Location: The Speech School
Recording Secretary: Shannan Hill
Hostesses
Caroline Davis
- Duvall Fuqua
- Mims Hill
- Sarah Kennedy
WELCOME AND CALL TO ORDER
Kendrick Williams welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order at 10:40am. Kendrick thanked the Speech School for hosting the meeting and she thanked our hostesses, Caroline Davis, Mims Hill, Duvall Fuqua and Sarah Kennedy. She welcomed and thanked The Speech School’s Executive Director, Comer Yates. Comer welcomed the garden club and thanked our group for its support. He shared a wonderful update on The Speech School.
Before beginning the business meeting, Kendrick shared some sad news about Catherine Fleetwood’s father – Billy Sterne – who passed away. She shared funeral services would be Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, at 10:00am at Christ the King.
READING AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Kendrick requested the approval of both the October and November meetings. Beverly Briggs made a motion to approve the October minutes, seconded by Duvall Fuqua. The October minutes were approved. Nell Mitchell approved the minutes from the November meeting, seconded by Mary Huntz. November minutes were approved.
Kendrick began the business meeting by reading the Mimosa Garden Club Purpose as stated in the Bylaws. She stated that it is a great reminder of why we are all here, and I hope its helpful to our new members:
“The purpose of this Club shall be to promote among its members a love for and an intelligent interest in the cultivation of flowers, of gardens and of landscapes, the beautification of local streets and highways, the encouragement of love of nature, and the conservation of plants and trees throughout the State of Georgia. The Special Projects supported by this Club are the development and care of the garden at the Atlanta Speech School and the development and care of the Mary Howard Gilbert Memorial Quarry Garden at the Atlanta History Center.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND MEMBER UPDATES
N/A
OFFICER REPORTS
Vice President: Louise Moore
Louise shared the hostess chart and asked each person to check to make sure it’s correct.
2nd VP Speech School: Alden Potts
Alden thanked Caroline Davis for her gift and for her generous donation to the Speech School in Honor of The Allen Family, and thanked Bettye Maddox for her generous
donation to the Speech School as well. The Speech School is going to purchase an additional 3 planters for the Mimosa Garden to match the existing ones.
There are 4 already in the garden. Alden will be in touch about a Spring workday so we can plant these. Haven mentioned that going forward it would be nice if Mimosa could keep these up to date with lovely annuals all year long. It would be great to have three work days a year! Also, she shared some pictures of the students enjoying the Mimosa Garden during the snow day!
3rd VP quarry garden: Brittany Hill
Report from Jenna at the Quarry Garden:
Winter is a great time to identify invasive evergreen plants in the garden, and we have been working with our volunteers to pull English ivy from the beds along the walls of the quarry.
We plan to tackle more invasives growing on the slopes themselves in the coming weeks, before the annual weeds return with warmer weather.
The slate chip paths have been a huge improvement to the space!
Previously we used wood chips, but the slate gives more definition to the beds and provides a durable even walking surface. We will be topping up the slate material along the steepest portions of them paths this winter. Wildlife habitat is a critical part of the environment cultivated in this garden, and we are leaving many of the perennials up with their beautiful shades of brown and tan, and intricate seed head structures. Leaving the old plant material standing until spring will provide cover for birds and mammals as well as homes for beneficial insects that require hollow stems to nest in. When spring comes, we will be busy with cutbacks to make way for the new green to emerge. This is an absolutely beautiful time in the quarry with all of the spring ephemerals returning to life in a dusting of color across the garden. It will be a great time to come and see the wild orchids (Cypripedium acaule) that we rescued as a conservation effort in the fall, and that you all helped to plant.
Treasurer: Margaret Warren
Margaret could not be present, but Kendrick provided the balances of our accounts as follows:
- Operating: $12, 080
- Savings: $7,880
- Party: $7,298
- Total: $27, 258
Kendrick reminded everyone that we make two contributions annually. They are:
$2,000 to the Atlanta Speech School
$3,000 to The Atlanta History Center, specifically the Quarry Garden
On a party year, we will make additional contributions to these organizations (40% of the proceeds going to the
Atlanta Speech School and 60% going to the Atlanta History Center.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Membership & Dues:
Thank you to everyone for paying their annual membership dues.Liles and Amanda have reached out personally to the members who have still not paid.
New Member Liason: N/A
Correspondence & Website: N/A
State Garden Club Liaison: N/A
Parliamentarian: We are proposing to amend our bylaws to allow for the submission of five new member candidates to be voted upon by Mimosa members this spring, rather than the typical three candidates. The bylaws currently state that there is a cap of three new members per year if places are available per the club’s quota. The quota equals 70 members, and we currently have 58. The affirmative vote of no less than ¾ of the members present is required to amend the bylaws, with notice of such proposed amendment to be given at least 2 months prior to the meeting at which the vote is considered. Consequently, we are providing notice at this January meeting in order to vote at the March meeting to expand the new membership threshold for 2025 from three to five. This amendment will be valid solely for 2025 and will not permanently expand the candidate threshold. We believe that this is necessary and in the best interests of the club in order to have sufficient membership to support and host monthly Mimosa meetings. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any Board member with any questions or concerns.
Historian: N/A
New Member Liason: N/A.
Correspondence & Website: N/A.
Unfinished or New Business
Mary Mac Southerland provided an amyrillis report. She requested people send photos.
Victoria Holiday at Oakland. Kendrick reported how much fun it was decorating the mausoleum. She thanked all those who helped and named those who attended (Beverly Briggs, Shelby Drinkard, Jinny Keough, Aimee Nix, Parker Tekin, and Brittany Hill). Passed around before and after photos.
Cathedral Giving by Design this past weekend. We provided two flower arrangements. Abby Echols did it all by herself! The beneficiary is Wellspring Living.
Kendrick shared some difficulties we had finding hosts for our meetings this year. We ended up with 31 hosts this year, but we had to bring in three members who were not due till next year to make the numbers work. In this specific rotation there were several Honorary members, 3 Non resident members, and we had three resignations last year. Honorary members and Non-Resident members are not required to host.
She stated that ideally we would have 32 hostesses in a rotation to make 4 per
Meeting. This May we only have three members hosting which can get expensive when there are only three hosts.
Our Club quota is 70 members, and currently, we only have 58.
Our Club Quota consists of Members-Elect, Active, Associate and Prof members. Sustaining, Honorary and Non-Resident members are not included in the club’s quota.
Currently Mimosa has only 58 members who count towards quota and there are 110
members total. She provided the breakdown.
- Member Elect 8
- ACTIVE 30
- ASSOCIATE 12
- PROFESSIONAL 8
- Non-Resident 9
- Honorary 17
- SUSTAINING 24
Based on these numbers Kendrick proposed changing the amount of new members for this year from 3 to 5. Per Sarah McElroy, our Parliamentarian, we have to vote to approve the change now and then vote again in March to make it official. Kendrick called for a motion to approve. Jinny Keough requested a motion and Nell Mitchell offered the second. Motion was approved.
Louise asked what a sustaining member. Susan Virgin asked if we did this last year – Kendrick said we did it 2 years ago. Kendrick recommends we do this now but take it year to year.
Beverly Briggs suggested that maybe we don’t have new members wait 2 years to host.
Nell suggested that if we want to get to 70 members, we need to put together a long term plan.
Alden suggested we make May a workday instead of meeting.
We decided to make a motion that New Members only need to wait to host for ONE year instead of TWO. We voted on that and will vote again in March to make it official.
Kendrick shared that new member proposal forms are on the website and are due on March 24th before the March meeting. She suggested that we make sure new members are aware of the requirements. She reviewed the bylaws.
Kendrick shared that it’s time to assemble the nominating slate for the 2025-2026 Board of Directors. We need one (1) Active and one (1) Associate member to be part of the Nominating Committee. The whole nominating committee will consist of the Past President, Parker Tekin, Vice President, Louise Moore, current President, as well as the Active and Associate member. Does anyone want to nominate an active member?
Nell Mitchell nominated the Active member Jennifer Raulet. Jennifer was approved with a second from Mary Mac Sutherland. Kendrick asked if anyone wanted to nominate an associate member. Brittany Hill nominated the Associate member Shelby Drinkard. Shelby was approved with a second from Parker Tekin.
Kendrick congratulated the new nominating committee for our 2025-2026 Slate and said we will be in touch about a meeting date later in the spring.
Kendrick closed with an exciting announcement about our March meeting. Kendrick reported that a new meeting will include a joint meeting with the Peachtree Garden Club and Cherokee Garden Club to have a meet/mingle for our Tuesday, March 25 at 4pm (instead of 10:30am) meeting which will include speaker, Lady Henrietta Spencer Churchill. Mimosa will meet prior to the get together with the other clubs to have our usual March meeting.
Kendrick thanked the March hostesses for being so easy to work with to make this fun March event happen. (Deborah Childers, Beth Nix, Lindsey Sones, and Hallie Crawford)
Mims shared more about Lady Henrietta and her new book. She will offer a 1-hour presentation plus Q&A at the event.
Sally Allen stated how exciting it was to have all clubs together for our first ever get together!
Adjournment
Kendrick shared that the next meeting will be February 25th at Spalding Nix. We have a very interesting speaker who designs jewelry out of flowers and different botanicals! Kendrick thanked our hostesses once again.
Meeting adjourned at 11:17am.