WOODBURY COMMUNITY GARDENS ASSOCIATION (WCGA) OF NEW JERSEY
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization shall be Woodbury Community Gardens Association (WCGA) of New Jersey. Postal address: PO Box 554, Woodbury, NJ 08096 and email address: woodburycommunitygarden@gmail.com.
ARTICLE II – PURPOSE
Section 1. The WCGA, in cooperation with the City of Woodbury, will develop and manage community garden sites that can be utilized by individual members for gardening purposes. The garden members may grow vegetables to donate to the local food pantry, and the garden area also provides a place for meetings, social gatherings, as well as festive activities, to promote community building.
Section 2. The WCGA’s purposes include, but are not limited to, the following:
a. To foster, promote, and encourage the art, science, and practice of gardening;
b. To provide a setting for educational exchange with regards to gardening amongst WCGA members as well as “Master Gardeners”, “Certified Gardeners” and other such educational programs, and WCGA members;
c. To provide garden plots at a reasonable fee, to be set annually by the Executive Board, for the use of individuals, families, and nonprofit organizations interested in gardening;
d. To undertake responsibility for the operational management of the Woodbury Community Garden (WCG) and to conduct all relationships with persons and organizations related to the function and management of said garden.
Section 3. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the WCGA shall not pursue any other activities not permitted to be pursued by an organization that is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Active Membership
Active membership shall be open to the public and shall include provisional stewardship of a plot for a
twelve-month duration beginning March 1st and ending on February 28/29 of any given year. Members are not required to be residents of Woodbury, NJ.
Section 2. Honorary Membership
Honorary membership may be accorded to an individual who has contributed distinguished service to the WCGA or who has been honored for some outstanding achievement that encompasses the aims of the WCGA. Other designations may be added and considered if deemed appropriate by the Board.
Section 3. Volunteers
The WCGA welcomes volunteers to support the activities of the garden. Volunteers will be required to sign a City of Woodbury Release, Indemnification, and Hold Harmless Agreement.
a. Volunteers are not obliged to be paying members of the garden.
b. Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied at the garden by a parent, guardian, teacher, or other responsible person above the age of 18, at all times.
Section 4. Membership Fees
Membership fee will be reviewed, discussed, and approved annually before each contract year by the Executive Board.
a. Fees must be paid before gardening can commence on any plot.
b. Fees shall be paid to the Treasurer at the same time that gardeners sign the WCGA Contract and the City of Woodbury Release, Indemnification, and Hold Harmless Agreement.
c. Honorary members and volunteers will be exempt from fees.
Section 5. Non-Transferrable Rights and Divestiture of Membership
a. Membership is non-transferrable.
b. Members may be divested of membership for any action deemed inimical to the goals, purposes, or mission of the WCGA by simple majority vote of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE IV – EXECUTIVE BOARD AND DUTIES OF EACH OFFICER
Section 1. General Duties of the Executive Board
a. The Executive Board of the WCGA is designated as Director, Associate Director, Secretary, Treasurer and Executive Property Manager.
b. Executive Board Members are not required to be fee-paying members in good standing of the garden.
c. All Board Members shall serve for a one (1) year term, with an option to serve for additional years.
d. The terms of the Director shall be no longer than two (2) consecutive years; furthermore, if deemed necessary and with the approval of the membership, said term may be extended in one-year increments by a simple majority vote of the members who attend an announced meeting.
e. The terms of the other Executive Officers, if deemed necessary by a simple majority vote of the members attending an announced meeting, may be extended for the purpose of staggering each term to ensure continuity of leadership and governance of the gardens.
f. Executive Board members may serve as Work Group Leaders and may serve on Work Groups or ad hoc committees.
Section 2. Duties of the Director
a. The Director shall call an Executive Board meeting when necessary, appoint chairpersons of committees, and make other appointments as needed.
b. The Director shall preside over the meetings of the Executive Board, and at the regular membership meetings unless otherwise unavailable.
c. The Director will be the official representative of the WCGA to the City of Woodbury and various departments of City of Woodbury, and will represent the WCGA at other meetings or other events at which the WCGA is to be represented.
d. The Director will sign documents on behalf of the Association including service or legal contracts, member contracts, Hold Harmless agreements, etc.
e. The Director will be a co-signer with the Treasurer for banking accounts.
Section 3. Duties of the Associate Director
a. The Associate Director shall have the power to perform all the duties of the Director in his/her absence with the concurrence of the remaining Executive Board members.
b. The Associate Director shall be responsible for formal communications between the Executive Board and the members. The Associate Director will contact Members via the WCGS email account regarding general meetings, events, announcements, and updates which concern the operation of the Garden.
c. The Associate Director shall maintain communication with Work Group Leaders to oversee the
success of each committee.
Section 4. Duties of the Secretary
a. The Secretary shall record the minutes of Board and Membership meetings and maintain them in a digital file following approval of the minutes by the Executive Board.
b. The Secretary is responsible for all official correspondence as it relates to the business of the WCGA.
c. The Secretary shall maintain the signed official WCGA contracts for each gardener yearly, along with that gardener’s signed Release, Indemnification and Hold Harmless Agreement for the City of Woodbury.
d. The Secretary shall maintain a hard-copy and digital record of members in good standing with their plot assignments.
e. In the absence of the Associate Director, the Secretary shall have the power to perform all the duties of the Director in his/her absence with the concurrence of the remaining Executive Board members.
Section 5. Duties of the Treasurer
a. The Treasurer shall collect and deposit plot rental fees and donations to the WCGA checking account.
b. The Treasurer shall maintain records of deposits and expenditures and shall report these activities to the Executive Board during each regular meeting and at general member meetings.
c. The Treasurer shall work with the Executive Board each fall to prepare an annual budget for the forthcoming growing season.
d. The Treasurer will disburse funds as payment to approved vendors and to individuals for reimbursement as approved by the Executive Board.
e. In the absence of the Secretary, the Treasurer shall have the power to perform all of the duties of the Director in his/her absence with the concurrence of the remaining Executive Board Members.
Section 6. Duties of the Executive Property Manager
a. The Executive Property Manager shall oversee and coordinate committees appointed to improve or maintain the Garden property.
b. The Executive Property Manager shall communicate with the members about questions, concerns and guidance that are connected to the operation of the garden property.
c. The Executive Property Manager shall attend monthly meetings of the Executive Board to report on the condition of the garden and garden facilities.
d. The Executive Property Manager shall contribute to the construction of a yearly budget related to anticipated improvements and repairs, and will submit plans and recommendations for improvements and repairs to the Executive Board as the need arises.
Section 7. Resignation and Removal of Executive Board Members
a. Any Executive Board Member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Director of the WCGA. Unless otherwise specified in such written notice, resignation shall take effect upon receipt by the Director, and the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
b. Any Executive Board member, who misses three consecutive meetings after having actual notice of those meetings and without being excused by action of said Board, ceases to remain a member of the Board.
c. Any vacancy thus created or arising from a resignation shall be filled when nominated and agreed upon by a simple majority of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE V – NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. Nominating Committee
A Nominating Committee, composed of three (3) members, shall submit nominations for open Executive offices. If no committee is in place, nominations may be made from the floor.
Section 2. Voting Rights
Those entitled to vote shall be active or honorary members in good standing.
Section 3. Elections
a. Elections will take place annually at a regular membership meeting for a vacant seat for Director, Associate Director, Secretary, Treasurer, and Executive Property Manager.
b. A quorum consisting of a simple majority of the membership, present and voting at an announced meeting, shall constitute an election.
c. Executive offices will be determined by simple majority vote.
ARTICLE VI – MEETINGS
Section 1. Full Membership Meeting
a. Woodbury Community Gardens Association shall have no fewer than two membership meetings annually.
b. One meeting shall take place in the spring and one in the fall.
c. Meeting times and locations will be announced via email, will be posted on the WCGA website the Facebook page, on the City of Woodbury website and at the community garden.
Section 2. Special Meetings
a. The Executive Officers shall call additional meetings as necessary to address items that need action beyond the regularly scheduled meetings.
b. The Executive Officers may choose to meet in executive session to address personnel or other matters pertaining to the work of the organization.
ARTICLE VII – WORK GROUPS
Section 1. Work Groups
a. Work Groups shall be established as necessary to carry on the work of the Association.
b. The Director may create any standing and special committees deemed necessary for the operation of the Association, and a chairperson will be appointed.
c. Once appointed, the chairperson is responsible for organizing the committee and reporting back to the Assistant Director.
d. Work Groups will be formed through annual self-selection of garden members based on their interests and talents. There will be FOUR standing Work Groups
a. The Mechanical Garden Maintenance Work Group shall perform functions related to maintaining the watering system, fencing, plot boundaries and construction, mowing and trimming.
b. The Horticultural Maintenance Work Group shall perform functions related to pruning and weeding in the overall garden area, and with assisting members with growing practices, plant questions and problem solving.
c. The Media and Advertising Work Group shall perform functions related to social media and website design and maintenance, and with advertising about the WCGA to the public.
d. The Food Pantry Donations/PHS City Harvest Work Group shall connect with the PHS for plant distribution and growing supplies, maintain CH designated growing plots including plot borders, planting, mulching, weeding, watering, harvesting, preparing produce for delivery, and delivery to the Food Pantry or other donation site.
ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENTS
Section 1. The details of each Article of the Bylaws may be amended by the Executive Board at any
regularly scheduled meeting, provided that the proposed amendments have first been circulated together with notice of the meeting to all members of said Board.
Section 2. These changes to the Articles of the Bylaws require a simple majority vote of the Executive Board and will be enacted fourteen (14) days after the vote.
ARTICLE IX – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the authority of this Board.
ARTICLE X – DISSOLUTION OF ORGANIZATION
a. The Woodbury Community Gardens Association can be dissolved after written notice has been given to all members 30 days before a vote to dissolve is taken by the Executive Board.
b. Written notice must include the plans for disbursal of funds to other charitable organizations or municipalities
Approved by Board of Trustees 2/3/2015; revised 4/5/17; revised and approved 12/7/2022
Amelie Harris-McGeehan, Director
Thomas Mirochna, Treasurer
Camille Sauerwald, Secretary
Richard McGeehan, Executive Site Manager
Woodbury Community Gardens 