Sunday, January 25, 2009

Sort of a Sustainable Glasgow Blitz This Week!

We had a really good meeting on January 21. There were about thirty five folks in attendance. Rhonda Trautman gave a very good presentation on the Sustainable Glasgow movement and our short term, and long term goals. When Rhonda explained our two project goals for this year, the Bounty of the Barrens Market and the Garden Plot Project, lots of discussion ensued with great advice coming from members who have experience and expertise with existing markets in Glasgow and producers with advice and questions about our plans. This was just the sort of exchange of information we were looking for!

The community will be fully exposed to these two projects on Monday, January 26 at the regular meeting of the Glasgow City Council at City Hall in Glasgow at 7:00 p.m. We would love to have some of our members attend to help support Dr. Travis as he explains our ideas to the City Council and asks for their permission and support to establish the BOTB Market at the South Central Kentucky Cultural Center as well as the Garden Plot Project which is intended to allow prospective gardeners access to small plots on public property.

Lauren Ray also reminded us all that we desperately need for folks interested in this movement to fill our a membership application and get it back to her along with a $25 check for your 2009 membership. Sustainable Glasgow's accomplishments will be largely dependent upon the number of active members we can engage in the movement. Do you believe in what we are talking about? Do you think it possible for us to come together and make real improvements to our regional economy? If so, walk you belief by becoming an official member and standing up to be counted!

Another big item of discussion at the most recent meeting was the establishment of committees and the need for interested members to participate by volunteering to work on these committees. Are you willing to become intimately involved and get your hands dirty in one of our major initiatives? If so, please contact Lauren Ray at localfirst@glasgow-ky.com and let us know!

Check out our windows at 108 E. Public Square. First of all we were lucky enough to have this wonderful location furnished to us by Buddy and Zara Alexander and the team at Alexander Law Office (Thanks Buddy!) but now our luck continues as SG member Leigh AnneBotts has adorned our windows with some of her beautiful, LOCAL, artwork (Thanks Leigh Anne!). As you travel around Glasgow's square, make sure to give it a look and contact Leigh Anne if you want to make your home look as good as our windows do! Hopefully, you will soon be able to view our conceptual plan for the Bounty of the Barrens Market in that window as well. Dr. Travis will be using an outstanding drawing provided by our local mapping experts at Barrens Information Technology System (BITS) to help everyone at the meeting visualize the central market we want to establish. After the meeting, we will incorporate it into the window display at our office so everyone can see it. Heck, I might even try to figure out how to post here!




3 comments:

Chris Radus said...

I absolutely love the idea of adding local artists to the list of producers under the SG umbrella. How would one go about getting access to the windows on the square? Thanks, Chris

Mary said...

How did the City Counsel meeting go? I wanted to get there, but was hindered.

Billy Ray said...

It actually went very very well. We got the Council to approve a resolution in support of our two initiatives, the Bounty of the Barrens Market and the Garden Plot Project.

Next we need to meet with the Cultural Center Board to seek their buy in and then we will turn Lauren loose trying to pull existing markets, vendors, producers, and other logistics into place such that the BOTB market is set to open June 1.

Also, in response to Chris, the owner of the SG building allowed Leigh Anne to use that space, but they have another window space next door that they might be willing to allow art to be placed in. The Chamber of Commerce also allows local artists to put stuff in there. That's about all I could help with, but it is a great idea, no?