Robert's Rules of Order

I'm rather amused that a local condo association has asked me to intervene in their condo association meetings, to help restore order. Their meetings are being wrecked by bullies who show up and dominate the discussion, harangue other participants, and browbeat the board to the point half their officers are ready to resign.

I've pointed out to them that the best resort for bad meetings is Robert's Rules of Order. There are so many ways this guide can be used to run a productive meeting, but it's invaluable when it comes to "bad" meetings.

Some basic rules that prove useful:

1. There is no discussion without a motion. If you want to talk, you must "move" an action. The motion must be seconded, or it dies. Sit down and be quiet.

2. If the motion receives a second, the "mover" speaks first. This person does not speak again until all other members have had a chance to have their say.

3. Any one participating in the meeting can "move" the motion. That requires a vote, no discussion. If the motion is voted down, it is finished for that meeting. It can be brought up in future meetings, but not in that meeting (technically, it can be re-introduced by someone who voted against it originally, but has reconsidered his/her vote).

Listen to everyone. Let no one dominate.

And minutes do not need to be approved. You cannot reject the minutes. SO all you Hyde Parker meeting holders who request a motion to approve the minutes, STOP IT!

Whew, at last

The Garden Fair season FINALLY ended. After the Fair this year, we of course had the wonderful Gala Celebration at Rodfei Zedek. Over 100 people showed up to help celebrate, and it was a lot of fun (and work).

And Bam Postell and I just met on Monday of this week to place our order for Specialty Bulbs for the Fall Fair on September 12. Don't forget to put it on your calendars--and come prepared for some fine plants. We ordered 3 kinds of irises (including one that's almost black), 3 kinds of grape hyacinth, and even GARLIC!!!!

In the meantime, HPKCC is working to encourage the 5th ward (Alderman Hairston) to hold another community meeting about re-opening 57th Street and Stony Island. We feel it's time to resolve the issue one way or another, and perhaps take another step in breaking down the walls that keep people out of Hyde Park.

Remember Tiananmen

"Chinese people, don't give up on freedom, ever."

I can't say anything more important. That's why tonight's meeting of the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference was so valuable. Twenty-four people, sitting there, exercising their freedom for 2.5 hours.

It's that time....

Sorry I've been so slow to post. It's that time of year. My favorite event of the springtime, the Hyde Park Garden Fair, is coming up May 15-16. I've been spending much of my "free" (ha) time working on the Garden Fair.

This year we're turning 50, so there's a big gala planned for May 31.

And of course there are the plants to be ordered. I spent today at the incredibly beautiful Fields of Flowers (Joanne Zandstra in Ford Heights, IL), where we picked up 202 perennials. Yesterday was Planter's Palette (Winfield, IL), where we viewed acres of perennials, which we will order from on Sunday morning. Tuesday was Gardener's (near Lowell, IN), where we spent some very sweaty hours pulling from the poly houses -- it must have been 120 degrees inside those tents. But we pulled another 230 plants. Added to the 102 we bought at Anton's in Evanston, we should be at 700 to 800 total plants (just in my department).

This year we're featuring "golden" plants for our golden anniversary. In the Perennials group, we're spotlighting Rudbeckia goldsturm and Bowles Golden grass.

Just us on setup day, Thursday, May 14, anytime after 6:30 am, in the Hyde Park Shopping Center courtyard. The first delivery is scheduled at 6:45 am. We'll have the doughnuts ready.

Then come back on Friday (9-6) or Saturday (9-4) to do your shopping. Remember,
early = best
in a plant sale.

Griping about the Weather

Nothing like a little break from the tedium of work and meetings. I'm sitting at O'Hare (hurray for wireless laptops and Boingo hotspots), on my way to Georgia for a family get-together. I told my sister that if it isn't warm and green, I'm getting back on the plane. I've had it with Chicago's winter this year.

Everyone I know feels it's been a hard winter. Even my hellebores, wonderfully blooming right now, look a bit chilled. My crocuses lasted about 5 minutes, my winter aconite came and went overnight, and little iris reticulatas put in a very brief appearance, and even the tulips are very slow to come out of the ground (smart).

This picture is from last year, April 22. The same plant this year is about 1 inch high out of the ground, without a hint of bloom. It's a colddddd spring.

Too Much, Too Many Things to Do

I've been slack with my postings. Meetings in Hyde Park seem to never cease.

Perhaps the most interesting recently has been a joint endeavor by the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, the Blue Gargoyle, the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference, and several other neighborhood nonprofits to form a coherent group to watch out for our mutual interests. We plan to hold a community meeting sometime this spring (perhaps May) to discuss how to preserve our key groups, and help them strenghten their programs and grow. It's a hard time to be a nonprofit.

It's a hard time to be a for-profit, for that matter. My work (computer training) is very slow, after two very busy years. It's always a little scary. So, how do I handle my worries? I'm going on spring break. A couple of days in Madison, Wisconsin, to watch the taping of MIchael Feldman's "Whadd'ya Know?" show. It's a fun way to spend a Saturday morning, the tickets are cheap, and there might even be some action at the Madison famed Farmers' Market, which I keep hearing is the no-comparison best in the world.

Then it's back to meetings. Garden Fair captain's meeting on March 30, 7:00 (don't forget, you GF members). But first a publicity meeting in my office at 5:30. Then HPKCC board meeting on Thursday, April 2. And a CECD meeting on April 20. And somewhere in there a meeting of the new save-our-nonprofits! Mark your calendar!

Is It Really March?

Springtime? Please?
Spring brings the Garden Fair.
I can't wait.
In the meantime, don't forget the HPKCC March board meeting on Thursday of this week. We'll talk about Antheus and the Del Prado, school news, our February community forum, the Olympics, and more.