Re: [HarmonyFLgardens: 131] Re: grants

[Susan Josephson]

I'm guessing it would not be an option or not be advisable to try to associate with the Harmony Institute on the 501(c)(3) not for profit issue?

Susan

-----Original Message-----
>From: thelew...@earthlink.net
>Sent: Sep 29, 2008 4:37 PM
>To: harmonyf...@googlegroups.com
>Subject: [HarmonyFLgardens: 131] Re: grants
>
>
>Kerul, very good points, when I applied to start up Home Mgt. @ Harmony, I
>needed an Ein to accepts payments from my clients (of course pay taxes), be
>approved by BOA of Osceola county, register w/ Sunbiz and the list goes on.
>I agree with Dave, the less GOV involvment, the better in our case. Nate,
>my BIL said that if we have by-laws then we will have to be part of some
>sort of org or corp. Lisa
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: harmonyf...@googlegroups.com
>[mailto:harmonyf...@googlegroups.com]On Behalf Of Kerul Kassel
>Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 11:38 AM
>To: harmonyf...@googlegroups.com
>Subject: [HarmonyFLgardens: 130] Re: grants
>
>
>
>This applies to more than filing for grants. If we have a checking account,
>and we will need to in order to accept checks from members, pay for
>expenses, etc., regulations require that it will either have to be in a
>member's name (and that member may have to file income tax on that income)
>or we will have to file for an EIN from the federal government, and possibly
>from the state and county governments, too.
>
>It would be helpful to find out what other garden organizations do.
>
>Anyone willing to do that legwork to find out?
>
>Kerul
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>>

[rescueg...@onebox.com]

Speaking only for myself, I would be very much against it


--
David Leeman
rescueg...@onebox.com - email
201-406-0244

[rescueg...@onebox.com]

Holy mackeral!  Is there anything the government is not involved in?  Can two people share the same tomato without reporting to them?

[Geo]

I know that Dave and Kerul have had first-hand experience dealing with
the Harmony Institute. I also know of other residents who have had a
very negative experience in a similar regard. Based on these
experiences, I would definitely agree that there must be a better way.

Can't we just keep a transparent accounting of everything in cash? Who
cares where the money actually resides, as long as it is accounted for
to the penny. If and when the sums of money become unwieldy, then we
can reconsider what is necessary to become "official".

For me, if the treasurer says she has $123.45 on hand and such is the
net of various receipts and various expenses that she lists in this
group (in detail, to the penny), what else matters? If we are really
only talking a few hundred dollars here and there, I don't think
anyone needs to worry about the tax implications.

On Sep 30, 7:10 am, rescuegreyho...@onebox.com wrote:
> Speaking only for myself, I would be very much against it
>
> --
> David Leeman

> rescuegreyho...@onebox.com - email

> 201-406-0244
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Susan Josephson
> Sent: Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:47:42 -0400 (EDT)
> To: harmonyf...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: [HarmonyFLgardens: 132] Re: grants
>
> I'm guessing it would not be an option or not be advisable to try to associate with the Harmony Institute on the 501(c)(3) not for profit issue?
>
> Susan
>
> -----Original Message-----

> >From: thelewisho...@earthlink.net
> >Sent: Sep 29, 2008 4:37 PM
> >To: harmonyf...@googlegroups.com
> >Subject: [HarmonyFLgardens: 131] Re: grants
> >
> >
> >Kerul, very good points, when I applied to start up Home Mgt. @ Harmony, I
> >needed an Ein to accepts payments from my clients (of course pay taxes), be
> >approved by BOA of Osceola county, register w/ Sunbiz and the list goes on.
> >I agree with Dave, the less GOV involvment, the better in our case. Nate,
> >my BIL said that if we have by-laws then we will have to be part of some
> >sort of org or corp. Lisa
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: harmonyf...@googlegroups.com
> >[mailto:harmonyf...@googlegroups.com]On Behalf Of Kerul Kassel
> >Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 11:38 AM
> >To: harmonyf...@googlegroups.com
> >Subject: [HarmonyFLgardens: 130] Re: grants
> >
> >
> >
> >This applies to more than filing for grants. If we have a checking account,
> >and we will need to in order to accept checks from members, pay for
> >expenses, etc., regulations require that it will either have to be in a
> >member's name (and that member may have to file income tax on that income)
> >or we will have to file for an EIN from the federal government, and possibly
> >from the state and county governments, too.
> >
> >It would be helpful to find out what other garden organizations do.
> >
> >Anyone willing to do that legwork to find out?
> >
> >Kerul
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Beth Maxim]

Hi all,

 

Sorry about the delay – I think I have finally resolved a host of technical issues! Both of my computers are now more than 3 years old and are becoming increasingly unhappy with me. I read a quote the other day that said “We spend the majority of our working time dealing with the technology that is supposed to increase our productiveness.” It makes me even more anxious to get away from the computer and into the dirt with my plants!

 

Anyway, below and attached are the meeting minutes from Sunday’s meeting. Thanks again to all who participated, and as always, please let me know if I missed anything. I will have the Doodle vote for the next meeting up momentarily.

 

In addition, I am a member of the Holistic Mom’s Network and they have a national discussion board. I will ask if anyone there has experience with community gardens, any by laws and government involvement, etc.

 

Hope you’re having a great week,

Beth

 

 

 

HARMONY ORGANIC COMMUNITY GARDEN MEETING MINUTES

September 28, 2008

 

 

All decisions and votes taken tonight are provisional. If you disagree with any of the postings below, please respond by Saturday, Oct 4^th. If there are no objections, we will vote to carry over all notes below at the beginning of next week’s meeting.

                                                

Don reported on his findings of other community garden fees (for example, www.communitygarden.org).

• For our garden, the group voted and agreed to an annual membership fee of $20 and a fee of $10 per garden bed (aka plot).
• Suggested Non-resident fee be slightly higher - $25 member fee
• For this year, we should all have the understanding of possibly needing to contribute additional money 6 months into our garden, since we simply can not predict exactly how much money we will need.

 

Lisa will look into the availability of her brother-in-law’s grant-writing services. Should this be a good fit, Kerul suggested a possible grant percentage as his pay (possibly 5%). There may be government restrictions/requirements on this, and we are looking into it now.

 

Kerul and Nancy gave a report from last Thursday’s CDD meeting. At a high level, the CDD needs to do more research before they are ready to move forward, but are very motivated an impressed with the upfront work we have already done. Because they are bound by several legal issues that we hadn’t even thought of, they will need to address these and make sure they are ‘covered.’ They have not committed to a specific plot for the garden or given us a date when they will make this decision, but have assured us that they will help to make the garden a reality.

 

We discussed what to do with unused plots. As it stands now, we expect to only have about 25% of our ½ acre lot filled for the first season.

Suggestions included:

• Spreading out over ½ of the total area leave the other half as grass for easy maintenance
• Turning the other half into a citrus orchard (concern is cancerous plants)
• Turning the other half into a vineyard
• Planting simple ground cover in unused areas

These will all be readdressed once we have a definite location, layout, number of members, etc.

 

We voted and agreed that we should have the soil tested in several locations throughout the garden before planting begins. Jack committed to researching the UF testing services and will report back at the next meeting. The extension services tests are $7 each.

 

We voted and agreed to provisionally carry over all decisions from our previous meeting to be added into the by laws, except for the tiered voting.

• Glen was concerned with the tiered voting and will propose his alternative at the next meeting, at which time we will re-vote.

 

We revisited “organic”

• We discussed the use of the word “organic” in our title.
• We discussed the concerns (using water, Toho water specifically) of use of the word, and agreed that because we are not claiming to be “certified organic” that the name could stay.
• Using “organic” will allow new people to know our basic requirement of organic gardening.
• The group re-voted to keep the organic requirement for both gardening practices and naming.
• We will have a list of allowable organic products to use in the garden.

 

 

While we will always keep it open to change and amend by laws, Kerul suggested that changes should be made by a majority vote (at least 50% of members must vote).

 

Rules for the committee will be discussed at the next meeting.

 

We voted and agreed on assignment of plots. Once we know what plot of land will be used for the garden, a map of plots (with appropriate paths) will be laid out and each plot will have a number. Members will get to choose which plots they want. Should more than one member want a specific plot, their names will be put into a lottery and one of those members will be randomly chosen.

We will plan to have a ‘site visit’ before deciding what plots to select so neighbors can have the opportunity to talk and agree amongst themselves.

 

We will plan for a wheelchair-accessible area of the garden (probably close to the entrance).

 

We agreed to Group Garden Days – these will be one day a month to help with the maintenance of the garden outside of your plot (for example, the exterior fence and pathways). To be a member in good standing, you must attend at least 6 of the 12 Garden Days per year. Kerul suggested these be prorated for members joining mid-year.

 

Lisa mentioned that it may be beneficial to involve the boy scouts at our Group Garden Days since they always need volunteer hours… we can find work for them!

 

Nancy mentioned that Greg will want a plot for the school to use. We reiterated from last meeting that student permission slips would be required and we *should* be free from liability for this.

 

Signage, including posting for garden rules, will be discussed at a later time but are very important to the group.

 

Next meeting will be either Monday, Oct 6^th or Wednesday, Oct 8^th. Location is TBD. A Doodle vote will be posted for this decision.

 

 

 

###

 

[Kerul Kassel]

Personally, fwiw, I like the record-keeping structure of a checking account.


I think things could get hairy (for me, at least) with a cash only system -
say somebody sees me and gives me cash for their membership fee when I'm out
for a walk, for example. I wouldn't have a receipt book on me, so I'd put
it in my pocket and forget about it. Then it doesn't get recorded or placed
where it belongs.

If we have to pay TOHO for water, we'd have to go to the TOHO office with
cash in order to pay.

Any other ideas?

[Geo]

Kerul, I don't see why you or anyone else as the treasurer of the
garden group can't use your own checking account for this purpose. Or,
if you would prefer not to mix up garden transactions with your own,
then there is no reason why you can't open a dedicated checking
account for this purpose.

All that matters is that you post regular statements to the group
showing all the ins and outs and the current balance. Where the money
is actually kept is irrelevant.

All that said, as David suggested, there is no reason why we must
resort to the cumbersome red tape and expense of "official"
organizational channels.

> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -