2016 Winter BOD: Richmond

December 7, 2022

The GCV Board of Directors met Tuesday, January 19, 2016, at the Kent-Valentine House.

President Jeanette Cadwallender called the meeting to order and introduced Molly Joseph Ward, Secretary of Natural Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Mrs. Ward thanked the GCV for all it does in terms of restoration and conservation across the state. She discussed her assessment of the Partnership for Parks and how best to move forward in determining how the GCV can benefit the parks with our gift. Mrs. Ward recommended dissolving the partnership with the Virginia Association for Parks. She discussed the Natural Preserves areas, as well as the proposal by Governor McAuliffe for a $140 million bond initiative for Virginia State Parks. A lengthy discussion followed, and Mrs. Ward will continue to communicate with Jeanette Cadwallender and Anne Cross.

Jeanette gave her remarks, stating that when visiting the Garden Club of Norfolk, Harborfront and the two Virginia Beach clubs recently, a fun flower-arranging demonstration was interspersed within the meeting. The topic was how to use a store-bought bouquet that may be brought to your door for a dinner party or other event. Meredith Lauter of the host club said, “All you need is a great container and some good branches.” Jeanette said she was struck by the quote as a metaphor, saying, “The GCV is that great container, our clubs and committees are the good branches.”

Executive Director Lynn McCashin expressed hope to hire a Director of Development before Historic Garden Week. Staff is now actively training online to use Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge software.

Following recommendations by Treasurer Betsy Worthington, the Board approved motions to award $12,000 for the 2016 Common Wealth Award, $4,000 for the 2016 Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award and $4,000 for the 2016 Conservation and Environmental Studies Fellowship.

Restoration Committee Chairman Kim Nash announced that the Garden Club of America will present its Historic Preservation Medal to William D. Rieley. Since 1973, this medal has been awarded for outstanding work in the field of preservation and/or restoration of historic gardens or buildings of national importance. Past winners include the Garden Conservancy (2012), Peter Hatch (2011), Mount Vernon Ladies Association (2010), Dr. William Seale, Jr. (2004) Rudy J. Favretti (1990) and the Garden Club of Virginia (1986).

Kim presented a comprehensive report on an alarming situation at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, stating that the boxwood in the Bowknot Garden had begun to decline dramatically and, at the beginning of this year, tests for boxwood blight (Cylindrocladium, buxicola or Calonectria pseudonaviculata) came back positive. The Restoration Committee has voted to recommend the removal of all the box at the WWPL, but such action is contingent upon agreement by the owners of the property. The Board voted to send information regarding boxwood blight to all club presidents and horticulture chairmen.

Jeanette then introduced attorneys John O’Neill and Bill Gray of Hunton & Williams who provided answers to questions concerning GCV’s 501(c)(3) status. For example: How much educational programming is required to maintain status? Is there a percentage of our programming that should be open to the public? Does any advocacy with other non-profits or the legislature jeopardize our status? And do partnerships with other non-profits jeopardize our status? A lengthy discussion that allowed the attorneys to answer these questions and more. The Board was assured that GCV is well within the guidelines for maintaining its 501(c)(3) status. The attorneys recommended that GCV draft a formal agreement between GCV and member clubs addressing what is expected from member clubs regarding Historic Garden Week. They also noted that member clubs are agents of GCV and Historic Garden Week.

First Vice President Nina Mustard and Katherine Whitney presented the 2016 Strategic Plan, accompanied by a plan for implementation. The documents will be presented at the Annual Meeting in May. Katherine provided insight into her discussions with 45 club presidents to assess the needs of member clubs. On behalf of the Strategic Planning Committee, Nina moved that the GCV Board of Directors adopt the Strategic Plan 2016 as presented, with the knowledge that implementation will begin immediately with suggestions provided by the committee. The motion was seconded and passed without objection.

Flower Shows Committee Chairman Lea Shuba reported that a spirited November committee meeting included an introduction to the new focus on paperless schedules and invitations, and the concept of charging for the judges’ dinner, noting it was difficult for host clubs to balance their need for spending less with their ideas of hospitality. The future of flower shows was discussed and led to enthusiastic and flexible ideas for currently perceived problems. Committee members shared concerns that many of the 45 club presidents surveyed during strategic planning may have been new members who had never attended a GCV flower show.

The Membership Committee reported they continued to work with Carolyn Wilkinson to form a new club in New Kent County called Three Rivers Garden Club. The Ashland Garden Club has volunteered to mentor the club under the leadership of Janet Rosser.

Treasurer Betsy Worthington reported that auditors have again recommended that tracking Restoration project expenses be modified. These expenditures have been tracked on a total project basis and primary approval of the invoices has been by the GCV Landscape Architect William D. Rieley. The auditors have recommended that GCV require the landscape architect to provide detailed project budgets with pricing for the individual line items. This would enable the 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. Anne Baldwin, Restoration Committee Treasurer, continues to address this and has begun implementing some of the procedures suggested above.