Okay, I wouldn't read this but I have to wrap my head around it. Marsha is giving me shit for asking for $200 in plants for the 3 bed renovations. Says I knew we were short on money when we came up with the project. We've told the other leads they have to run their plants through the plant sale sourcing because we may getting better pricing. If not, they can buy a plant if they have a reason for that plant including lack of presence on property and educational value. But she says a couple of them are mad I'm asking for plants outside of the plant sale when they wanted to but didn't as we have money problems. And nobody goes over to the backside of the property.
Okay, the project only went over by $50 this year because I had $150 in my budget. We ran into trouble on the hillside with the slope and built a raised bed. For the last two years I have had a budget. Before that I never had a budget for the Foundation Gardens and it's only because the guy who takes care of the front of the building likes artistic displays up there. I've cut him off this year.
She wants me to give back the money I don't spend if the plant doesn't cost as much as I figured it would. Yeah but what if another plant cost more? But that's not what I said at the meeting. I showed what plants we were looking for, the total estimated price and said I would agree to cut it down for the plant purchase which was even below the plants I said I really needed.
We brought no plants. We used the plants that were there, got plants from propagation and other beds. The money we are spending on plants for next year is for plants we can't get through the plant sale. They are not on property and very specific to the themes. For example, native bees are usually plant specific, educational. The beds are theme, again educational. Lots there for the public but I've also got 17 newbies on the project getting hands on training.
I ask which leads and what they wanted. She didn't want to tattletail on them. And couldn't tell me what it is they wanted. I said they didn't speak up in the meeting when I asked if anybody else thought of something they wanted. If I don't know they are wanting something, I can't help them get it. There was other budgets we could have cut more.
I've asked for years for a sign that says we have gardens around back but we don't have the money for it. We do take people back there on the general garden tour, there is a path all the way around the building, two of our speciality tours go back there and it is on the garden map people can pick up when they visit.
That's taking it non personally.
Justifying it to the rest of the leads if anybody asks.
But I would just like to come back to Marsha with the thousands of dollars she is spending. She didn't volunteer to reduce any of her budget this year until we made the first run through and discovered we were only over $100. I let her spend an extra 500 over her budget this year from extra funds and she also got an extra 500 donated to her garden. She gave her budget at the retail price knowing full well we were getting it wholesale and with a rebate yet, she insists she gets to keep all that. Not make it available for the whole garden or give it back. I defend her project all the time from leads who think she's spending too much. And her garden is locked so visitors have to look at it from the fence. Why the fuck is she giving me shit?!
Alright, the only reason I'm addressing this with her is she is saying it to other people. I'm sticking with the nonpersonal response, not using her as an example and pushing the positive narrative. Our basic goals of completing projects in progress is moving forward. Nothing here for me to worry about or take to heart. Marsha can deal with her own head and what's she's all about with this.
I really just want to be all snug back at the house waiting for this to go away.
