June 2022

 Eagle Heights Garden Committee Minutes

June 8 2022  7 PM

Remote Meeting

7:00 Present: Lily, Megan, Ann, Barb A, Ninja and Karen.

Minutes  Motion by Barb A and seconded by Megan to approve the 

May 2022 minutes. The minutes were approved. 

There was a discussion about so few people at the meeting.  We agreed to meet but our decisions should go to the next meeting when we have more people for approval.

Registrar Update

Lily said that there are more than 20 shed keys in the log, which is too many and some must be lost.  Jolene suggests that we replace the locks with keypad locks.  It will cost about $300 per lock plus installation costs. Discussion ensued about the condition of the doors.  Ric has fixed the doors in the past.  Lily will ask Ric if he is available to repair the doors again and then have the keypads installed.

There has been a request that we have a lost and found at both gardens separate from the share shelves with good signs for each area.  We have some shelves that could be used for lost and found.

There have been several complaints about unleashed dogs in the gardens.  Dogs MUST be leased in the garden and UW Preserve.  The Arbor Garden is also not a playground.  Many people come to the garden that are not gardeners.  We need to have better signage telling people what is expected in the gardens.  The signs should be in all the languages that UW Housing normally uses.  

Lily would like to require mandatory orientation for all new gardeners starting in 2023.  There have been two gardeners that started gardening in the wrong plot and destroyed the work of the correct gardener.  The workday was waived for the gardeners with ruined gardens.  The committee agreed. 

Also a project for the next year is a redoing of the plot lines in the 500 row so all back corners meet.  This would be difficult, but with a lot of warning, it could be done.

Rhonda is working on the long range plan. When the draft is ready, Lily will ask the sub-committee to meet and send it to the Garden Committee for action.

UW rules do not allow Little Free Libraries except in buildings.  Also memorial benches cost $10,000 each and must be replaced every 15 years.  We need to think of something else to remember the gardeners we have lost. 

Replacement of the Arbor was discussed.  The old sign for the Arbor is in the shed.  The committee would like to see the Arbor replaced.

A gardener has asked to release ladybugs in the garden.  The Committee decided that all such releases require Committee approval, which was given.

Water Leaks 

The last water leak was on the main line, which affected many gardeners at a difficult time just after planting.  There was water for the 100’s and 500’s line, but all other plots did not have water.  Many gardeners commented about the lack of water.  Perhaps we should have a policy about when to call the UW Plumber.  Discussion ensued.  Proposed policy: “If the break involves more than one line, we should call the plumber right away.  If the leak is on just one row, the UW Plumber should be called after 4 days.”  Megan said the garden worker needs to dig out the problem area before the UW Plumber is called.  Perhaps we should consider dividing the main line into two sections in the future so fewer gardeners would be affected by a leak in the main line. 

Maintenance Requests 

Lily proposes an online request form for problems on the website and Sandra says it is possible.  This way all requests do not have to be funneled through the Registrar's email.  Megan said this would make requests easier for her because she could use her phone to track the requests. 

Garden Worker Report

Megan has ordered plot posts and is getting more paint for the tools.  She will have weeding workdays every Sunday.  Megan proposes getting more wheelbarrows for University Houses.  Perhaps we should buy solid wheels on new wheelbarrows. There is a problem of people keeping garden-owned tools in their plots.  Also garden forks get buried in the wood chip pile after gardeners leave the tools in the pile and a new load is delivered.  Perhaps we should have a wood chip fork stand near the pile and explain why the fork needs to be placed on the stand.

Megan will make a kit for signs for the Share Shelf, Lost and Found and Wood Chip Forks so a gardener can make these as a workday.

Do we also need wheelbarrows at Eagle Heights?  The answer is yes.  Discussion ensued about carts and wheelbarrows and their repair. There was a discussion about having a repair workday for carts and wheelbarrows with experienced volunteers.  Megan will get a price list for cart parts.

It was pointed out that about all the carts were gone and there were very few gardeners in the gardens.  Lily will ask the other groups about this.  

What about putting memorials to gardeners we have lost on tools?  

There are problems with the hoses at University Houses.  Megan wants to buy new hoses.  We need some instructions about how to use the hose reels at University Houses.

Worker pay

The new garden worker position was advertised at $17 per hour.  Discussion ensued.  

Motion by Ann and seconded by Barb A that all garden employees should get the same pay.  Motion passed.

Co-Chair Report

Ninja said we have a possible Garden Worker for the position. Unfortunately the person can only work until the end of August.  The committee agreed that we should hire the interim person and post the position and try to find a long term garden worker.

Motion by Megan and seconded by Lily

Adjourned around 8:25

Submitted by Karen, subject to correction by the Garden Committee