Steering Committee

The Community Garden Committee has a Steering Committee, which is in charge of policies and procedures for running the garden.

Steering Committee and Elected Officers Roles and Responsibilities

Any SNCG Garden Member is welcome to join the Steering Committee!

Steering Committee, as a group:
● Oversee plans to build, repair, and improve the Community Garden site, as authorized by the Steering Committee and the Elected Officers.
● Manage supplies and equipment: compost, seeds, wood chips, building materials, etc.
● Coordinate purchase and/or schedule delivery of supplies, tools, wood chips, compost, etc. through the Treasurer, and as authorized by the Steering Committee and the Elected Officers.
● Assist Elected Officers, as needed, with organization and implementation of meetings, events, and garden projects.
● Oversee Garden Members’ status and ensure gardener participation and attendance.
● Enforce garden rules, send warnings, and contact gardeners regarding concerns,
through the Garden Chair, and as authorized by the Steering Committee and Elected Officers.
● Staff events, gatherings, and social activities.

Elected Officer’s Roles:

Chair
● Organize and conduct meetings, including Special Meetings, Steering Committee Meetings and the Annual Meeting.
● Schedule workdays, organize workers, as authorized by the Steering Committee and the other elected officers.
● Track garden members’ participation together with the Secretary.
● Communicate with gardeners about membership status, contracts, garden rules, and participation through the Secretary.
● With the Steering Committee and other officers’ authorization, enforce garden rules (send warnings, contact gardeners as needed regarding concerns).
● Oversee sub-committees.
● Edit and develop website content with help from the Secretary and the Steering Committee.
● Communicate, respond to emails, and meet with outside groups: Parks Dept, parents’ group, SNA liaison, the greater community, and media about Garden matters (with guidance from other Steering Committee members and officers).
● Ensure the planning and budgeting for the future is carried out in accordance with the Steering Committee.

Vice-Chair
● Assist the Chair with oversight duties as needed.
● If requested, assist the Secretary with responding to gardeners’ emails, including inviting new members to join the garden.
● If needed, assist the Secretary with maintaining the waitlist, responding to waitlist inquiries, and assigning plots as they become available.
● Help collect membership fees, together with the Treasurer, and provide them to the SNA Treasurer.
● Communicate with outside groups: Parks Dept, parents’ group, SNA liaison, the greater community, and media about Garden matters.
● If requested, conduct new gardener orientations, together with Chair and Secretary.

Secretary
● Assist the Chair with email account, respond to gardener emails, and maintain current list of gardeners (contact info, assigned plot, etc.).
● Communicate with gardeners about membership status, contracts, garden rules, and participation, together with the Chair.
● Conduct new member orientations with assistance from the Vice Chair and Chair, as needed.
● Organize garden steward signup.
● Maintain the website, edit, and develop content with help from the Chair and the Steering Committee.
● Take notes at meetings and submit them to the Steering Committee for review and approval.

Treasurer
● Collect membership fees, with assistance from the Vice Chair, and submit them to the SNA Treasurer.
● Track the budget, document all transactions & purchases, and submit invoices to the SNA Treasurer for reimbursements.
● Apply for and track grants, together with the Steering Committee Members.
● Coordinate with SNA Treasurer as needed for other garden financial matters.
● Produce financial report for SNA Board, Annual Meeting, and other meetings as needed.

Member of the SNA Board of Directors (“SNA liaison”)
● Primary liaison between the Steering Committee and the SNA Board.
● Provide monthly updates about garden activities to the SNA Board.

Note Regarding Shared Roles and Responsibilities
● No single person should be solely responsible for developing, carrying out, or completing the shared roles described above. These responsibilities are meant to be shared. The group assigned to each task is encouraged to work together so that the effort is distributed fairly and no one person carries the burden alone. The future of our garden depends on the Steering Committee and the elected officers working together to manage garden affairs in a thoughtful and constructive way, always keeping the well-being of the entire garden community in mind. Our garden will continue to thrive and grow only through cooperation, communication, and mutual support. As the saying goes, many hands make light work, and when we work together, the garden—and our community—will flourish.

Specialized Roles, as determined by Garden Members
● From time to time, specific roles may be developed, as requested by Garden Members, and with approval of the Steering Committee (e.g., Compost Expert, Education Expert, Event Organizer, etc.) to carry out specialized functions that enhance the garden’s capabilities and for the benefit and experience of the Garden Members and the Summit Community.