 

 

The St Charles Master Gardener website is in the process of being updated.  Big thanks to Mary Medina and Mary Carey!

 

New Business: 

Joe Walker- The Steering Committee discussed potentially making a change in the By-Laws to allow the Education Committee Lead and Immediate Past President to be voting members on the Steering Committee (similar to the Demo Garden Lead.)  If agreeable, these changes to the By-Laws would require a vote by the membership.  The SC discussed ways to handle general membership votes when face-to-face meetings are not possible.

 

Old Business: 

Kevin Minard- MOU Review: Will be discussed further in January.  Fay Aubuchon mentioned that if the SC were to review MOU prior to 15 January, she would be around and available to resign the updated MOU.

 

Joe Walker- Review SC Goals:  Steering Committee will discuss in a special meeting dedicated to goals.

 

The Steering Committee welcomes Laura Stiemel and Rebecca Poon to the SC, their terms officially begin in January.  Thank you Kevin Minard and Jan Carron for your service!

 

Good of the Order:  Next Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for 8 January on Zoom.  It will be time to pay annual MOMGA dues soon, Kevin Minard will receive numbers from Waneta Parmenter and get them prepared for discussion at the January SC meeting.

 

Del Moeller suggested that the 2020 Education requirements go ahead and be waivered, SC will review and make a decision in January.

 

 

Meeting was adjourned at 11:18 AM

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

                                   Rebekah Davis

 

 

 

AS  APPROVED            08-January-2021