VENUE:  Atlanta Beltline Partnership Office

HOSTESSES:  Margie Hutchison, Guerry Redmond, Mildred Spalding, Susan Virgin

WELCOME/CALL TO ORDER:  Lindsey Sones
Lindsey called the meeting to order and thanked the hostesses.  She mentioned that Mandy Culpepper designed the Atlanta Beltline Partnership office, and Sarah Kennedy is a benefactor.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/MEMBER UPDATES:  Lindsey Sones
Lindsey was happy to announce that we have two new members: Amy Sibley Underwood and Brittany Elizabeth Stancel Hill.  She looks forward to meeting them in May and is sure we as a club look forward to warmly welcoming them.

Lindsey noted that Katie Bockstedt reminded her of the opportunity for garden club members to shop at Cut Flower (a wholesale flower shop in midtown).  Lindsey registered Mimosa Garden Club for purchasing at Cut Flower wholesale at 2122 Faulkner Rd NE.  If you identify yourself as a Mimosa Garden Club member, they will give you wholesale prices. You will pay tax.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Vice President/Hostess chart: Karen Brown no announcement

Membership & Dues: Leslie Morgan no announcement

Treasurer: Jo Phelps no announcement

Speech School: Maggie Fischer, no announcement

Quarry Garden:  no announcement

Garden Club of Georgia: Mary Huntz, no announcement

NEW BUSINESS:
Lindsey noted that Jennifer Hill and Mary Ella Hill are in the process of setting the programs for next year. If there are any suggestions for next year’s programs, please contact either Jennifer or Mary Ella.

We received a lovely note form Ruti Turner at Oakland Cemetery, thanking us for hosting our meeting there and for the donations to their green elephant sale which was part of their annual plant sale. The proceeds go directly to support the horticulture at Oakland. Ruti also generously offered to help locate any relative of members who may be “resting” at Oakland.

Lindsey was happy to announce the Board for 2019-2020 has been selected as stated below:

President: Karen Brown
Vice President: Terri Alston
2nd VP (Quarry Garden) Blain Allen, Shelby Drinkard
3rd VP (Speech School) Caroline Davis, Aimee Nix
Recording Secretaries:  Kyle Garges, Elkin Taylor, Liles Thompson
Corresponding Secretary: Nell Mitchell
Treasurer: Jo Phelps
Membership/Dues:  Jessica Brown, Rae Knox
Programs:  Jennifer Hill, Mary Ella Hill
New Member Mentor and Flower Show:  Mary Ayers Griggs
Website: Margaret Glenn
Historian/Scrapbook: Jinny Keough, Lindsey Sones
Parliamentarian: Sissy Davis
State Garden Club Liason: Mary Huntz
Party Chairs: Parker Tekin, Louise Moore

PROGRAM:
Jinny Keough introduced Rod Brawner and John Becker.

Rob Brawner is the executive director for the Atlanta Beltline Partnership. His responsibilities include development and implementation of the Partnership’s strategic plan, as well as capital and operational fundraising.

Rob graduated with honors from Princeton University in 1996 with a degree in Economics and received his MBA from Emory’s Goizueta Business School.

Rob introduced the group to the history and mission of the Atlanta Beltline project. He pointed out that it is a loop of old railroad tracks that connects 45 neighborhoods in Atlanta’s Fulton county.  He mentioned that the office is located in the Stoveworks building; where potbellied stoves used to be manufactured.

He suggested that interested members take the bus tour of the Beltline and corresponding neighborhoods. It is a 3-hour tour that is very informative and entertaining. If the club is interested, we can arrange a private tour.

He was excited to announce the Southside trail will be opening this summer. It will connect the West and East side trails. It will not be paved yet; but should be navigable by bicycle and foot. They still need funding to get it paved; as well as the trails that extend to the north in the Buckhead area. He directed us to look at beltline.org/support for more information.

John Becker is the Partnership’s Engagement Coordinator. He assists the Program Manager with management of the bus, bike, and walking tour programs; as well as volunteer and event management, and marketing and communications.

John led the club on a walking tour of the beltline from the Beltline Partnership Office, south to Dekalb Avenue and Krog Street tunnel.

ADJOURN & RAFFLE
Raffle Drawing: Sarah McElroy won a book as the raffle prize

Respectfully Submitted,

Katie Bockstedt