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TUCSON CACTUS AND SUCCULENT SOCIETY

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BUILDING COMMITTEE

  • In early January of 2022, the TCSS Board of Directors began to consider the idea that our organization may need to acquire or build a permanent physical home as a base for our activities.
  • On January 10, 2022 all active TCSS members were contacted by email and invited to participate in an online meeting to discuss a 2-part question.
  1. In order to better fulfill the TCSS mission (see About Us page), do we need a physical home?
  2. If the answer is Yes, what are the functions that the building will serve?
  • In response to our January request for member input we had 27 members step forward to meet and consider the idea that our organization may need to acquire or build a permanent physical home as a base for our activities.
  • At the board meeting on February 8, 2022 the committee recommended that the board approve the formation of a search committee for a permanent TCSS home facility. That recommendation was approved.
  • Next, the board asked for specific details about facility needs from each TCSS program and committee. This thought process seems to be taking along time. However, we have identified needs and have already taken some action to solve some facility shortcomings. For example;
    • The club renewed our lease agreement with Sky Island High School to use the multi-purpose room for our monthly meetings.
    • The rescue program purchased a flatbed truck, trailer and equipment storage container to be located at our Amphi plant storage and sale facility.
    • The plant sale program has replaced the shade cloth covers at Amphi and added 25 tons of additional pea gravel to heel in plants while they wait for the next sale.
  • In March, we determined that our library program needs a space that would allow our library to move out of an inaccessible storage closet and into an accessible library/reading room.
  • On June 13, 2022 the committee met at Sky Island High School (where we have our monthly meetings) to look at an used classroom wing with the idea that we might rent it for the following daily activities;
    • Library / Reading Room - This space would also be used as a classroom to teach information technology topics. Some of our members report that they cannot access many of our online resources and meetings. TCSS would supply several laptops and instructor / tutors to serve as technology trainers for our members.
    • Classroom / Small Meeting Room - This space would be used for volunteer training and/or social gatherings by all TCSS programs.
    • Office workspace for admin tasks, board and committee meetings and the like.
  • In early July 2022 Dick Wiedhopf and Doug Rowsell explored the possibility of renting a part of the available classroom wing at Sky Island High School to be used for office space and a library. They concluded and reported back to the committee that this facility is unacceptable due to the fixed monthly cost combined with unknown maintenance costs compounded by security and ongoing vandalism concerns. 

Status of the Discussion

Because COVID continues to curtail indoor club activities and gatherings, it is the committee’s position that our search is on hold pending a change in the club’s facility need.

    • We have recently renewed our lease of the Sky Island multipurpose room for monthly meetings.
    • The library now has weekly hours where it is open to members using the Sky Island multipurpose room.
    • We have indoor classrooms available in multiple locations at low or no cost.  Most member education classes are currently taught out of doors in deference to COVID precautions.

If ANYONE has ideas or suggestions, please add your thoughts to the "Submit a Comment" link above or attend any TCSS Board Meeting via Zoom on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 pm.

Zoom log in: Https://bit.ly/tcss-b

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Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society (TCSS)

PO Box 64759  -  Tucson, AZ 85728-4759   -   Phone: (520) 256-2447  -  Email: TCSS@TucsonCactus.org

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