Board President of Monk Botanical Gardens Speaks to Rib Mountain Village Trustees Regarding Why Funding is Still Deserved

Thursday, June 6th, 2024 -- 8:01 AM

(Chris Conley, WSAU and WAOW) In a passionate meeting at the Rib Mountain municipal center Tuesday night Monk Botanical Gardens board president Paul David spoke to the Tourism Commission to assure the trustee the gardens still deserve funding for their Blossom of Lights event.

According to Chris Conley with WSAU and WAOW, during the meeting, Commissioner Fred Schaefer read aloud part of an email the Village Administrator Gaylene Rhoden received earlier that day from Monk Botanical Gardens Executive Director Darcie Howard.

“And then on top of it we receive this odd email from Darcie today,” Schaefer said. “I want to clarify some misinformation that’s been circulating on social media and in the news."

"The Monk Children and the Gardens have always had a strained relationship because the children did not favor donating the land to a nonprofit. This hostility has been an ongoing issue for the organization since Mr. Monk’s passing."

"They were displeased with the name change and have successfully incited others to be hostile towards the organization. Our mistake was underestimating their ability to rally people against us.”

Morgan Woodruff, a supporter of the Monk Botanical Gardens, attended Tuesday night’s meeting. She described this letter as colorful. “Hearing the letter, we were all taken back including the board President,” Woodruff said.

“He didn’t know that it had been sent in, so when it was read you could see him step back and kind of shake his head.” According to Rhoden, the village has received countless messages asking the tourism commission to reconsider giving a grant to the gardens.

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