Category: Garden

The Bayside Community Garden was established at 78 Chestnut Street in 2001 as a project of the Bayside Neighborhood Association. The BCG is unique in being Portland’s only community garden run by a neighborhood association, receiving no material support or funding from the City. For over twenty years the BNA, its gardeners, and its supporters have poured their heart and souls into keeping this rare Bayside green space going despite a challenging urban environment and the mounting pressure of incoming development.

Holly Picotte, Team Lead — Susan McClosky, Board Liaison
Contact Community Garden Team for more information

The Deb Van Hoewyk Bayside Community Garden

On By BNA AdminIn Events Team, Garden

On a sunny spring Sunday afternoon yesterday, neighbors gathered at 78 Chestnut Street to give the Bayside Community Garden a name worthy of the woman who helped build it.

The garden is now officially the Deb Van Hoewyk Bayside Community Garden.

City Councilor Sarah Michniewicz kicked things off by picking up a screwgun and bolting the new sign to the garden shed herself. It is now officially, permanently, on the record. Then Deb’s nieces and nephews who were present planted flowers at the entrance to the garden.

Councilor Michniewicz, BNA President Tom Blackburn, and Deb’s husband John Van Hoewyk all spoke, sharing memories of a woman who gave so much of herself to this neighborhood — as a BNA board member for over a decade, a grant writer, a program builder, and an unfailingly generous presence who had a gift for bringing people together. Deb helped create the Bayside World Market & Fair, the Black Frame Art Sale, summer lunches at Unity Village, ESOL programming at the Immigrant Welcome Center, and was instrumental in getting the community garden funded and off the ground. She was still deep in the work of building the Bayside Opportunity Center when she passed away in August 2025.

To make it official, John cut the ceremonial ribbon alongside Deb’s sisters, Patience and Priscilla — a moment that was equal parts poignant and joyful, the kind of thing Deb herself would have appreciated.

The Deb Van Hoewyk Community Garden is located at 78 Chestnut Street, and it’s open for the season. More information is available here.

Bayside Garden Gets Updated Beds

On By Robert SylvainIn Garden

This fall, the Bayside Community Garden welcomed a group of Baxter Academy students for a hands-on volunteer workday focused on replacing aging garden bed sideboards. Working alongside garden volunteers and members of the Bayside Neighborhood Association, the students helped improve the garden’s infrastructure while learning about community care, collaboration, and stewardship of shared green spaces.

This project was made possible by a micro-grant from the City of Portland’s Office of Sustainability through its Sustainable Neighborhoods Mini-Grant program, with support from Sustainability Associate Karly Meyer. Funding from this program helped cover materials for the garden bed repairs, demonstrating how small, targeted investments can create lasting benefits for neighborhoods and the people who care for them.

Remembering Deb Van Hoewyk

On By Robert SylvainIn Garden, Governance, Uncategorized, Welcome Team

The Bayside community is reeling from the loss of our longtime friend, mentor, guiding light, and superhero Deborah Van Hoewyk. Deb was a powerhouse member of the BNA board of directors for over a decade and was instrumental in creating programs like the Bayside World Market & Fair, Black Frame Art Sale, summer lunches at Unity Village, funding and operating the community garden, ESOL at the Immigrant Welcome center, and so much more. While nothing will replace her wisdom and power, she helped forge a community organization that fosters and empowers new leaders, and we’re committed to continuing the work she started.

Here is a repost of Deb’s obituary and memorial arrangements on funeralalternatives.net

“Deborah Van Hoewyk of Portland and West Bath, Maine, passed away on August 28, 2025, following a brief illness. 

Deborah was born in Barrington, Rhode Island, the daughter of Schuyler S. Sampson and Alice Mansur Sampson. Deborah moved to Cumberland, Maine, with her parents and brother as a young child and attended the Cumberland School system and graduated from The Waynflete School in Portland.  She attended Wellesley College and Columbia University for her undergraduate studies and earned a Masters in English from the City University of New York. 

Deborah lived in New York City for several years working as a writer and educator. It was here that she undertook the first of what would become a lifelong passion: home renovation. For a time, she lived on a barge in the Hudson River and later a houseboat in the Bronx.

Deborah moved to Michigan and with her husband, John Van Hoewyk, purchased a farm, and raised sheep, pigs, goats and an assortment of cats and dogs. At the same time, she was a lecturer in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, teaching technical communications. She retired in 2010.

After retiring, she returned to Maine with her husband living in Portland. In the winter months they resided in Huatulco, Mexico. Later they spent summers in West Bath, Maine. As expected, all their homes just needed a “little” work, which Deborah happily took on. 

Deborah had a remarkable ability to build community wherever she lived. In Mexico she volunteered for a local spay/neuter project, helped organize a major annual fund raiser supporting rural schools, and wrote and edited articles for The Eye, a local English language monthly.  She loved Mexico and used her writing skills to bring the history and culture of Mexico to the English language community. Though a fluent speaker she never stopped taking Spanish lessons.

In Maine, she was a board member of the Western Maine Wellesley Club and The Bayside Neighborhood Association. She used her experience as a grant writer to support several local non-profits. At the time of her death, Deborah and several Bayside residents  were developing plans for a community center that would serve, among others, the Portland immigrant community. She was also the unofficial organizer of her high school graduating classes’ monthly meet ups.

She was a strong supporter of Charlie’s Friends Dog Rescue in Woolwich, Maine. Deborah and John fostered many wonderful dogs awaiting their forever homes.

Deborah was preceded in death by her parents and brother-in-law, Jeffrey Armstrong. 

She is survived by her husband of 39 years, John Van Hoewyk, her brother Schuyler S. Sampson, Jr., (Patricia), her sisters Patience Sampson (Robert) and Priscilla Armstrong and her many nieces for whom she had such fondness, Sharon, Samantha, Caroline, Juanita, Janetta, Katherine, Tabor and Schuyler as well as many great nieces and nephews.

Deborah’s family would like to thank the staff at Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick for their compassionate care during her stay. 

An outdoor celebration of her life will be held on Saturday October 18, 2025, from 2-4 PM at 359 Fosters Point Road, West Bath ME.  Online condolence messages can be submitted at Funeral Alternatives, 46 Bath Road, Brunswick, ME 04011. (https://www.funeralalternatives.net/)

Please consider making a memorial donation to Rescue Charlie’s Friends Dog Rescue, 90 Road B, Woolwich, ME 04579 (https://rescuecharliesfriends.org/)“

BNA Team Reports May 6, 2025

On By Bayside Neighborhood AssociationIn Arts & Music, Business Club, Citizens' Trash Brigade, Comms Team, Events Team, Garden, Relevant Developments, Safe Streets, Social Services, Trees & Greens, Welcome Team

Team leads met April 7th to discuss communication, shared challenges, resources and goals. A decision was made to reboot the Baysider as an online publication, facilitated by the tech team.

Garden Team — Holly Picotte, lead — Susan McClosky, board liaison

We held the 2025 garden orientation on Saturday, May 3rd with a great turnout.  We met several new plot holders and gardeners were exchanging ideas about what they were going to plant in their plots!  The water access was discovered to be broken (pex coming from the shelter was snapped), but Stephen, one of our gardeners, volunteered to fix it which he did that day which is fantastic. Water was set to be turned on Monday, 5/5 by Port Property.

Development Developments Team — Amelia LaBreck, lead — Alex Landry, board liaison

The Franklin Street Redesign Project is in early planning stages at the city. Several Development Team members attended an open house to reboot the project at the Rines Auditorium on April 17th. The Live Nation Music Venue has had the question of traffic and parking feasibility is to be examined by the transportation committee. 89 Elm construction is underway, though currently is more of a void in the ground than a structure. 60 Elm has had an enlargement and redesign, being workshopped May 6th. The whole Reveler MDP is undergoing some changes to be announced. 72 Parris held a public meeting at the McGoldrick Center on April 14th which was attended by many BNA members and neighborhood voices.

BNA Citizens’ Trash Brigade — Megan Holt, lead — Rob Sylvain, board liaison 

Thanks to all who turned out for another successful spring cleanup on Saturday April 17th. Special thanks to city arborist Mark Reilland for providing compost and mulch for the BNA Tree Team to spread on our new neighborhood trees. Many thanks to the generous Bayside Businesses that donated gift certificates: Leavitt & Sons Deli – Isa Bistro – Wilson County BBQ – Bayside Bowl – Two Fat Cats Bakery – Tally’s Kitchen – Maine Oyster Company

Tuesday April 22 Preble Street hosted another cleanup and BBQ which was attended by BNA board and team members. Just three days after the BNA cleanup, it was noted that trash had already accumulated again.

Saturday May 3rd Portland Parks Conservancy hosted a city-wide cleanup with Megan Holt acting as a hub captain at the Bayside Community Garden. The tree team continued mulching and the garden team met to clean up and prepare the garden for spring. Holly noted that Public works did not pick up the garbage bags the following day, causing a mess on Hall Ct. Jennifer Rogers had noted the same problem after the April 17th cleanup.

Caroline Fernandez from Preble Street has indicated interest in collaborating on monthly cleanups Friday afternoons. Next cleanup is scheduled for Friday 

Tech Team — Joey Brunelle, lead — Jim Hall, board liaison

The Baysider newspaper is getting an online reboot. Submissions of news and photos from team leads are needed. Also looking for content from the community including editorials, reviews, events, photos, art, poetry, and prose of all sorts. Thanks to Special Collections Librarian & Archivist Abraham Schechter, the Portland Public Library’s has been digitizing their collection of The Baysider which lives in the Portland Room archive. The public can now access searchable pdf copies of many issues of The Baysider at the Portland Public Library Digital Commons website, and the BNA website.

Tree Team — Avery Kamilla, lead — Susan McClosky, board liaison

The BNA Tree Team has been active this spring working to grow our tree canopy and tend our existing trees. During the annual Spring Cleanup, neighbors mulched all the newly planted trees on Chestnut Street and many of the newly planted trees on the Bayside Trail. 

The Tree Team is also working with the Portland Park Rangers to host the annual Tree Hugging event June 7. For the first time, it will be held in the Bayside Neighborhood on the Bayside Trail. At the Tree Hugging event, Portland’s lead Park Ranger and certified forest bathing expert Liz Collado will lead a forest bathing walk and encourage participants to envision the day when the young trees on the trail become mature, heritage trees with wide canopies. 

Members of the Tree Team attended the recent Tree Talk given by Portland’s arborist Mark Reiland and hosted by the West End Neighborhood Association. Reiland discussed the new planting requirements that he has initiated for new trees that mandate much larger planting wells and a compost-rich soil. The disappointing news he delivered during the talk was that he does not expect to plant any trees in Bayside or East Bayside this year. Reiland said the reason why is because the city used all the viable planting locations during last year’s tree surge. 

Members of the Tree Team also attended the recent Reimagining Franklin Street event hosted by the Planning Department at the Portland Public Library. The event was a chance for the public to offer feedback about what they like and don’t like about the current street. Tree Team members advocated for the need for more trees and parkland. 

Tree Team member and Portland Protectors co-founder Avery Yale Kamila talked with city officials about the need to restore Lincoln Park to its original size and further expand it. Of particular concern is preserving the heritage oaks growing in the median between Congress and Middle streets. 

The Bayside neighborhood’s only playground, the Stone Street Playground, is slated for a $400,000 upgrade this budget year. However, Reiland is concerned that a major revamp of the playground will kill the park’s trees. The BNA and the Tree Team are awaiting more information about the project. Any day now the cherry trees in the Stone Street Playground will unfurl their pink blooms. 

Bayside Business Breakfast Club — Tom Blackburn, lead — Betsy Boyd, board liaison

Gathered on April 30 at Coffee Me Up, hosted by Alba Zakja. Topics included creating a Bayside business map, intra-team communication via whatsapp, mentorship program with ProsperityME, updating the business contact list, outreach to corporate entities, improvement district funding, ads for Baysider, lobbying city hall, promoting good news stories to the media, and delegating action items. Tom Blackburn has stepped up to lead the team. Next meeting will be at Jay York Photography, 58 Wilmot Street on Wednesday, May 28th, 8:30am

Welcome Team — Belinda Vemba, lead — Deb VanHoewyk, board liaison

The Welcome Committee has co-hosted its first event – the Samosa Social! On Thursday, April 3rd, the BNA and the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center held an afternoon get-together at the IWC at 24 Preble Street in Bayside. The idea was to bring together various organizations, including the BNA, who serve our newly arrived neighbors who come to the IWC to learn English, access workforce and entrepreneurial programs, and navigate their way to citizenship.

Bayside neighbors and immigrants from all over the world made short work of the over 200 samosas donated by Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, along with other halal treats from Portland’s immigrant groceries and restaurants. Music and conversation were the order of the day, along with presentations by representatives from immigrant-serving organizations. Grace Mo-Phillips from Coastal Enterprises, Micky Bondo from In Her Presence, Bright Musuamba and Amen Mibaraka from Prosperity Maine, and Belinda Vemba from the Immigrant Welcome Center, all spoke about how their organizations help the community. City Councillor and Bayside resident Sarah Michniewicz was on hand not only to meet and listen to new neighbors, but also to help serve up samosas to the crowd.

The BNA formed the Welcome Committee to better connect with the various communities who comprise the very diverse population of Bayside – home to immigrants and faith groups, homeowners and renters, social service and education organizations. The Welcome Committee works to unite neighbors in making Bayside a more “welcoming” place. We’re hoping this event is the beginning of many enduring collaborations.

BAYsideBEEs — Deirdre Paul, lead — Rob Sylvain, board liaison

Working on an event calendar for the BNA website, highlighting performing arts and First Friday openings in Bayside. 82 Parris Gallery and Maine Clay Collaborative both had open houses on First Friday in May. 

Student Liaison — Michael Marston, lead — Rob Sylvain, board liaison

Michael is working on a 3D model of Bayside, which should be complete by the end of the term. The mural project has been put on hold. John Wensman from Baxter Academy hopes to design a full-year project with a new student next fall.

Art Team — Carolyn Megan, lead — Betsy Boyd, board liaison

Still working on idea of painting of utility boxes. Looking for funding sources. Carolyn needs to be away most of May into mid-June and possibly into July.  As such, the Art Team needs any new interested members/lead.  Email Carolyn with questions and/or if you want more information.  

Safe Streets Team — Bowman Brown, lead — Deb VanHoewyk, board liaison

The next meeting is scheduled for May 20 at 6 pm in the Steve Hirshon Community Room at Unity Village 24 Stone Street.Items to be addressed at the next meeting include better lighting; the group will work out how to create a list of all non-operating street lights, as well as key places where lighting could be improved, such as Portland Street – Bowman’s building is 34 Portland Street, and there are definite dark spots there.  The Preble Street 295 underpass is another.  

In February, the group discussed a “text buddy” system so people could text to get a buddy for walking together in unsafe situations.  There were concerns about having personal numbers out there, but it seems as if WhatsApp could take care of the privacy issues.  A number of people have already volunteered to participate via WhatsApp.  

Pedestrian safety – hotspots are Portland Street, especially at the intersections with Parris and Hanover Streets.  This is related to the lack of parking enforcement, which results in people parking every which way, making pedestrian pathways unpredictable.  

Bowman distributed for discussion the New York Times article highlighting the increasing problem of Meth as opposed to fentanyl use in our neighborhood. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/health/meth-portland-maine.html?unlocked_article_code=1.E08.JJkQ.l9Q0PHq4ka-u&smid=url-share

Bayside Community Garden General Policies 2024

On By Bayside Neighborhood AssociationIn Garden, Uncategorized

Updated April 27, 2024 

Welcome to The Bayside Community Garden! 

The Bayside Community Garden was established at 78 Chestnut Street in 2001 as a project of the Bayside Neighborhood Association. The BCG is unique in being Portland’s only community garden run by a neighborhood association, receiving no material support or funding from the City. For over twenty years the BNA, its gardeners, and its supporters have poured their heart and souls into keeping this rare Bayside green space going despite a challenging urban environment and the mounting pressure of incoming development.

The goal of these policies is to ensure the Bayside Community Garden (BCG) enhances the livability and equality of the Bayside neighborhood and provides a well-managed and inviting green space for all who use and visit it for years to come.  

Participation

As a true community garden, all Bayside Community Garden plot holders are required to assist in maintenance, operations and/or management of the garden under direction of the garden steering committee and garden coordinator and in accordance with garden policies. Information on the steering committee structure and roles may be found here.

All gardeners and non-plot holding volunteers are required to fill out this form at the beginning of each season attesting they have read and accept these policies before beginning to work in the garden. 

Community Standards

Treat other gardeners and garden guests with as much kindness and respect as you do the plants you tend. Report any concerns to the garden coordinator or BNA liaison.

Plot Assignment

The mission of the BCG includes increased food security for lower income Bayside residents, especially new Mainers; and providing community access to green space, which the neighborhood severely lacks. This policy acknowledges and seeks to address those systemic inequities.

Anyone in the community and other neighborhoods may apply to hold a garden plot or to volunteer without holding a plot. 

Bayside residents are given first refusal of available plots and are put at the top of the waitlist. There are generally enough plots available to accommodate gardeners who wish to work a plot. 

Planting Schedule

June 1 – Plots must be cleared and initial planting completed.
June 15 – Planting for first crops must be complete.
July 1 – A plot must show that it has been consistently maintained.
November 1 – All plots must be cleaned out and shut down for winter.

If a plot appears abandoned by July 1, the fee will be forfeited and the plot will be offered to the next person on the waitlist at ⅔ the fee being charged at the time the plot is forfeited. If there are no takers, the plot will be cleared and/or used by the BNA at its discretion.

Plot Maintenance

All plots must be consistently maintained for the entire gardening season and closed down appropriately for the off-season. 

Trash in and around an individual plot must be removed by the plot holder as soon as possible and disposed of appropriately along with the trash collected from common areas.

All plantings, structures and signage must be kept within assigned plots. Plot perimeters outside of the physical box must be consistently trimmed and maintained by the plot holder or designated volunteer. 

The growing of marijuana and invasive plants is prohibited.

Common Area Maintenance

All common areas outside of individual garden plots must be kept neat, trimmed and maintained and invasive plants must be controlled throughout the growing season according to a schedule developed by the operations manager. 

Paths around and between beds must be kept free of plants, structures, overgrowth, etc. for safe and unobstructed passage and be covered with wood chips to control weed growth.

In order to ensure safe and fair use of common areas, intentional plantings outside of garden plots are only allowed with approval by the BNA Board.  Unauthorized plantings outside of approved areas may be removed. 

The berm between the compost bins and the road (Hall Court) and surrounding vegetation must be consistently maintained to prevent growth of weeds, vines, etc. Plants at the side of the road and the fence line by the sidewalk must be kept trimmed back.

General trash removal should happen on a daily basis as gardeners tend their own plots; a designated volunteer may be appointed to oversee this task.  

Regular trash bags should be used and may be deposited in either the dumpster behind the former shelter at 203 Oxford Street or the one next to the ramp in the parking lot across from Hall Court on Cedar Street. 

Large or bulky trash items left in the garden such as shopping carts should be brought to the attention of the garden coordinator, who will arrange for their removal. 

Trash must also be regularly monitored and removed during the off season between November and May. 

Graffiti, vandalism, or dumping of trash should be reported immediately to the Garden Coordinator. 

Signage

Multilingual signs may be posted indicating that touching or picking plants without permission is discouraged.

Respectful signage may be displayed by gardeners within their own plots if they wish to discourage picking of their plants. 

General garden signage and plantings outside of assigned plots must be approved by the garden coordinator.

“Keep Out” signs may be maintained at either end of the raspberry stand as this area has previously attracted tent encampments.

Community Access 

The garden is open to everyone to visit and enjoy between dawn and dusk. 

Touching or picking of gardeners’ plants without permission is discouraged – however, as the garden is a publicly accessible space, gardeners may experience loss of plantings, structures or items left in the garden. If excessive loss or vandalism of plants or garden structures or fixtures is noted, please alert the Garden Coordinator.

Dogs must be kept on leash and waste picked up. Signage to this effect, or restricting dogs from the garden, may be considered if this becomes a problem.

Illegal or disruptive activity and drug or alcohol use is not allowed by gardeners, volunteers or garden visitors. 

No tenting, camping, or related activities are allowed. If a campsite is discovered, please alert the garden coordinator or call the Police non-emergency dispatch at (207) 874-8575 to request their behavior health team make contact with the campers and connect them with appropriate services. 

Please note – the garden is located on private property; not owned by the BNA; and not subject to the City encampment policy. Reasonable attempts will be made to find the people associated with a campsite, but in no case will an encampment or belongings be allowed to remain indefinitely on garden property.

Health and Safety 

Any found hypodermic syringes or other hazardous or questionable materials should be reported to the Garden Coordinator, who will address them appropriately. 

*Gardeners who choose to deposit syringes in the needle box attached to the garden shed do so at their own risk. Using gloves or using a trash grabber is best practice.

Immediate safety or wellbeing concerns on the property should be addressed by calling Police non-emergency dispatch at (207) 874-8575 or 911 as appropriate. The address to reference is 78 Chestnut Street.

Please know that the Portland Police Department has a robust and experienced civilian behavioral health and alternative response unit which is dispatched when indicated for mental health and substance use concerns. They work closely with social service providers to connect people with needed resources.

End of Season

Garden plots and common areas must be closed down by November 1 unless otherwise permitted. If you have decided not to return please clear your plot so it’s ready for the gardener. that comes after you.

Individual Plots

Garden plots must be closed down by November 1 unless otherwise indicated by the garden coordinator.

Plants that remain for the next season must be trimmed back to 2’ or less and the plot raked clear of plant matter and debris. Remove all loose items and anything that may be taken, blown away, or damaged by winter weather. When possible lay fencing and other structures flat within the bed of the plot.

Make a plan for discarding unwanted plants, fencing, stakes, etc. No items may be left outside the plot or abandoned in the common areas of the garden. Remove all trash and debris from common areas.

A volunteer must be assigned to regularly remove trash from plots and common areas over the winter until the following planting season.

Common Areas

Common areas must be left in an orderly state by the teams assigned to particular tasks, such as the compost piles, tool maintenance, berm maintenance, wood chip pile, hose management, etc.

Bayside Community Garden Policy Updates 2020

On By Bayside Neighborhood AssociationIn Garden, Uncategorized

The Bayside Community Garden (BCG) is a project of the Bayside Neighborhood Association (BNA), a 501(c)(3) non profit advocating for the Bayside neighborhood, which is bounded by Marginal Way, Forest Ave, Congress Street, and Franklin Street. The BCG is located at 78 Chestnut Street on a privately owned parcel that has been temporarily made available for the BNA’s use as a community garden.

The following policies have been put in place for the 2020 gardening season. Gardeners must establish the required roles and plans outlined below to be submitted to the BNA board by April 30, 2020.

POLICIES

Leadership:

Bayside Community Gardeners will establish amongst themselves a management structure that must provide three roles (any of which may be held by the same person):

•An operations manager
•An accountant
•A liaison to the BNA Board

The policies in each area are as follows:

Operations:

One goal of the BCG has been to create a community green space in the midst of a distressed urban neighborhood. This requires that the BCG present an orderly, attractive appearance to gardeners, neighbors, and passersby. To this end the following policies have been developed:

1) The operations manager will oversee the condition of individual plots, according to the following schedule:

June 1 – Plots must be cleared and initial planting completed.
June 15 – Planting for first crops must be complete.
July 1 – A plot must show that it has been consistently maintained.

•If a plot appears abandoned by July 1, the fee will be forfeited and the plot will be offered to the next person on the waitlist at a reduced fee of $20. If there are no takers or the new gardener does not begin planting by July 14 the plot will be cleared and used by the BNA to grow short-season crops for The Locker Project.

•All plots must be consistently maintained for the remainder of the season and closed down appropriately for the off-season.

2) In consultation with the BNA Board a plan must be established detailing where, if anywhere, growth outside of garden plots will be allowed, and what that growth may include for plant material.

•Any such areas must be limited, well maintained, clearly demarcated, and agreed to by the Board.

3) A maintenance schedule for all areas outside the garden plots must be developed, shared with the BNA Board, and adhered to.

•If necessary the BNA board will, at its discretion, correct any overgrowth or plantings outside of approved areas without consultation.

4) The operations manager will ensure that all gardeners understand and agree to these policies.

5) The original mission of creating this garden included increased food security for lower income Bayside residents, especially new Americans. As such:

•Bayside residents will be given first refusal of newly available plots each season, and be put at the top of the waiting list.

Finances

1) The garden accountant will track the balance of plot fees and expenditures:

•Prior to the end of each calendar month, submit to the BNA Treasurer one itemized request for any reimbursements
•Submit a receipt for each garden expenditure
•Distribute reimbursements to individual gardeners. After review and approval by the board (first Tuesday of each month), a reimbursement check will be cut payable to the garden accountant, who will then be responsible for distributing funds to those who paid for expenditures.
•Attend BNA Board meetings as requested

2) The budget for garden expenditures will be the total of the garden fees collected for the 2020 season.

•Assuming all plots are claimed at full fee the 2020 budget is 28 plots x $30 = $840 •Plot fees are non-refundable •The board recommends a sliding-scale model for collecting fees based on need, potentially to be covered by more affluent gardeners. •Any fees collected from gardeners taking over forfeited plots or decreased by sliding scale adjustments will change the total budget. •It is up to garden management to decide how to best utilize available funds within the parameters of these policies.

3) Insurance for the 2020 garden year will be covered by an existing grant to the Avesta garden, a separate garden/greenspace activity of the BNA.

Board Liaison

The Board liaison will communicate with the BNA Board of directors in matters regarding the garden. The liaison will:

•Maintain and share with the Board an updated contact list including plot number, physical address, email and phone numbers of all gardeners.
•Submit to the Board a written monthly report on operations which will include the maintenance schedule, activities and issues in the garden
•Attend board meetings or communicate in other ways as requested.

The goal of these policies is to ensure that the garden enhances the Bayside neighborhood and provides a well-managed and inviting greenspace for all who utilize it. Please feel free to contact me at bnaportland@gmail.com with any questions.

Sarah Michniewicz
President, Bayside Neighborhood Association