Fiscal Note
No appropriation is required.
Title
Authorizing the Mayor to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Community GroundWorks, Inc. and Dane County University of Wisconsin Extension to support community gardens programming in Madison and Dane County.
Body
WHEREAS, Community GroundWorks (CGW), Dane County UW-Extension (UWEX), the City of Madison, along with garden leaders and other key stakeholders began meeting in March 2014 to explore the establishment of a new and improved community garden program; and
WHEREAS, the three partners envision diverse, productive, self-sustaining gardens that have strong leaders and communities connected by a shared purpose, by a sense of belonging and by a deep socio-cultural understanding; and
WHEREAS, CGW, UWEX, and the City, agreed to further explore partnering in support of a new and improved program for 2015, with a commitment to programming for low and moderate income areas, people of color, recent immigrants, and children and youth; and
WHEREAS, the City of Madison hired Forward Community Investments (FCI) in September 2014 to meet extensively with the aforementioned corporations and develop a business plan for a new community gardens program for 2015, termed the "Gardens Network;" and
WHEREAS, the work of FCI resulted in a business plan that set priorities, developed a three year budget plan, defined the scope of participation of each of the parties, and suggested a mode of governance for the programming; and
WHEREAS, the programming and the model of governance includes heavy participation and collaboration with gardeners and garden leaders, a critical component of a successful, sustainable program; and
WHEREAS, the results of the business planning efforts were presented to a large group of gardeners and garden leaders from the city and the county at an all day conference on February 28, 2015; and
WHEREAS, a group of garden leaders agreed to begin efforts to organize a coalition of gardens leaders in order to better represent themselves and more coherently participate in the new "Gardens Network;" and,
WHEREAS, the execution of a formal MOU is essential to defining roles for the parties, especially for fundraising, land security, and long-term sustainability of gardens programming; and,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor is authorized to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Community GroundWorks, Inc. and Dane County University of Wisconsin Extension, as described herein for a period of three years, with the option to renew for additional 5-year periods.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Memorandum of Understanding shall define the governance structure of the so-called "Gardens Network" and that structure shall be housed at Community GroundWorks, Inc.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Mayor is authorized to amend the Memorandum of Understanding at any time as necessary to carry out the function of gardens operations with the consent of the parties.