Food Policy Council (FPC) Meeting on Mon, October 15, 2018 - 6:30 PM

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Meeting Information

Location Changed!

  1. Action Item: Administrative Items 
    • Determine quorum of members, agenda approval
    • Approval of August meeting minutes
    • Budget overview
  2. Public Comment
  3. Discussion Item: Food Policy Council Communications  
  1. Discussion Item: Harvesting Opportunity in KS update 
  1. Action Item: Grant Updates 
  1. Action Items: Food System Plan, 2018 Full Council Policy Priorities 

Goal 4, Objective 2 (Expand City- and County-led initiatives to make food more affordable)
4.2.1: Reduce and eliminate the sales tax on groceries

  • Update from Health Equity Working Group 

Goal 1, Objective 3 (Increase local food purchasing)

 
1.3.1: Invest in signage, shared infrastructure, and coordinated marketing to support Douglas County farmers markets 

 

  1. Discussion Item: Working Groups  
  1. FPC Member Updates
  1. Facilitated Session – FPC Bylaw / Structure updates 
  1. Adjourn

 

For questions, contact Sustainability & Food Systems Planner, Helen Schnoes, at hschnoes@dgcoks.gov or 785-832-5157. 



**Next Meeting: November 19, 2018 @ 6:30pm – 8:30pm -- Lawrence College and Career Center -- 2910 Haskell Ave, Lawrence, KS 66046, USA

In attendance: Marlin Bates, Elizabeth Burger, Lee Broyles, Jason Champagne, William Vesecky, Tamara Cash, Kim Criner, Jill Elmers, Connie Fitzpatrick, Inti Hirt, Ashley Jones-Wisner, Jennifer Kongs, John Pendleton, Michele Dillon, Michael Steinle, Scott Thellman

 

Absent: TK Peterson, Christine Ebert, Olivia Taylor-Puckett, Aundrea Shafer

 

Staff: Helen Schnoes

 

Public: Beth Llewellyn, Sarah Hartsig, Trevor Stevens

 

  1. Action Item: Administrative Items (5 minutes)
    • Determine quorum of members, agenda approval
      1. Quorum met at 5:45pm
      2. Agenda amended to reflect September meeting minutes, and postpone Harvesting Opportunity agenda item until November (Bates, Elmers—all approved)
    • Approval of August September meeting minutes (Dillon, Burger—all approved)
    • Budget overview (3,059.87 remaining + $2,548.87 for Harvesting Opportunity follow-up)
      1. Consider requests for funding 
      2. Funding of $35 for Aundrea Shafer to attend KC Food Policy Coalition Luncheon on November 14 approved (Burger, Kongs—all approved)
      3. Funding of $200 for Jennifer Kongs to register for and travel to Kansas Rural Center conference approved. Kongs mentioned that the conference builds upon the Harvesting Opportunity Conference in Kansas symposium the Council organized in May 2018; she will bring back information as appropriate for the Council. (Bates, Steinle—all approved)
      4. Funding of $2,500 for Aggies working group request for development of new communications materials about agritourism policies and business opportunities in Douglas County approved. Helen reminded Council that the group began talking about this in fall 2017, but postponed to focus on Harvesting Opportunity in Kansas. (Cash, Hirt—all approved)

 

  1. Public Comment

Beth Llewellyn and Sarah Hartsig from the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department introduced themselves. The position on the Council that has historically been occupied by a Health Dept. staff member has been vacant for several months due to staffing changes. Beth and Sarah were attending to learn more about the Council and consider future connections to the Health Department.

  1. Discussion Item: Food Policy Council Communications  (Jennifer Kongs -- 15 minutes)
    • Jennifer Kongs presented three preliminary drafts of new Council and Food Systems Plan Communications pieces
      1. Tri-fold brochure about Food System Plan
      2. Large non-mailed postcard about working group (one for each working group to be made)
      3. Thank you postcard to follow-up on creation of the Food System Plan with those who contributed.
    • Brief discussion followed, including that some examples/context would be helpful in place of more “lofty” language. More photos, including with those including black and brown individuals, was recommended. Group liked the similar look to the Food System Plan, but thought these pieces could be more fun for broader community engagement.
    • A fourth piece, a one-page handout about the work of the council, will be developed after these.
    • Next steps: Working groups will review and share feedback in November. Individual members will review and share feedback by Monday, October 22 with Jennifer.

 

  1. Discussion Item: Harvesting Opportunity in KS update (Marlin Bates, Helen Schnoes  -- 10 minutes)

Postpone until November

 

  1. Action Item: Grant Updates (Ashley Jones-Wisner, Kim Criner – 10 minutes)
    • Ashley Jones-Wisner presented a proposal for the Kansas Alliance for Wellness Food Council Implementation Grant (up to $15,000) from the Health Equity working group. This was included in the Council’s packet. The focus would be to engage a project manager / contractor to execute story collection and preliminary assessment with small business owners of ethnic food retail stores in the community. This project emerged from the work of the Sunrise Project Community Coordinators in creating the Food System Plan. Helen reminded the Council they also submitted a letter of support in September 2017 for a LiveWell Lawrence grant to support a program-based pilot led by K-State Research & Extension Douglas County called Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy, including marketing support for small food retail outlets, which this project could build upon. Ashley highlighted that the proposed budget includes stipends for entrepreneurs for their time in participation.
    • Bates made a motion to approve the grant proposal; Burger seconded – All approved.

 

  1. Action Items: Food System Plan, 2018 Full Council Policy Priorities (10 minutes)

 

Goal 4, Objective 2 (Expand City- and County-led initiatives to make food more affordable)

Champions: Health Equity, Marlin, Kim

4.2.1: Reduce and eliminate the sales tax on groceries

  • Update from Health Equity Working Group (Connie Fitzpatrick)

 

Connie shared a proposal from the Health Equity working group that the Council reconsider its full-council priority around the sales tax on food and remove as current priority. Lots could change at the state level in the year to come. The question of local sales tax on food can remain on the radar as a long-term priority, but not something the Council is actively moving forward.

 

Connie also shared that the Health Equity group wanted to encourage the Council to not lose sight of the broader Goal 4 focus on a more equitable food system, including how the Council can intentionally recruit and engage diverse folks (racially, ethnically, gender, class, etc.)

 

Bates made a motion to remove policy action item 4.2.1 from the Food System Plan as a standing full Council priority; Steinle seconded—all approved.

Goal 1, Objective 3 (Increase local food purchasing)

 

Champions: Jill, Ashely, Michael, Tyler, John

1.3.1: Invest in signage, shared infrastructure, and coordinated marketing to support Douglas County farmers markets

  • (John Pendleton, Jill Elmers)

 

John Pendleton reported that the downtown market is awaiting next steps on the City of Lawrence Downtown Master Plan process, which is just getting underway.

 

A KU Architecture class is kicking-off their semester final project this week, and will hold a focus group morning of October 24. FPC members and other community folks interested in speaking to them about the market are welcome. Helen will send more information when details are set.

 

Jill Elmers recognized she had offered in September to organize a smaller meeting of Food Policy Council champions interested in this priority to determine next steps with the issue, including dissemination of the national market scan produced by former Sustainability office intern, Bryson Risley. She will follow-up to get something arranged. 

 

 

 

 

  1. Discussion Item: Working Groups  (10 minutes)
    • Mini-retreats updates from Aggies and Health Equity  
      1. Members of Aggies and Health Equity groups reiterated the value of having mini-retreats to focus on end of 2018 priorities. Ashley thanked Helen for helpful facilitation. Connie found value in having space to step back and re-focus on where there is excitement among members.

 

  1. FPC Member Updates
    • Marlin Bates announced that K-State Research & Extension—Douglas County is seeking a new Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent. Encouraged folks to spread the word and direct anyone interested his way.
    • Inti announced it would be her last meeting as a Council member given her move to new community.
    • Helen provided an update on the October 5 Common Ground community garden celebration, recognizing the end of the 7th season for the City of Lawrence program the Council helped launch in 2011 with the City Commission and Sustainability Office. Good turnout, energy among City leadership, FPC members, and program gardeners. Next will be a strategy session for the program’s future. Helen is recruiting at least one representative from 3 related City of Lawrence advisory boards—Sustainability Advisory Board, Parks & Rec Advisory Board, and FPC.
      1. Next step: Helen asked for members to reflect and let her know by October 21 if they’re interested.

 

  1. Facilitated Session – FPC Bylaw / Structure updates
    • Marilyn Hull led the Council in a conversation to help inform its review of its current bylaws and structure, to see what changes might better suit the council now and going forward. Some challenges have been found in filling very narrowly-defined positions, while recognizing need for some structure and/or guidance to ensure diverse perspectives are engaged (including different food system perspectives and racial/ethnic/class/gender/age, etc.). Outcomes included direction on new purpose statement and characteristics for ensuring a high-functioning council, including decision criteria for considering membership and representation.
    • Next step: The Ad Hoc working group that has met over the past few months will reconvene and bring a set of options to the Council in November to consider, with the goal of bringing a recommendation to the City and County Commissions for consideration.

 

  1. Adjourn (Kongs, Thellman—all approved)

 

**Next Meeting: November 19, 2018 @ 6:30pm – 8:30pm -- Lawrence College and Career Center -- 2910 Haskell Ave, Lawrence, KS 66046, USA

Time and Date

Location

Douglas County Public Works
3755 E 25th St, Lawrence, KS 66046