From the Aug ’22 LSC mtg: question from Jack Fisher about garden maintenance

Jack Fisher:

“I just want to ask Principal Rutkowski to share with everyone here and with the LSC what the plans are in the fall for the maintenance of the garden, given that Pete is no longer in that position, because he did a lot of that work so I think that many of us are curious how that work is going to happen. We’ve received some emails from you, but none of them have detailed or given any indication of this, so I’d like to ask you at this moment to share any plans that you’ve developed. Thank you.”

Principal Rutkowski:

“Sure, so, as was previously shared a couple weeks ago, the community garden beds will just continue to be used by the community members that occupy them. Those spots are given to the community under the understanding that during the summer they help maintain the student plots on the other side of the garden, watering and things like that. The group that organizes the watering effort has continued and has their same process going. In terms of the native areas, we’re a little bit overdue for a controlled burn, “

[note: this is incorrect. The garden has been burned annually for 20 years, always managed by Mr Leki, who has the proper training and certification to manage the controlled burn. and gets the permits, trains the volunteer support crew, and completes the burn, always in the early spring. In August, the garden is not “a little bit overdue for a controlled burn” when all the flowers are in bloom. Controlled burns are conducted early in spring, before growth, or, alternatively, late in the fall. One thing is certain, is that the Principal is winging it and seems overconfident about his ability to manage Waters Garden. This is not his field of expertise.]

… more from Principal Rutkowski:

“which is one of the ways of maintaining it, so we’ll be reaching out to CFD to get permits to be able to do those things and have people help come take care of the native areas. It’s a little bit unique in a pure great prairie area because there’s a lot more trees around it so there’s some considerations like that that need to be taken into account as well…”

Jack Fisher:

“Who’s going to be directing that? Who’s going to be managing or directing that work? That’s my question.”

Principal Rutkowski:

“As the principal, I’ll be.. you know.. the overall project we’re looking at, I won’t probably be doing the actual burning myself, but we’ll have people that are qualified come and be able to do it.”

Jack Fisher:

“So, you are taking over the work that formerly Pete did, in the garden, managing this?”

Liz Chandran (unintelligible)

Jack Fisher:

“Sorry, Liz, I didn’t know….”

Liz Chandran

“It’s really supposed to be public comment, so I’m going to wrap it up, so if anyone else has a comment.. they can make a comment.”

Stuart Lange

“I just will jump in and say, yes, Mr. Fisher, the principal is responsible for the school grounds, so that’s how it’s going to be.”

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