Williamson County Master Gardener Association Standing Rules

Williamson County Master Gardener AssociationStanding Rules

In Support of Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension Service

Article I: NAMEThe name of this organization shall be the Williamson County Master GardenerAssociation (WCMGA) hereinafter referred to as the “Association”. Its mailingaddress is 3151 SE Inner Loop, Suite A, Georgetown, TX 786266343.

Article II: OBJECTIVESThe objectives of the Association are set out in Article II of the Bylaws. Nothing inthese Rules shall be construed to contradict those primary objectives, althoughadditional objectives may from time to time be listed in the Standing Rules.

Article III: MEMBERSHIPSection I: The basic requirements for membership are set out in Article IISection 1 of the Bylaws.

Section 2: Membership eligibility is based on having attained andmaintained certification.

Certified Master Gardeners wanting to transfer into WCMGA must:1) Provide documentation from their Master Gardener Coordinator showingproof of current certification2) They do not have to pay for the class but must purchase a Texas MGhandbook if they do not have one. If they are transferring in from anotherstate, they are required to attend the next training class.

Previously certified WCMGs, who are not currently certified and wish torecertify, must complete the volunteer hours and advanced education hoursrequired for recertification.

Section 3: Maintaining Active Membership.A. Each member must pay dues to retain Active Membership. Eachyear, dues notices are sent to the membership via email. The businessyear of the Association extends from January 1 through December 31.Annual dues, set by the Board of Directors, are $25.00 ($2.00assigned to the state association). Volunteer Background Checks andrenewals must be current to remain a Master Gardener.B. Each Active Member must additionally meet annual requirementsas follows:1. Complete a minimum of 12 hours annually of horticulturerelatedcontinuing education and/or research (one hour may be earned for

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each monthly meeting attended in which an educational topic isoffered; remaining hours may be earned by completing educationalsessions related to horticulture).2. Complete 40 hours of volunteer work on approved WCMGA projectsannually. The Williamson County Master Gardener Coordinator mustapprove projects. (See texas.volunteersystem.org website for a list ofapproved volunteer projects.)3. Active Members may count travel time for volunteer hours but not foreducation hours. For each volunteer event, travel time may not exceedvolunteer time.4. If extenuating circumstances prevent meeting these requirements anindividual may request a leave of absence as defined in Article III,Section 5 of the Bylaws.5. Educational hours, volunteer hours and contacts will be reportedmonthly via the texas.volunteersystem.org system. (See Appendix forinstructions on reporting.)C. Each member must maintain the integrity of the organization toretain Active Membership.1. Members are volunteers who represent the nonprofit WilliamsonCounty Master Gardener Association and the Texas A&M AgriLIFEExtension Service in working on community projects.2. Graduates of the Texas Master Gardener Program shall not displaycredentials or give appearance of being a Texas Master Gardener at aplace of business unless the local Extension Office designates thatlocation as a Master Gardener educational activity location. TexasMaster Gardeners must not use the title, Texas Master Gardener, inany form of advertisement and the title is to be used only when doingunpaid volunteer work in this program.3. As provided in Article III, Section 6 of the Bylaws, membership maybe terminated if a member engages in any conduct or activity thatmaterially interferes with or conflicts with the purpose of thisassociation, including but not limited to substantial and materialviolation of the Bylaws and Standing Rules, or the Texas MasterGardener Management Guide.

Section 4: Recognition Awards for Outstanding Service.A. Texas Master Gardener Emeritus Status. “Texas Master GardenerEmeritus” is an honorary title awarded to a Master Gardener volunteerfor distinguished service who is permanently retiring as an activeMaster Gardener and who has served with distinction. A Texas MasterGardener may be nominated for Emeritus status while still an activevolunteer, but the status shall not be conferred until the individual



ceases service as a Master Gardener. Upon receipt of a succinctrecommendation about the nominee’s meritorious service and inputfrom Master Gardeners, the Master Gardener Coordinator shall makethe final decision and notify the nominated Master Gardener in writingof the final decision. Emeritus Master Gardeners shall have rights andprivileges afforded to an Active Master Gardener, but attain freedomfrom recertification requirements.B. The Awards Committee shall determine the volunteers who havevolunteered more than 100 hours of service to the association andpresent an award to those volunteers. This award may include shirts,pins, patches, or other suitable awards as determined throughmeetings with the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. TheAwards Committee may additionally present awards to volunteers whohave given greater numbers of hours, such as 500 or 1000, whether inone year or cumulatively.

Article IV:MEETINGSRegular and special meetings shall be called in accordance with Article IV ofthe Bylaws and with any additional procedures that may be included in theseRules in the future.

Article V: FISCAL YEARThe fiscal year of this association shall run from January 1 through December31.

Article VI: OFFICERSSection 1: The nominating committee, appointed in June of each year, shallpresent to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors an officer’snominee slate by September 1, via email. The Nominating Committeechairperson or designee shall then inform the membership by email and thenewsletter and present the slate at the General Membership meeting inSeptember. Additional nominations from the floor shall be accepted at theOctober meeting. If there are no additional nominations at the Octobermeeting, then the slate shall be approved by acclamation at the Octobermeeting. If any positions on the slate are contested then the officers runningfor those positions shall be elected at the November meeting by written secretballot by a simple majority of the Active Members in attendance. In the eventof a tie, a runoff election shall be held immediately, by additional writtensecret ballots, until a candidate has been elected.

Article VII: Board of DirectorsThe membership and duties of the Board of Directors is set out in Article VII of



the Bylaws, although additional responsibilities may be set out by futureamendment to the Standing Rules.

Article VIII: DUTIES OF OFFICERSSection 1: The President shall:

A. Approve bills. The Executive Committee prior to the Treasurer writing thecheck must approve all items not in the budget.B.Appoint the auditor or audit committee to audit the financial records within30 days of the new calendar year.C. Conduct activities, meetings, etc. as appropriate.D. Attend state and international Master Gardener conferences as feasibleand inform the members of activities and actions in state and internationallevels.E. Serve as a resource person providing organizations and the publicwith horticultural information.F.Oversee an annual review of the requirements for Active Membership.G. Oversee an annual review of awards to outstanding volunteers andcoordinate with the Master Gardener Coordinator on Master GardenerEmeritus Awards and Outstanding Volunteer Awards.H. Work with the Master Gardener Coordinator and the Treasurer to collectinformation and monitor submission of confidential Volunteer BackgroundCheck forms and renewals each year.

Section 2: The Vice President shall:A. Take charge of meetings in the absence of the President.B. Attend committee meetings at the President’s request.C. Chair the Bylaws Committee and review Bylaws annually.D. Maintain the Williamson County Master Gardeners Standing RulesHandbook and review Standing Rules annually.

Section 3: The Secretary shall:A. Keep past minutes in printed and electronic form, and maintain an archiveat the Extension Office.B. Distribute the Executive Committee and Board of Directors' minutes atleast one week prior to the following meeting with prior month committeereports and documents.C. Communicate the approved minutes to the Communications Committee forpublication on the website.

Section 4: The Treasurer shall:A.Receive monies for the Association.B.Keep an exact account of all dues, other income, bank deposits,



disbursements and other financial matters.C. Pay all budgeted bills upon receipt of an appropriate voucher submitted bythe appropriate officer or committee chairperson. Nonbudgeted bills must bebrought to the Executive Committee for approval.D. Present the financial records for audit annually within 30 days of the newcalendar year.E. Submit Profit/Loss, Balance Sheet and YeartoDate Budget Reports toBoard of Directors prior to the monthly Board meeting.F.By November 15, develop a balanced annual budget for the comingcalendar year, based on requests of all relevant officers and committeechairs, by October 1, which must be approved by the Executive Committee bythe beginning of the fiscal year on January 1. However, this budget may beamended by the Executive Committee that takes office on January 1 at therecommendation of the incoming Treasurer.G. File all necessary tax forms.H. Invest excess funds in a savings account or a short term CD if directed byExecutive Committee.I. Work with the President and Master Gardener Coordinator to submitconfidential Volunteer Background Check forms and renewals with paymenteach year.

Section 5: Two delegates and two alternates shall be appointed by the ExecutiveCommittee and Board of Directors to represent WCMGA at the Texas MasterGardener Association Board meetings. The two State Delegates shall represent theAssociation at the Texas Master Gardener Board meetings as announced by TMGA.

Article IX: COMMITTEESSection 1: The Standing Committees and duties of each are described below.Standing Committee chairs are appointed by the President each year and approvedby the Executive Committee in accordance with Article IX of the Bylaws. StandingCommittee chairpersons may serve another term if reappointed, but are notnecessarily reappointed. As Standing Committees are formed or dissolved by thePresident with approval of the Board, this section shall be amended to comply. Alland any Committee chairs shall instruct and educate their committee members onuse of reimbursement forms and tax exemption policy and the proper procedure forshopping and reimbursement of expenses. (Please see Appendix for attachedpolicy.)

1. Programs Committeea. The chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carry out theresponsibilities of the committee.b. The Programs committee shall arrange programs for the monthly meeting,



continuing education opportunities and field trips. This includes reserving aphysical location for meetings, set up and clean up, and all logistics.Refreshments may be included, if desired.c. By November 1,the committee shall submit budget requests for thefollowing year to the Treasurer.d. The chairperson shall submit a report the the Board each month.e. Report contacts from monthly meetings and special program eventsthrough texas.volunteersystem.org.f. Enter meeting dates and topics into texas.volunteer.org system andWCMGA website calendar, or provide information to the designatedCommunications Committee member(s).g. Provide information about upcoming additional programs to the designatedCommunications Committee member(s) to update on the WCMGA website.h. Collect sign in sheets at events for members of the public, with an optincheckbox for inclusion on Extension email lists for upcoming Extensionprograms, and provide to the Master Gardener Coordinator for a central list.

2. Communications Committeea. The chairperson shall recruit chairpersons for communications designatedcommittees that make up the Communications Committee.b. The committee shall oversee communication of Association information toits members and the community.c. The chairperson shall submit a report to the Board each monthencompassing all communication oriented committees. The chairpersonshall represent the following committees on the Board:

(1.) Publicity(2.) Help Desk(3.) Speaker’s Bureau(4.) Online Presence (website, Facebook, blog)

(5.) Newsletter

1. Publicitya. The chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carry outthe responsibilities of the Publicity Committee.b. The committee shall advertise monthly programs and othereducational programs in appropriate newspapers, magazinesand calendars and coordinate with the Master GardenerCoordinator so the information can be included in Extensionnews releases.c. The committee shall handle advertising for all associationevents, including but not limited to distribution of posters,ordering and staking banners, and any special advertising



requiring advanced lead time. Advertising can also be in theform of press releases, TXMGA website and calendar and anyother appropriate form of exposure.d. The committee shall inform other WCMGA chairpersons ofthe deadlines associated with the various radio, TV, and printpublications.e. The chairperson shall report monthly to the CommunicationsChairperson about any activity and expenditures.f. The Publicity committee shall assist the CommunicationsCommittee in developing by October 1, a Communicationsbudget request for the following year.

2. Help Deska. The chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carry outthe responsibilities of the Help Desk. The chairperson maydesignate point persons who distribute calls.b. Calls received through the extension office and/or the MasterGardener website shall be distributed to the appropriate MasterGardener on the Help Desk volunteer list until a physical helpdesk is created at the Extension Office. At that time, volunteerswill need to be trained to work at the help desk. (See appendixfor draft outline of physical Help Desk).c. Volunteers answering the calls shall do so in a timelymanner and send an email with the questions and answers tothe chairperson and the Master Gardener Coordinator uponcompletion of the call.d. The committee shall maintain records of the number ofqueries and report them to the Communications Chairpersoneach month.e. The chairperson shall coordinate with the CommunicationsChairperson to create a list of Frequently Asked Questions,which can be made available on the website.

3. Speakers’ Bureaua. The chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carryout the responsibilities of the Speakers Bureau.b. The committee shall act as a contact point to areaorganizations, schools, and businesses seeking speakers onhorticulture topics. The committee shall match WCMGAspeakers with speaking requests and may ask WCMGAmembers to develop a presentation on a specific topic.Requests received through the extension office are sent to thechairperson to coordinate.c. The committee shall maintain a roster of WCMGA speakers,



including the topics they are prepared to speak about.d. Presentations (Powerpoint slides and speaker’s notes) are tobe provided to the Master Gardener Coordinator prior to thepresentation, with sufficient time for a review of content beforethe presentation is given.e. Surveys are to be provided to attendees of the presentation,and collected to return to the a Speaker’s Bureau Committeemember, who will then pass all surveys along to the MasterGardener Coordinator after reviewing for information. (Seeappendix for sample survey. The latest version will beavailable from the Master Gardener Coordinator and on theWCMGA website).f. Any presentations given by Master Gardeners should bereported through texas.volunteersystem.org, to include thelocation of the presentation, the length of the talk, the topic andthe number of contacts at the presentation.g. The chairperson shall report this information monthly to theCommunications Chairperson and Master GardenerCoordinator and annually as requested by the extension office.h. The Speakers’ Bureau committee shall assist theCommunications Committee in developing by October 1, aCommunications budget request for the following year.i. Conduct a mandatory training program for all speakersincluding: proper use of logos, diversity statement anddisclaimer on all presentations.j. It is suggested for all speakers to have another mastergardener present to handle feedback forms, contact informationcounting/gathering, and to assist speaker in handlingdisruptions.

4. Online Presence (website, Facebook, blog)a. The chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carry outthe responsibilities of Online Presence.b. The chairperson or a member of the committee shallcoordinate with other committees represented on the website tomaintain accuracy of the presented information. E.g., specialevents and calendar of meeting topics.c. The committee shall assist the Communications Committeein developing by October 1, a Communications budget requestfor the following year.

5. Newslettera. The chairperson/editor shall recruit sufficient members tocarry out the responsibilities of the committee.



b. The committee shall solicit news items from WCMGAmembers and regularly prepare a newsletter for members to beposted on the Association website.c. The Newsletter committee shall assist the CommunicationsCommittee in developing by October 1 a Communicationsbudget request for the following year.e. By October 1, the Communications committee shall submitbudget requests for the following year from all of thecommunication oriented committees to the Treasurer.

3. Projects Committeea. The chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carry out theresponsibilities of the Projects committee.b. The chairperson shall assume admin support for projects ontexas.volunteersystem.org on all approved projects.c. The chairperson shall provide any updated forms relating to projects tothe designated Communications Committee member(s) for update on theWCMGA website when approved by the Master Gardener Coordinator.d. The committee shall review Project Initiation Forms and ShortTermProject (or event) Forms monthly and either request more information orsend the form to the Master Gardener Coordinator for approval.e. The committee shall review Project Continuation Forms annually todetermine if the project will continue or if it is completed.f. The committee shall report approved projects to the Board.g. The project leader is responsible for informing the membership of thevolunteer opportunities and placing the approved project on thetexas.volunteersystem.org calendar, and ensuring that contacts arereported through the texas.volunteersystem.org system.h. Project leaders shall submit required reports as requested by thecommittee depending on the type of project.i. The committee shall submit a report to the Board each month.j. The chairperson shall represent the following committees on the Board:

(1.) Awards Committeea. The chairperson of this committee shall be appointed by thePresident and approved by the Executive Committee.b. The chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carry out theresponsibilities of the committee. Refer to Article 3, Section 4(Recognition Awards for Outstanding Service), part B.c. The committee shall determine projects, and other awardcategories, which should be submitted for consideration of the StateMaster Gardener Association and coordinate these efforts with the



Projects Committee.d. The committee shall organize an annual event to recognizevolunteer achievements, including state awards.e. The committee shall make recommendations to the Board for theEmeritus Award.f. The committee shall submit a report to the Board each month.h. By October 1, the Awards committee shall submit budget requestsfor the following year to the Treasurer.

(2.) Master Gardener Intern Training Committeea. The chairperson of this committee shall be appointed by thePresident and approved by the Executive Committee.b. The chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carry out theresponsibilities of the committee, and coordinate with the MasterGardener Coordinator.c. The Executive Committee and Master Gardener Coordinator shallreview applications, and participate in the orientation process.Candidates are required to attend an information session before theycan receive an application. (See Appendix for the contract.) Paidapplications are numbered and received on a first come first servedbasis and Master Gardener students are required to sign a contract atthe first class session orientation. The Master Gardener Intern TrainingCommittee shall assist the Extension Office with relatedcorrespondence.d. Enter the new interns into the texas.volunteersystem.org hoursreporting and email notification system.e. Manage the details of running the class and coordinate withProjects Committee as needed.f. Oversee volunteer and educational hours through thetexas.volunteersystem.org system for Master Gardener Interns untilcertifiedg. In the case of extenuating circumstances, an Intern may apply for asix month extension to complete certification hours of 50 volunteer and15 educational hours. (See Appendix for the Guidelines and Requestfor Extension of Certification Time.)h. By October 1, the Master Gardener Intern Training committee shallsubmit budget requests for the following year to the Treasurer.i. The committee shall submit a report to the Board each month.

4. Junior Master Gardener Committeea. The JMG chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carry out the



responsibilities of the committee.b. The committee shall coordinate all Junior Master Gardener functions forthe Association, and coordinate with the Williamson County 4H ProgramAssistant.c. The committee shall assist in planning and coordination of JMGteacher/leader trainings.d. The committee shall Provide volunteer opportunities through individualJMG groups and inform the membership of volunteer opportunities.e. The committee shall apply for state awards as needed.f. The chairperson shall submit a report to the Board each month.g. By October 1, the JMG committee shall submit budget requests for thefollowing year to the Treasurer.

5. Landscape Committeea. The chairperson shall recruit chairpersons for landscape designatedcommittees that make up the Landscape Committee.b. The chairperson shall coordinate with the Master Gardener Coordinator toconsider demonstrations and trials needed for research by the MasterGardener Coordinator and county agents.c. The committee shall oversee the construction, design and maintenance ofthe demonstration gardens at the AgriLIFE Extension office.d. The chairperson shall submit a report to the Board each monthencompassing all of the committees listed below, and represent them on theBoard:

(1.) Vegetable Gardens(2.) Rose Garden(3.) Water Conservation(4.) Other garden or landscape committees thatdevelop.

Each of the Landscape designated committees is responsible forcoordinating their area’s contribution to association events.e. By October 1, the Landscape committee shall submit budget requests forthe following year from all of the individual landscape oriented committees tothe Treasurer. These requests should be submitted individually rather than asone request. In order to address expenses for common areas in and aroundeach of the Williamson County AgriLife Extension onsite gardens, asupplemental General Landscape Budget Request shall be created andsubmitted by October 1 to the Treasurer. This shall include items for, but notlimited to, the common pathways, building structures, and other items toenhance and improve, create, repair, and support the overall WCMGA gardenplans. The landscape committee chair is responsible for ensuring that anybudget items requiring funds from two or more landscape subcommittee



budgets or any one subcommittee budget and the general landscape budgetare coordinated. The Landscape Committee Chair shall then compile thesubcommittee budgets for submission to the Board.

f. The Landscape Committee will have the responsibility and authority forapproving any changes to the landscape plan, such as adding space outsidethe current boundaries of a demo garden, as well as adding structures,plants, demonstration areas, etc., that are not currently in the plan. TheWCMGA Board of Directors will be informed as to any changes, but ultimateapproval for changes to the landscape plan will lie with the County Judgeand appropriate Williamson County officials (this includes the MasterGardener Coordinator).

For gardens with a particular focus on utilizing permanent or perennial plants,the specific garden committee chair would bring the plant list for approval bythe Landscape Committee Chair or Cochairs.

1. Vegetable Gardensa. The chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carry outthe responsibilities of the committee.b. The committee shall develop, plant, and maintain alldesignated demonstration vegetable gardens.c. The committee shall plant a variety of gardening situationsthat are of educational value to County residents.d. The committee shall maintain records of plantings andresults and make these records available to Master Gardenersand County residents.e. The chairperson shall submit a report to the LandscapeCommittee chairperson each month.f. By October 1, the Vegetable Gardens committee, withguidance from the Landscape Committee, shall complete abudget request for the following year to be submitted by theLandscape Committee.

2. Rose Gardensa. The chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carry outthe responsibilities of the committee.b. The committee shall develop, plant, and maintain alldesignated demonstration rose gardens.c. The committee shall attempt to maintain at least onespecimen of every rose designated as EarthKind by TexasA&M University.



d. The chairperson shall submit a report to the LandscapeCommittee chairperson each month.e. By October 1, the Rose Gardens committee, with guidancefrom the Landscape Committee, shall complete a budgetrequest for the following year to be submitted by the LandscapeCommittee.

3. Water Conservationa. The chairperson shall recruit sufficient members to carry outthe Rainwater Harvesting and Irrigation Efficiencyresponsibilities of the committee.b. The committee shall further the understanding andimplementation of Rainwater Harvesting concepts throughinformation dissemination, presentations, workshops, anddemonstration sites.c. The committee shall design, develop and maintain alldesignated rainwater harvesting demonstration sites.d. The committee shall promote water effecient irrigationmethods through information dissemination, presentations,workshops, and home visits.e. The committee shall develop relationships with the waterconservation staff of Williamson County communities with theintent of supporting their efforts to reduce landscape waterusage.f. The chairperson shall submit a report to the LandscapeCommittee chairperson each month.g. By October 1, the Water Conservation committee, withguidance from the Landscape Committee, shall complete abudget request for the following year to be submitted by theLandscape Committee.

Section 2: Ad Hoc Committees1. In addition to the Executive Committee and the StandingCommittees described in Section 1, the Board of shall establish AdHoc Committees as needed to serve the objectives of WCMGA.Chairpersons of Ad Hoc Committees must be Active Members. Ad HocCommittee chairpersons will be nominated by the President andapproved by majority vote of the Board of Directors. The chairpersonsof Ad Hoc committees are not entitled by that fact to votingmembership on the Board of Directors.2. Ad Hoc Committees shall include, but not be limited to, thefollowing:



a. Nominating Committee1. The committee shall consist of at least a chairpersonand two members, none of whom are currently servingon the Executive Committee.2. The committee shall provide a slate of candidates foroffices to the Executive Committee and Board ofDirectors by email, by September 1, and at theSeptember general meeting.

b. Audit Committee1. The committee shall consist of a chairperson who isnot currently serving on the Executive Committee andtwo additional active members.2. The chairperson shall coordinate with the MasterGardener Coordinator to complete the report auditrequirements.3.The committee shall audit the financial records of theAssociation annually after the end of the fiscal year andreport the results to the Board of Directors and themembership for approval.4. The committee shall refer to the document, WCMGAProcedures and Practices for the Treasurer, forinstructions regarding the audit. (See WCMGA websitefor the document.)

c. Election CommitteeAppointed by the President, subject to approval by theBoard of Directors. Responsible for conducting theelection of officers by ballot of eligible members presentat the November membership meeting as well as Bylawsamendment votes. The committee shall be chaired by amember of the Board who does not hold elected officeand will include two individuals from the membership atlarge.

d. Ad hoc committees as needed to organize our special eventsnot covered under the Programs Committee.

1. The chairperson shall submit a report to the Boardeach month.2. By October 1, the committee shall submit budgetrequests for the following year to the Treasurer.



Standing Rules Revisions:December 2009November 2011July 2012November 2013



Appendix

Code of Ethics

Standards of Conduct

WCMGA Resolution

Five Year Plan (2008)

Five Year Plan (adopted August 2013)

Tax Exemption Reimbursement Policy

WCMGA Release for Photo, Film and Video

WCMGA Policy on Honorariums

Reporting Master Gardener HoursRevised 2012

2012 Master Gardener Intern Contract

Guidelines for Extension of Certification Time

Request for Extension of Certification Time (Form)

Speaker Survey

Physical Help Desk (draft)



Williamson County Master Gardener AssociationCode of Ethics

Each member, in striving to meet the goals and objectives of the Williamson County MasterGardener program pledges to:

1. Subscribe to the highest standards of integrity and conduct.

2. Promote and support the statewide and local Master Gardener program.

3. Respect the sponsors, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service and Texas A&M University,their role and expectations.

4. Disseminate appropriate information to promote understanding of, and appreciation forhorticultural practices.

5. Strive to increase knowledge and skills to advance as a Master Gardener volunteer.

6. Promote competence as a Master Gardener volunteer by supporting high standards ofeducation, service and performance.

7. Encourage the use of sound horticultural information in education and outreach and inmanagement decisions.

8. Support fair and uniform standards of service and treatment of those engaged in theMaster Gardener program.

9. Know and follow established program guidelines and policies.

10. Abide by the Williamson County Master Gardener bylaws.

11. Avoid use of the Master Gardener title, logos and trademarks for personal endeavorsand/or profit and political arenas.



Williamson County Master GardenerStandards of Conduct

Williamson County Master Gardener program volunteers shall at all times:

1. Uphold the Commitment made to the program and the required volunteer and advanced traininghours required by the program.

2. Uphold the dignity and integrity of the Master Gardener program. They shall endeavor to avoideven the suspicion of dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or unprofessional demeanor.

3. Conduct themselves appropriately to context and setting at all times.

4. Be considerate and respect other’s points of view.

5. Keep accurate records of volunteer service, training and research, and regularly update intexas.volunteersystem.org by the end of each month and coordinate with the Master GardenerCoordinator.

6. Avoid performing service when such service is judged to be contrary to the Code of Ethics ordetrimental to the wellbeing of the program and its sponsor.

7. Provide maximum possible effort in the best interest of each client and/or volunteer project.

8. Be mindful of their responsibility to society and the program.

9. Studiously avoid discrimination in any form, or the abuse of program authority, certification, ormembership for personal satisfaction. Avoid advocacy, lobbying or promoting political issues.

10. Cooperate fully with professionals and other Master Gardener volunteers in the best interest ofgood horticultural science.

11. Refrain from advertising in a selflaudatory manner, beyond statements intended to informprospective clients or members of qualifications, or in a manner detrimental to the Master Gardenerprogram and its volunteers.

12. Avoid all use of alcohol and controlled substances while performing service as a MasterGardener volunteer. Reporting for service while under the influence of alcohol or a controlledsubstance will result in termination from the volunteer program.

13. Accept responsibility for decisions made and actions taken based on these decisions.



Williamson County Master Gardener AssociationResolution

All Williamson County Master Gardener Association members/interns will henceforthcease to send derogatory, critical and demeaning email to other members/interns of theassociation. If any member sends such email to another member/intern, they will beconsidered to have committed conduct that materially interferes or conflicts with thepurpose of this association and will be subject to removal as a member of the associationas outlined in the Williamson County Master Gardener Association Bylaws.

Adopted: Williamson County Master Gardener Association – August 6, 2009



Williamson County Master Gardeners5 Year Plan

2008

The mission of the Master Gardener Program is to provide current, researchbasedhorticulture information and education to the public. These efforts expand the TexasAgriLife Extension Service's capacity to meet the increasing demand for horticulturaland environmental information. Through participation in educational activities andoutreach projects, our Williamson County Master Gardener volunteers increase theirown personal knowledge in horticulture and enrich their lives with new friendships andcommunity involvement.Our Five year plan to accomplish this goal is:

1. Recruit Master Gardener candidates and provide them with training and volunteeropportunities. The goal is to increase our annual membership to 150 by 2013.2. Develop professional speaker’s bureau to present programs to the local community primarilyusing PowerPoint presentation. These would be at garden clubs, fairs and would also providespeakers for special programs, monthly meetings and quarterly seminars to our own group.3. Build demonstration gardens both on the extension grounds and in local parks with thepurpose of educating the public in the use of native plants, wildflowers, Earthkind roses, vegetablesand various kinds of turf grasses. In all areas the principle of water conservation would bestressed. These gardens would be completed by 2010.4. Youth development – Support and encourage our Junior Master Program in the community bytraining the teachers, volunteers and other educators using developed JMG programs.5. Implement the WCMGA Help Desk to provide horticulture information to the local communityby 2009.6. Identify requirements for a Williamson County Extension Office greenhouse and plan forbuilding our own by 2010.



Williamson County Master Gardeners

5 Year Plan

The mission of the Master Gardener Program is to provide current, research‐based

horticulture information and education to the public. These efforts expand the Texas

A&M AgriLife Extension Service's capacity to meet the increasing demand for

horticultural and environmental information. Through participation in educational

activities and outreach projects, our Williamson County Master Gardener volunteers

increase their own personal knowledge in horticulture and enrich their lives with new

friendships and community involvement.

Long term goals to support our mission:

1. Grow relationships and develop partnerships with other horticultural communities such as Texas

Pecan Growers Association and the Texas Fruit Growers Association by 2014.

2. Implement the WCMGA Demonstration Garden Expansion Plan by 2015. This plan calls for

adding new elements to the existing garden that enhance the ability of WCMGA to better serve

the Williamson County gardening community and ties all of the elements of the garden

together to present a cohesive garden with clearly defined subject areas.

3. Expand our educational outreach to the commercial landscaping community by 2015.

4. Create a horticultural publication for new homeowners in Williamson County by 2016. This

publication may be done as a partnership with other agencies, such local water departments.

5. Develop educational series with other AgriLife Extension groups by 2016.

6. Explore conducting a home and garden expo, to be held before 2017.

7. Explore hosting the TMGA state conference in 2018.

Updated August 2013



Tax Exemption Reimbursement PolicyAs originally decided April 7th of 2010, we are a taxexempt organization, and by following stateguidelines, this expense can be totally avoided. Although, the amount may seem small at the time youmake your purchase, it becomes quite large when multiplied by all the purchases made by ourmembership for which they ask compensation from WCMGA.

If you are going to make a committee chair approved purchase, for which you will ask compensationfrom Master Gardeners, ask your committee chairperson or the treasurer for the tax exemptioncertificate to turn in to the vendor from which you make the purchase. They will then not charge youtax. Please get proper approval from your committee chairperson before making purchases andappropriate signatures before turning in the form. The committee chairs are responsible for instructingcommittee members on this policy and procedure.

Effective today, April 7, 2010, WCMGA will no longer reimburse members for any sales tax paid onpurchases for the association. Every effort should be made to avoid paying sales tax with this processand/or by setting up tax exempt status with new vendors.

The vendors listed have the following policies for tax exemption. Always tell cashier before theybegin ringing, they may want to see identification. Always take the tax exemption certificate withyou, in case you need it. If you shop somewhere else, please check into their tax exemptionrequirements ahead of time. Please check with the treasurer for the location of the tax exemptionform (we don't have it on the website for security reasons) and existing cards for the various vendorsand take both with you. If the vendor you have to use is not on the following list, please investigate,if they can't oblige our tax exempt status, please ask us for assistance. Exceptions can be made to thispolicy in some cases with prior executive committee approval.

Michael's just show the tax exemption certificate each time Hobby Lobby we have a card Fed Ex Kinko's we are on file in their computer (WCMGA 5129433300)Office Depot we have a card HEB before ringing, show tax exemption certificate , complete HEB short form at register each timeWalmart we have a cardHome Depot (one time registration at the business desk already in system with phone number5129433300)Lowe’s already in their system, give the phone number 5129433300 to the cashier and tell themyou are exempt.



Williamson County Master Gardener AssociationRelease for Video, Film and Photographs

Name ______________________________________________________________

Address____________________________________________________________

Phone ______________________________________________________________

Date________________________________________________________________

I authorize Williamson County Master Gardeners to record and photograph my image and/or voicefor use by the Williamson County Master Gardner program or its assignees in research, education,and promotional programs. I understand and agree that these audio, visual, digital, film and/or printimages may be edited, duplicated, distributed with or without charge, reproduced, broadcast and/orreformatted in any form and manner without the payment of fees, in perpetuity.

Signature__________________________________________________________________

I authorize Williamson County Master Gardeners to utilize any images/photos I donate to theprogram. I understand and agree that these audio, video, digital, film, and/or print images may beedited, duplicated, distributed with or without charge, reproduced, broadcast, and/or reformatted inany form and manner without the payment of fees, in perpetuity.

Signature ___________________________________________________________________

I do not wish to commit at this time.

Signature__________________________________________________________________

(This form is also on the website as a single pdf form.)



WCMGA Policy on Honorariums

Volunteers are unpaid employees. They must be hired (accepted into the program), trained(horticultural information as well as orientation), welcomed into the work place (give them a place towork and explain office procedures), put to work (given a job description and set out to do the job)and “paid” (the job is the payment and must be appropriate).

Master Gardener title is to be used only when doing unpaid volunteer work in this program. WhenTexas Master Gardeners speak before groups on horticultural subjects it is permissible for them toaccept unsolicited reimbursements or gifts.

Based on the above information taken directly from the Texas Master Gardener Management Guidehttp://mastergardener.tamu.edu/about/managementguide/#service

WCMGA Policy is as follows:

*Volunteers are not paid to do presentations or any volunteer work.

*It is inappropriate for Williamson County Master Gardeners to solicit payment or monetary giftsfrom any individual or group in return for volunteer service.

*When speaking before groups on horticultural subjects, it is permissible for Master Gardeners toaccept small unsolicited reimbursements or gifts.

*If you are doing a horticulturally related presentation to promote a business or your employer ispaying you to do the presentation, you can not count it for volunteer hours and you can not use thetitle Master Gardener in connection with the presentation or promoting a business. (May 2012)


http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fmastergardener.tamu.edu%2Fabout%2Fmanagement-guide%2F%23service&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFTLHg7o-n7Y4IEgJQq6g0bkJL1xg


Reporting Master Gardener Hours:

I. To become a certified Master Gardener (after completing the required classroom portion)Internsmust complete 50 hours of volunteer hours on approved Master Gardener projects, plus 15 additionaleducational hours within 1 year of completion of the class. Of the 50 hours, 4 hours must be served ata greenhouse project and 6 hours must be served with JMG. Interns report hours throughtexas.volunteersystem.org, monitored by class facilitators. Please note MG Interns are not allowed tocount travel time on their certification hours.

II. To maintain certification, Master Gardeners are required to complete 40 hours of volunteer hourson approved Williamson County Master Gardener projects, plus 12 additional educational hours eachyear. MG Volunteer hours must come from approved projects or approved activities. If you are notsure if what you are doing is approved , please ask. Master Gardeners are asked to keep their ownpersonal log, in detail and report volunteer hours and educational hours and contacts with descriptionsby the 30th of each month in the texas.volunteersystem.org system. Master Gardeners are responsiblefor keeping records and reporting their hours and contacts. Hours reporting runs from November 1through October 31 each year. To be eligible for a 100 hour award, 100 volunteer hours must beobtained by October 31 of the year, in addition to the 12 education hours required for recertification.

III. Travel time may be counted toward volunteer hours, but not educational hours. Travel timecannot exceed volunteer time for any individual volunteer event. (Travel time cannot be counted byMG Interns while working on their initial certification. It can be counted only after they are certifiedMaster Gardeners.)

IV. Project Leaders for each project or event should report the contacts (persons educated) peractivity each month in the texas.volunteersystem.org system. Individual Master Gardeners shouldalso report the number of contacts (persons educated) other than group projects and events along withtheir reported hours. These contacts would include speaking to groups, returning horticulture phonecalls or answering any gardening related questions for anyone anywhere. Contacts may be reportedon any other volunteer project with hours.

V. Presentations given by Master Gardeners are also counted through the Speakers Bureau. Pleasereport any presentations, location of presentation, number of contacts, and length of presentation tothe Speakers Bureau Chairperson. This information is also counted on your individual volunteerhours reported and can include prep time and number of contacts.Proposals for Master Gardener volunteer projects should be submitted to the Projects Committee forthe approval process. See the texas.volunteersystem.org site for a list of approved MG volunteerprojects and the WCMGA website: http://txmg.org/williamson/ for the forms and instructions for submitting new project applications. Alist of officers and chairpersons is also on the website.



2012 Master Gardener Intern Contract

The Texas Master Gardener program is an educational activity offered by Texas CooperativeExtension of the Texas A & M University System. The program is designed to increase the availabilityof horticultural information and extend horticultural projects throughout the community. These goalsare implemented through the training and employment of local volunteers know as MasterGardeners.

Welcome to Williamson County Master Gardening Association. We are glad to have you here andhope the next 15 weeks will be educational and fun. In return for your tuition and attendance,WCMGA will:

1. Provide a training manual that covers all areas of instruction.2. Provide professors, county agents, or other specialists in their field to teach the courses.3. Provide volunteer opportunities for handson horticultural experience within Williamson County.

You, the student Intern, will:

1. Attend all weekly sessions as scheduled.2. Complete 15 hours of additional education beyond the classes by November 13, 2013.3. Complete 50 hours of approved volunteer service (4 hours greenhouse, 6 hours JMG and 40other) by November 13, 2013.4. Complete 40 hours of volunteer service at any approved WCMGA project and 12 hourseducational training yearly during each year following certification.

The title “Master Gardener” cannot be used to enhance business opportunities in any way. Once youcommit to these guidelines, no refunds of tuition are permitted.

__________________________________ ___________________________Student Signature Date

__________________________________ ___________________________Master Gardener President Date



Guidelines for Request for Extension of Certification Time

An intern may request an extension of time to complete certification hours. A committee of threeMaster Gardeners to include the class facilitator or assistant class facilitator, an executive committeemember and the Master Gardener Coordinator will review the request for extension of time forcertification.

Considerations for granting extensions:1. Intern is unable to complete hours due to unexpected health issues.

2. Intern has unexpected family issues such as a death of a family member, or temporary caregiverresponsibilities.

3. Intern has accrued some volunteer hours prior to the request for extension.

4. Intern will complete the form "Request for Extension of Certification Time" and attach a copy ofvolunteer sheet with hours , accrued. These forms will be sent to the class facilitator to present to theabove mentioned committee.

5. The committee will review the request within two weeks. If the request is accepted, a date forexpected completion of hours will be written on the form and returned to the intern.

6. If the request is denied, a letter from the Master Gardener Coordinator or Executive Committeewill be mailed to the intern stating that the intern is not in compliance with the Master Gardenerrequirements and will be dropped from the M G roster.

7. If the intern does not complete the hours by the date written on the request form, the intern canmake another request by filling out a new request form and repeating the above process.

8. Interns will be limited to an extension of no more than 6 months unless there are extenuatingcircumstances.

(See form: "Request for Extension of Certification Time")



Williamson County Master Gardener AssociationRequest for Extension of Certification Time

Name (Print) ________________________________________________________

Date: _________________ Master Gardener Class of _________________

Reason for Request:________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________When do you feel you could reasonably complete certification?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

I understand that I was to have completed certification for the Williamson County Master Association by November 30, 20__. Due to the reason(s) given above, I am requesting an extension of time to complete my certification. I have included a copy of the hours that have been completed to date with this request. I understand that my request will be reviewed by a committee of 3 certified members of the WCMGA and I will be notified within two weeks of their decision. If my request is accepted, I will be given a new date when certification should be completed. If my certification is not completed by the date approved by the committee, I may complete a new request. I understand that after certifying, I must then complete the required hours to be recertified for the year 20__and that the hours I currently am completing are for certification as an intern.

(Signed)________________________________________________________________________________

Reviewed on (date) __________________

Request denied ______________

Request accepted ________ Date for completion of extension ____________________

(Signed by committee chair)_____________________________________________



Williamson County Master Gardener Help Desk

9 am to 1 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays during growing season9 am to 1 pm Tuesdays during the remainder of the year

GoalsPresent callers or walkin clients with consumer horticultural questions accurate,researchbased information that will help them answer their questions or direct them toappropriate resources that will. This will help take some of the client pressure off of theagent.

In General…∙ We want to handle more customers.∙ We want to handle customer interactions with a personal touch.∙ We want to provide expert interaction.∙ We want Master Gardener Help Desk staffers to be a resource traffic cop. Much like thelibrarian, the Master Gardener will either answer the question or point callers to otherresources where they can obtain the answers they need.∙ Utilize eXtension ask the expert widget∙ Client satisfaction surveys will be utilized by email and Qualtracs

Mechanics of the Help Desk∙ The staff will be trained and provided an appropriate office, desk, computer, phone andreference library to perform their duties. Each attendant will record contact information onthe client and information on the question and answer or where they were sent to get theanswer. Data will be collected on a daily log sheet and added to a digital spreadsheet atthe end of each shift. This information will aid in program development, the production ofissuebased, timely articles and fact sheets.∙ The “Consumer Horticulture Help Desk” will be promoted in news releases, PSAs, on thewebsites and with flyers at local vendors.∙ In addition to answering questions, Master Gardeners will develop a digital file ofreference material from questions asked.∙ When not manning the phone or handling walkin questions, Master Gardeners will beasked to develop county publications based on repeat questions. These publications willbe specific to Williamson County and central Texas. The protocols for development will bestandardized and not have a “cut and paste” look.

Items needed to be purchased:∙ Digital camera suitable for use on microscope(done)∙ Digital camera for general use∙ Additional plant identification books/ digital files


Williamson County Master Gardener Association Standing Rules

Documents

Transcript of Williamson County Master Gardener Association Standing Rules