2015 Winter BOD: Richmond

November 29, 2022

The Board of Directors met at the Kent-Valentine House on January 22, 2015.

President Jeanette Cadwallender offered opening remarks before introducing Katherine Whitney of Warren Whitney who led a discussion on shared leadership and strategic direction for GCV. The Board approved a motion to initiate a Strategic Plan with an expected completion by January 2016. The Strategic Planning Committee will be chaired by First Vice President Nina Mustard.

Development Committee Chairman Jean Gilpin and Director of Development Karmen Gustin introduced Stuart Blain and Jack Catlett of Union First Market Bank, who provided valuable information about planned giving. The Development Committee also reported progress in obtaining HGW sponsorships and in building a list of individuals and organizations outside of the Garden Club of Virginia. Jean reported that the upcoming Symposium offers an opportunity to host sponsors at the opening reception and Reveley dinner afterward.

Executive Director Lynn McCashin reported that the Chmura study had presented to the Virginia Tourism Corporation, Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus and Economic Development offices with enthusiastic responses. Virginia Living published a sidebar announcing the big numbers in its December issue.

Lynn also reported that Quan McGough was hired November for part-time office and administrative support.

Treasurer Betsy Worthington reported that Restoration project expenses have traditionally been tracked on a total project basis and that primary approval of the invoices has been by the landscape architect William D. Rieley. GCV auditors have recommended that we require the landscape architect to provide detailed project budgets with pricing for the individual line items. This would enable GCV to specifically track expenditures according to the individual line items as quoted and identify when the project is off budget by line item rather than in total. Restoration Committee Treasurer Anne Baldwin is addressing this recommendation.

Lastly, Betsy reported that she, with assistance from Lynn McCashin, Kathy Knollman, Sugie Battin and Jeannette Cadwallender, is finishing up a 14-20 page manual of financial management guidelines for member club treasurers that offers suggestions on how to handle the finance, tax and insurance needs.

The Board approved a Conservation and Environmental Studies Fellowship as follows:

PURPOSE: The Fellowship will support research on the conservation of natural resources and/or environmental studies concerning flora, fauna or community (cultural practices) that directly impact the Commonwealth.

FUNDING: The GCV has endorsed an initial grant of $4,000 to initiate the Fellowship. We anticipate this will grow significantly once Development becomes involved.

ELIGIBLITY AND PROCESS: Undergraduate and graduate students will be eligible for the fellowship. Applications will be submitted online. GCV staff is providing support and an email address has been established for receipt of applications. Upon announcement of the Fellowship by the GCV, information will be provided to a database of all the Chairs of appropriate departments at all Virginia schools. They will then make the opportunity known to their students. The Conservation Committee would like to award the inaugural grant for research in 2015.

SELECTION: Candidates will be selected by a committee comprised of the President of the GCV, Chairman of the Conservation Committee, an at-large member of the GCV and a university faculty member in a related field.

On behalf of the Nominations Committee the following names were approved to be placed on the slate for 2015-2017 Directors at Large: District 2: Emily Reed, The Augusta Garden Club; District 5: Kate Williams, Leesburg Garden Club; and District 6: Pam Combs, The Garden Club of Norfolk.

The Board approved a motion by Anne Cross, Chairman of the Centennial Committee, to make a gift of $500,000 to the Partnership for Parks. The gift is to be made over five years in increments of $100,000 per year starting in July 2015. It will be funded from the net proceeds of Historic Garden Week. The gift has been recommended by the Finance Committee and endorsed by the Restoration Committee.

Corresponding Secretary Linda Consolvo reported that a database workshop will be held on March 5, led by Ann Heller and Nina Mustard who will present information on maintaining the database and how to produce a successful club newsletter, among other topics.

Admissions Committee Chairman Kris Carbone presented a request to the Board on behalf of the Admissions Committee that the committee be renamed the Membership Committee. Because the request requires a change to GCV bylaws, the request will be presented for a second reading at the next meeting of the Board of Directors.