7/6/12
To: Albany City Council Subcommittee on Urban Agriculture
From: J. Keith Gilless, Dean, College of Natural Resources, UC Berkeley
Re: Volunteers for Summer 2012 Growing Season
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As discussed in our meeting on 6/26/12, and our trip to the Gill Tract on the morning of 6/29/12, we need have a clear and transparent process for recruiting and selecting volunteers from Albany (including University Village) to help maintain the rows I have set aside for non-research use this growing season. The same holds for how we will distribute any harvested produce.
A group of no more than twenty Albany residents (half from the University Village) would be able to get the work done without putting an unreasonable burden on the volunteers or on my staff.
We agreed that the Council Subcommittee, in coordination with Albany City and University Village staff, would recruit and recommend the residents for participation in this activity. This would entail distributing copies of an application form (form attached) to prospective volunteers, reviewing the applicants, and forwarding a list of recommended volunteers to me. It is my understanding that the applications will be managed by Penelope Leach at the Albany Community Center. Please click here for an application. Applications may be dropped off at the Community Center or emailed to pleach@albanyca.org.
Approved volunteers will need to fill out a UC Berkeley Volunteer Registration and sign the loyalty oath, liability waiver, etc. I will be working with my staff and the City of Albany staff in to facilitate the campus registration process, which will require either a trip to the College of Natural Resources Human Resources office on campus or having CNR staff arrange a time to come down to Albany and get the forms completed there.
I look forward to working with you and the residents of Albany this summer!
JKG
J. Keith Gilless
Dean, College of Natural Resources
University of California, Berkeley