Food Policy Council (FPC) Meeting on Mon, March 18, 2019 - 6:30 PM

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Meeting Information

I.Action Item: Administrative Items 

 - Determine quorum of members, agenda approval 

 - Approval of February meeting minutes 

 - Review Council roster: discuss open positions and verify current contact information 

 - Vice Chair nominations

 - Budget overview (FPC $3,735.27; Kansas Alliance for Wellness Capacity Building Grant $6,305.67) 

II. Public Comment 

III. Discussion Item: Retreat Reflections 

IV. Discussion Item: Transportation and Transit 101 – Foundations for Understanding Access Barriers and Opportunities for Policy Change (Guests presentations from Jessica Mortinger, Lawrence-Douglas County Transportation Planning Manager, and Robert Nugent, Public Transit Administrator)

V. Action Item: Food Policy Council Food Waste Workplan for 2019-2020 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Chronic Disease Risk Reduction funding (Sarah Hartsig, Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department liaison member presents for Council approval) 

VI. Staff Report 

 - Food Policy Council and Food System Plan Communications Updates 

 - Sustainability staff to provide City Commission update on Climate Protection Plan 

 - June 27 Douglas County Community Foundation community conversation on food security 

VII. Future Agenda Items 

 - Review meeting topic calendar and key questions to guide working group progress reports 

 

VIII.    Key Takeaways Review 

IX.    Member Updates 

X.    Adjourn 

**Next Meeting: April 15, 2019 @ 6:30pm to 8:30pm @ Kanawaka Town Hall 776 U.S. 40, Lawrence, KS 66049

In attendance: Tamara Cash, Jason Champagne, Marlin Bates, Michael Steinle, Christina Ostmeyer, Michele Dillon, Tyler Lindquist, Connie Fitzpatrick, Sarah Hartsig, William Vesecky, Scott Thellman 

 

Absent: Kim Criner, Elizabeth Burger, John Pendleton,

 

Staff: Helen Schnoes, Jessica Mortinger, Ashley Meyers, Robert Nugent

 

Public: Shelby Kim, Pantaleon Florez

 

 

Food For Thought for Today’s Meeting:

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”

-- Edward Everett Hale

 

  1. Discussion Item: Transportation and Transit 101 – Foundations for Understanding Access Barriers and Opportunities for Policy Change (Guests presentations from Jessica Mortinger, Lawrence-Douglas County Transportation Planning Manager, and Robert Nugent, Public Transit Administrator)

 

    • Ashley Myers delivered a presentation providing an overview of the work of the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization. Slides included.
    • Robert Nugent provided an overview of the Lawrence Transit bus system, including funding (federal, state, local), service and coverage, and market analysis performed to create routes. Service changes every August with public outreach January – March.
  2. Action Item: Administrative Items
    • Determine quorum of members, agenda approval
      1. Quorum reached at 7:00pm – Transit presentation was moved to start of meeting since quorum not needed to receive presentation.  
      2. Agenda amended to include sign funding request added by Connie Fitzpatrick
      3. Motion made to accept agenda as amended – Dillon, Cash – all approved
    • Approval of February meeting minutes – Steinle, Thellman – all approved
    • Review Council roster: discuss open positions and verify current contact information
      1. Helen Schnoes reminded the Council that two open positions exist – one for a local/sustainable agriculture non-profit, another for a commodity/livestock producer from Central/western Douglas County. No other openings likely until end of 2018.
      2. Group discussed community members interested in serving; Helen reminded the group that all meetings are open to the public and that working groups can accept interested community members who are not Commission-appointed.
    • Vice Chair nominations
      1. Vesecky made a motioned to nominate for Jason Champagne and Michael Steinle as Vice Chairs; seconded by Fitzpatrick; Discussion: Michael said it’d be good support for Kim Criner, FPC Chair – all approved.
    • Budget overview (FPC $3,735.27; KAW $6,305.67)
      1. Connie Fitzpatrick made a $400 request from Health Equity for Transit Signs – Lindquist, Ostemeyer – Discussion: allocate from the KAW capacity building budget – all approved
      2. Helen Schnoes reminded the Council of opportunities for travel, training, communications, and inviting speakers to the community with Kansas Alliance for Wellness Capacity Building Grant funds, set to end July 2019 unless Council asks for an extension.
  3. Public Comment
    • Shelby Kim and Pantaleon Florez shared that a local chapter of Food Not Bombs is back. They descripted the group as a global network of chapters (not centralized) based on theory of mutual aid. They focus on recovering food and giving it away for free—not reliant on grants. Interested in working with the Food Policy Council and the Forward group focused on food waste. Library helps them host tables to give out food, plus cooking at Sunrise Project. Next meal will be on April 1 5:30 at the Library.
    • Shelby shared that she dreams of a city with free buses, or more discounted.

 

  1. Discussion Item: Retreat Reflections
    • Marlin led the group in a discussion of key takeaways from the February Council retreat. Some comments included that it was:
      1. Helpful to share and plan for what the members want to learn more about.
      2. Better to understand how the City and County want the FPC to act; helpful to see how the Affordable Housing Advisory Board is shaping housing policy.
      3. Great to think about community partnerships.
      4. Aggies looking at climate change, greenhouse gas. Michael Steinle shared about the update with SAB, their members are interested in joining work on food waste.
        1. Marlin wondered if Aggies need to meet with SAB?
      5. Connie is very excited that she and Michele are co-Chairs for the Health Equity group. Divided the work nicely.
      6. Aggies are working to set up next meeting.
      7. Forward wants to work on “performance metrics”

 

  1. Action Item: Food Policy Council Food Waste Workplan for 2019-2020 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Chronic Disease Risk Reduction funding (Sarah Hartsig, Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department liaison member presents for Council approval)
    • Sarah Hartsig presented on the work plan the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department submitted for state funding, which included:
      1. Looking for examples of other food donation toolkits from other communities
      2. Working with K-State Pollution Prevention Institute – food waste audits at grocery stores
      3. Testing messages for staff to help employers (restaurant owners) and grocery store managers  
      4. Workplan has been submitted but can be tweaked. This is annual funding to support the work of the Health Department.
    • Tyler Lindquist
      1. Shared about the survey in-development by KU evaluation course. Tyler met with Lawrence Restaurant Association to review and edit questions. Three other student teams also doing research to support Forward’s food waste efforts.
    • Motion to accept the grant work plan: Cash, Steinle – all approved

 

  1. Staff Report
    • Food Policy Council and Food System Plan Communications Updates
      1. Helen asked for ideas of organizations, individuals to mail the 100 Thank You postcards to as part of raising awareness about current FPC efforts
    • Sustainability staff to provide City Commission update on Climate Protection Plan on April 9.
      1. Marlin encouraged FPC member attendance.
    • June 27 Douglas County Community Foundation community conversation on food security
      1. Helen shared that the Community Foundation is interested in having a FPC representative serve on panel
    • Helen will present to the Planning Commission on April 10 @ 7:30am about the Food System Plan, others to present on ag and soil. Helen noted that in May the Planning Commission will review the Community Resources Chapter of the new draft comprehensive plan, Plan 2040, which includes the Food Systems Development section.
      1. Marlin volunteered to work with Kim Criner to draft comments for the Council to review on April 15.
    • Continued progress with Lawrence Farmers Market Long-term Planning Committee. Helen will ask John Pendleton to provide fuller update at April meeting.
  2. Future Agenda Items
  • Group reviewed summary meeting topic calendar with notes from retreat for 2019
  1. Key Takeaways Review

 

  1. Member Updates
    • Connie is doing research to potentially open a new intercultural space. Applying for a grant to make an East Lawrence cookbook. Connie will share more as the work advances.
    • Michael – three states, Kansas, Montana, Washington have introduced laws to eliminate straws and plastic bags. Kansas didn’t make progress, Montana still reviewing, Washington passed.
    • Scotty – Traveled with Kansas Ag and Rural Leadership program to Cuba – over a week traveling around learning about their food system.

 

  1. Adjourn (8:37 – Steinle, Hartsig – All approved)

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