By-laws

Bylaws for South Tacoma Community Garden

7002 So. Puget Sound Ave

Tacoma, WA 98409

Article I - Name and Purpose of the Garden

Section 1 Name - - The organization described here is officially named "South Tacoma Community Garden".
Section 2 Mission Statement - - Creating a safe and beautiful space at the corner of 70th and Puget Sound where neighbors, old and young, meet to laugh and work, grow and harvest, eat and share.

Article II - Leadership Team

Section 1 Garden Coordinator - - The Coordinator serves to manage specific functions of the Gardens organization. The Coordinator is responsible for the core functions that are basic and essential to the continued operation of the Garden. These core functions include oversight of the Gardens finances, Membership, and records. The Coordinator will serve as the liaison between the property owner James T. Curry (Cornered LLC) and the Members.

The Coordinator maintains the essential Membership and plot data - in other words, contact information, plot assignments, plot sizes, service assignments, and violation records. The Coordinator is responsible for safekeeping The Garden's Membership data and distributes requested information only to other Leadership Team Members, and only on a need-to-know basis.

Section 2 Garden Membership - - The Membership Coordinator maintains contact information and plot assignments of all Members. Maintains a waiting list of prospective Members and their contact information and offers membership to new gardeners through assignment of available plots according to precedence and policy established by the Leadership Team and Members.

Section 3 Garden Treasurer - - The Treasurer is responsible for receiving bills and requests for expense reimbursement and for paying these, pursuant to policies and procedures established by the Leadership Team. The Treasurer is responsible for receiving, depositing, and accounting for all funds received by the Garden. The Treasurer shall receive and retain all account statements for accounts held by the Garden and balance and reconcile statements from these accounts with internal accounting records. The Treasurer shall maintain records of all expenses and receipts in accordance with good bookkeeping practice and in adherence to guidelines, procedures, and policies established by the Leadership Team. The Treasurer must provide to the Leadership Team a report on the current status of all accounts, receipts, and expenditures on a schedule established by the Leadership Team. The Treasurer must provide access and copies of any and all Garden financial materials, in original form, to the Leadership Team when requested. The treasurer shall follow guidelines, procedures, and policies established by the Leadership Team to ensure that key garden financial records are preserved and accessible in the event that the Treasurer is unable to perform his or her duties.

Section 4 Garden Communications - - Point of contact for gardeners via phone, mail or email. Receive comments, answer questions and bring concerns to the Leadership Team and members. Coordinate publicity for the garden, promote participation and events, to create a welcoming atmosphere for new Members.

Section 5 Master Gardener -- TBD

Article III - Membership

Section 1 Definition - - A member is someone who has been granted rights to a particular plot or plots and who agrees to and abides by the rules and requirements of the garden.

Section 2 Prospective Members - - Membership is available on a first-come first-serve basis. It is open to anyone regardless of gender, race, creed, color, or sexual orientation. If all garden plots are occupied, prospective Members' names are placed on a waiting list. A prospective member of The Garden who has been offered a plot assignment must sign a "RULES, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT" (ALSO KNOWN AS "STCG AGREEMENT") and submit the associated plot fee to become a member of The Garden.

Section 3 Current Members - - A current member in good standing with no pending violations may retain the assigned plot and remain a member of The Garden the following year by signing the agreement and paying the required fee by the deadline set for renewal. Further information on membership responsibilities is contained in the STCG Agreement (a separate document). These Garden Rules may change from year to year at the discretion of the Leadership Team and Members.

Each plot can be shared by two Members - A Gardener and a Partner Gardener. Each member is responsible for all communications with the Leadership Team, including completing the annual renewal form, submitting the required plot fee, addressing any rules violation notices, and following the Bylaws.

Section 4 Termination of Membership - - Membership and plot privileges may be revoked at any time by the Leadership Team for violations of the rules established by the Leadership Team. Rules and enforcement procedures will be distributed at renewal and enrollment. Members are required to sign a document accepting these rules and procedures. Additionally, these rules and procedures are published in such a manner that they are available to all Members at any time.

Article IV - Governance

Section 1 Definition - The South Tacoma Community Garden shall be run and managed by the Members. The Members will be gathered and lead by the Leadership Team, which shall be elected annually.

The Leadership Team determines its meeting schedule and method. Meeting times and changes in the meeting schedule are decided by majority vote. The number of Leadership Team Members is determined by the Members.

Section 2 Voting Rules - - Votes may be taken at a garden meeting only in the presence of a quorum. A quorum is defined as at least Fifty percent of the current membership. At the meeting, only Members may vote on proposed motions. Proposals put before Members must be accepted by a majority of those attending to pass. Decisions to remove a Leadership Team Member or amend the Bylaws require a majority vote of Seventy-five percent Members in favor to pass. All Members must be notified before any action to vote on rule changes, Bylaw changes, or member expulsions.

Section 3 Leadership Team Responsibilities - - The Leadership Team is responsible for developing, interpreting, and enforcing the Garden's STCG. It is the obligation of the Leadership Team to review The Garden Rules together with the Bylaws on a regular basis, to be certain that both documents are fair, consistent, and up-to-date.

Additionally the Leadership Team is responsible for:
1. Developing long-range plans for the continuation and improvement of the Garden and the Garden organization. The Leadership Team may implement these plans when feasible.
2. Planning and arranging any garden sponsored activities intended for the benefit and enjoyment of its membership and the surrounding community.
3. Defining positions of responsibility and recruiting Members to fulfill these responsibilities.
4. Suggesting necessary Amendments to the Bylaws.
Section 4 Resignation and Removal - - A Leadership Team member may under certain circumstances be removed by a majority vote of Seventy-Five percent at an Official meeting. Differences of opinion are expected and respected and do not, of themselves, constitute grounds for dismissal of a member. If a member fails to meet the requirements of Leadership Team membership and is unable to meet individual and group responsibilities, or demonstrates illegal or unethical behavior or a pattern of disruptive behavior, other Members may request a discussion of the particulars and a vote for removal of the member.

Article V. Term of Office

Section 1 Election - -The business and affairs of the group shall be managed by the Leadership Team. The Leadership Team consists of a Garden Coordinator, Garden Treasurer, Garden Communications, Garden Membership and Master Gardener.

The Leadership Team positions shall be elected at the annual meeting and shall serve for a term of one year. A Leadership Team member may be voted in for a consecutive term holding the same position.

A Leadership Team member may be voted from one position into another position.

A Leadership Team member's term shall be held from January 1st through December 31st of the following year.

Any Leadership Team member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Leadership Team Coordinator. Such resignation shall take effect on the date specified.

Vacancies on the Leadership Team may be filled by a unanimous vote of the Leadership Team.

Article VI. Membership Meeting

Section 1 Regular Meetings - - Membership meetings shall be held on a monthly basis.

Section 2 Bi-Annual Meetings - - The Bi-Annual meetings of the Members shall be held in the spring and fall.

Section 3 Special Meetings - - Special meetings may be called by the Garden Coordinator, Communications, Treasurer or Master Gardener or by the written request of one-third of the Members entitled to vote.

Section 4 Notice of Meeting - - A notice of the annual meeting of the Members shall be announced through email or phone call at least 10 days prior to the meeting.

Section 5 Quorum at the Bi-Annual Meeting - - A quorum shall exist if there are at least Fifty percent Members present at the Bi-Annual Meeting.

Section 6 Voting - - Members who are in good standing (current plot holder with no violations) are entitled to vote in person at the annual meeting.

Section 7 Minutes - - Minutes of the annual and any special meetings shall be recorded and made available to the membership in a timely manner.

ARTICLE VII -- Records

Section 1 Definition -- Official records of the Garden include the bylaws as currently amended, current Garden rules as approved by the Leadership Team, legal agreements, policy and action documents approved by the Leadership Team, financial statements, and minutes of Members meetings.

Section 2 Other Documents - - All other documents related to the operation of the Garden including but not limited to bank statements, receipts, correspondence, and drafts are not automatically available to all Members, but may be made so generally or on a case-by-case basis by a vote of the Leadership Team.

Section 3 Availability - - Official records of the Garden shall be made available for inspection by a Garden member upon request. The Leadership Team may publish any or all official records in any manner.

Section 4 Data Privacy - - Names, contact information, payment information, and other personal data necessary for the collection of plot fees and the operation of The Garden shall not be distributed to any outside organization nor to Garden Members outside of the Leadership Team. Contact and other personal information shall be distributed internally to Leadership Team Members on a "need to know" basis.

Section 5 Security - - The Leadership Team may establish procedures to ensure that all records and documents of the Garden are secure from loss.

Article VIII - - Financial Administration

Section 1 Fiscal Year - - The fiscal year of the Garden shall be January 1 through December 31.

Section 2 Financial Records - - All financial records of The Garden, including but not limited to checks, statements, receipts, check registers, and electronic records of any type shall be available for inspection and copying by all Members of the Leadership Team at any time. The Leadership Team may establish written policies concerning the manner in which payments are made and/or how financial records are kept. The Leadership Team may establish procedures to ensure that financial records are secure from loss.

Section 3 Financial Accounts - - All outside financial accounts opened on behalf of The Garden shall have at least two Leadership Team Members as registered signatories.

Article IX -- Dissolution

Section 1 Disbursal of Records and Assets - - If South Tacoma Community Garden should be dissolved, it's funds, and other assets shall be transferred by decision of the Leadership Team and approval of James T. Curry (Cornered LLC) to an organization or organizations whose purpose is to promote community gardening.



These Bylaws were approved by the following Leadership Team on March 26, 2015.


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Charrie Hayward, Garden Coordinator



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Sherry Marsden, Co-Chair Treasurer



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Trish Burleson, Co-Chair Treasurer



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Ken Sikes, Garden Communications