signature redbud tree

DGC Meeting Minutes, March 24, 2012

Meeting brought to order at 4:00pm. 

Old Business

  • Spring Plant Sale - Pre-orders are being taken within Dickeyville and broader community.  Next year it was suggested to provide a specimen picture of the plant in the order form to assist people with their selections.  Audra Luscher volunteered to help with that activity next year.
  • Common Area Maintenance  - A proposal for the maintenance of these areas were provide last fall to the DCA.  DCA board insisted that the work must be conducted by a licensed and insured company, which increases the total cost of the estimate. 

 

Community passed the proposal.  However, permissions and a maintenance plan was then required by the DGC before the various maintenance activities voted on by the community could be completed.  These steps delayed DCA from providing the checks to cover the deposit and final checks for the maintenance work to be initiated March 27th. 

The DGC members took a motion and agreed write a check for $800 to cover the deposit in good faith, while the final permissions and details where negotiated with the DCA.

Peter Auchincloss has resumed authority for maintenance through the public works committee to take responsibility for routine maintenance activities.  Routine maintenance will now include mowing every 2 weeks, hedge trimming annually, and heavy mulching in the spring.  DGC would be responsible for ongoing weeding that would be required in these areas after the major maintenance effort is completed in March.  Work would be support through volunteer hours provided by community members.   It was suggested that a team leader be assigned to each common area and Mark Luce indicated he would follow up with Mike Blair to discuss these maintenance team leads.

  • 2nd Annual Dickeyville Flea Market.

 

Event will occur on April 28th from 9am-2pm.  It will be family friendly event with food and beverages served.  A rain date is scheduled for May 5th.  Tables are available for $20.  If people supply their own tables the cost is $10 to participate.  Gail Shochet is coordinating the request for tables and donations.  Audra Luscher is developing the flyer and Germaine Lanaux would provide assistance with getting food supplies and look over existing inventory of supplies we could use from the pancake breakfast.  Plants will also be available for purchase.

  • No donation will be provided to the Daffodil Society this year.

 

  • By Laws were provided to the DGC before the meeting for review and were approved by vote of the DGC.
  • Clean up Days – Scheduled for April 21 and May 5th to prep for the Horticultural Tour.  Activities that need to be addressed include:

 

    • Covering the roots of exposed plants from the fall rains that occurred last year.  Gail Shochet commented that she has some soil available that could be used to cover these plants.  Dirt that has collected in the Swale could also be used, but in general needs to be cleaned out this year.
    • Belgian block on upper Whetherdsville needs to be addressed before the tour and DGC will need to notify those people before the cleanings occurs.
    • Litter clean up needed a couple days before the tour and again the morning of the tour.  DGC needs to talk to Donna schedule those clean up events.

New Business

  • Babaco, the wholesaler that provides the plants for the plant sale, will be sponsoring a lunch on April 13th.  If anyone is interested consult Kathleen VanderHorst.
  • Germaine Lanaux has resigned as Vice President of the DGC as of the March meeting. 
  • Next Meeting will occur May 21st at 7pm at Kathleen Vander Horst’s home.

 

Meeting Adjourned at 5:29pm.

 

DGC Meeting Minutes, January 21, 2012

Attendees:  Mark Luce, President; Germaine Lanaux, Vice President; Kathleen Vander Horst, Maxine Hodge, Gail Shocket, Audra Luscher, Linda Melton, Charleye Dyer

Meeting called to order at 4:15 pm.

Pancake Breakfast and Greenery Sale 2012

  • Green sales were $576; down by almost half. 
  • 9/10 Kissing balls sold. 
  • 8/8 Boxwood trees sold.  Suggest making more next year as they were being requested even after selling out.
  • Calendar sales were also down this year.  Mark will redesign 2013 calendar with “then and now” theme showing comparisons of different scenes of Dickeyville.
  • Approximately 80 people were served breakfast

Common Area Maintenance

  • The maintenance proposal presented at the DCA meeting was approved.
  • Considering Greenfield to complete the work, but need to verify that the company is licensed and bonded.
  • Appointment needs to be scheduled so work can be completed in early March. 
  • A DGC member should be available to guide the work and ensure it follows the plans
  • DCA requested that DGC get permission of every property owner.  Mark will handle.
  • Discussed Belgium block cleaning, along Wetheredsville entrance and extending towards the Mill. Consider power washing before the Horticultural Tour.  Need to consider the budget for a company to complete this work and whether DCA will fund.   First need to investigate if the Federated Garden Club of Maryland Insurance would cover the work on a non-licensed and bonded set of workers that could be more reasonable in price.
  • Clean up dates scheduled for April 21 and May 5th

 

Updating the DGC By Laws

  • By laws have not be updated since 1986.  Since they are so outdated, they are not posted on the website.
  • Member agreed that a meeting would be considered 3 or more members and that three constitutes a quorum.
  • Kathleen will provide a draft at the next meeting for the members to consider.

 

Horticultural Tour

  • Tour is schedule for June 3.  Tour route and description of the gardens have been completed. 
  • Charleye agreed that route/brochure will be published in the Town Crier and on the DGC website to ensure neighbors are informed about areas where foot traffic will pass.
  • Only Horticultural Club members are allowed to tour free.  Dickeyville residents still need pay to participate in the garden tour.

Spring Plant Sale/White Elephant Sale

  • White Elephant Sale and plant pick up will be Saturday, April 28; Site will be the same as last year, area in front of Shochet’s. 
  • Tables will be rented for $20; or residents may donate items to Garden Club table
  • Gail Shochet will chair white elephant sale
  • Plant Sale will include more native perennials this year, including some for shade.
  • Kathleen Vander Horst will chair plant sale

Plant Swap, Clean Up, May Day Event

  • Event is planned for May 5th
  • Clean-up will be from 9-11am
  • Brunch will be provided including coffee, bagels etc.@ noon
  • A May pole will be set up in the green area by the stream for the kids
  • Plant swap

Garden Therapy Project

  • Garden club agreed to look into providing a raised bed for a Dickeyville resident to access from her mobility chair.

DGC Movie Evening

  • “A Botany of Desire” will be shown at Germaine’s house on February 19th at 6pm
  • Light dinner will be served and invitation sent out to the DGC email list. RSVP required.

Officers

  • Audra Luscher was appointed the Secretary for the DGC.

Next Meeting and Follow Up

  • Meeting will be March 25th at 4pm.  Meeting will focus on planning the agenda for clean-up days
  • Need to get soil from Lowes to cover root balls of buffer vegetation by the river. 
  • Redesign and order new Dickeyville Coffee Mugs
  • Liaison to the DCA board to be discussed and established
  • Garden Therapy
  • Kathleen, Mark and John will work on 2013 budget to present at next meeting

 

DGC Meeting Minutes, November 6, 2011

Attending: Mark Luce, president; Germaine Lanaux, vice president, Charleye Dyer, Maxine Hodge, Penny Pine, Gail Shochet, Mille Tysowski, Kathleen Vander Horst

Meeting opened at 4:10 PM with Mark congratulating all involved with the Autumn Cook Off, particularly co-chairs Riess Livaudais and Brooks Woodward, for a great event. Germaine reported that we collected $90 from the $1 “admission.” Riess and Brooks offered to co-chair the event next year. Mark reported that we have $7,516.52 in the bank.

Germaine and Kathleen reported that survey results were in and would be a help as we plan future programs; a summary of findings will be posted on the website. The group agreed that the club should again sponsor a white elephant sale in conjunction with its spring plant sale. Mark will advise the DMPC.

Pancake Breakfast and Greens Sale planning is ongoing: Danielle Carvalho is handling the breakfast; Germaine the greens; and Kathleen the “crafts” area. Volunteers are still needed. Germaine shared the brochure design; Gail offered to print the brochure to save us (lots of) money; and Mark is to finalize the block captain distribution list…all to fall in place by the weekend of November 12 when brochures should be distributed.

The proposal to the DCA for upgrading entrance signs/common areas maintenance will be on DCA agenda 11/8; a quorum is needed, club members are encouraged to attend. Mark said the DCA architectural committee requested we provide information related to the committee’s interest in the retaining wall at 2440 Pickwick; the club declined.

Kathleen mentioned that the garden club’s archives are much whittled down and ready to be turned over to Mark for storage. After discussion it was agreed that the question of permanent storage was still open. The club approved $100 contribution to the Conservatory.

Kathleen will get the information to John Scott about where to send check. Germaine showed the newly designed website and encouraged all to view it and get back to her with suggestions. Mark showed the 2012 calendar; next steps are to get with Kathleen re dates and get to printer so we have it at the Pancake Breakfast.

Charleye reported that the Md Horticultural Society is working on the June 3 tour of Franklintown and Dickeyville; Mark has joined Steve Norfjord and her on the committee. Kathleen offered to review the (out of date) by-laws and bring recommendations to the next meeting; Mark offered to help.

The meeting adjourned @ 5:30 PM.