Update from March 25 city council meeting

Monroe Director of Community Affairs Johnny Reily approached the MCG contingent before this evening's City Council meeting and steered them away from speaking. His suggestion made sense. Before we approach the council, we should meet with him to discuss the issue. A meeting has been set up for 10 a.m. Monday at Reily's office.

At issue, at this point, is one of liability. There is concern that this project will put the city at risk for a suit if someone should get hurt whilst gardening. (The fact that the city is at risk from an empty, junky lot, or that the costs of keeping the lot from being a junk yard might be more than the cost for extra insurance didn't come up ... and probably won't if other avenues can be arranged.)

The fact that Reily sought the group out is encouraging in one regard. The administration is aware of our efforts, but we are also getting a taste of the bureaucracy. So far, we have been in contact with the beautification director, the city attorney, the mayor and the director of community affairs. We are working our way through the maze.

Mike Roberts has this report from this evening's events:

Hi Bob,

I have a meeting scheduled Monday morning at 10 am at the dept. of parks and recreation to discuss our community garden project and see what our options are.

I will also go and talk to the group at Black Bayou on Sat. to see if they can help if we need a nonprofit group to get involved.

According to the city attorney, our options are:

1.) create a nonprofit group ourselves.
2.) use someone else's nonprofit number as a subgroup.
3.) have the city incorporate the land into the city park system for liability purposes.

Any contact names and numbers for other groups to get involved, please give me names and numbers.

This is still not a dead issue. Even if we wait to start in the fall and do all the legwork now. We may even be able to have a couple of sample lots at each location to show what it could look like.

Volunteer,
Mike Roberts