Food Policy Council (FPC) Meeting Mon, Nov 16 2020 12:30 PM

Monday, November 16, 2020

6:30pm to 8:30pm

1006 New Hampshire, Lawrence

Or click to join via Zoom

1. Administrative Items  
   • Determine quorum of members, agenda approval
   • Approval of October meeting minutes  
   • 2021 member and leadership update
   • Budget overview: $508.29 remaining for 2020
     1. Virtual workshop: “Mobilizing community food systems in the era of COVID-19 and the struggle for racial equity.” Wednesday, November 18 @ 10:30am-1:30pm - $25/person 
        1. Funding for six spots approved at October meeting; two remaining
2. Public Comment
3. Guest: CJ Armstrong, Senior Associate, Gould Evans 
   • Just Food renovation project
4. Incoming County Commissioners
   • Discuss plan for FPC initial engagement
5. “Food Builds Community”
   • Completed ethnic food retail video funded by FPC
6. Reflect on Food and Farm Council Self-Assessment Exercise 
   • Each working group elevated representation and engagement in some way
   • Upon review, two potential actions identified by Council leadership: 
     1. Allow Health Equity to take lead on internal examination of FPC engagement strategies and meeting procedures, and bring recommendations to the full Council
     2. Focus January 2021 retreat on equity, inclusion, and conflict management
        1. If consensus, opportunity to charge staff and leadership with bringing forward funding proposal for retreat facilitation at December meeting
7. Member Updates
8. Adjourn

Next Meeting: December 14, 2020, 6:30pm to 8:30pm | Location: Zoom and 1006 New Hampshire

In attendance: Marlin Bates, Tamara Cash, Michele Dillon, Dietrich Earnhart, Melissa Freiburger, Sarah Hartsig, Elizabeth Keever, Tyler Lindquist, Jeffrey Maiden, Christina Ostmeyer, Rolf Petermann, Scott Thellman

Absent: Heather McPeek

Guests: CJ Armstrong, Skye Clogston, Freda Gipp, Jamie Knabe, Jeffrey Cornish

Staff: Kim Criner Ritchie, Connie Fiorella-Fitzpatrick

1. Administrative Items  
   • Determine quorum of members, agenda approval 
     1. Motion to approve by Christina, second by Liz. Motion passes.
   • Approval of October meeting minutes 
     1. Motion to approve by Liz, second by Tyler. Motion passes.
   • 2021 member and leadership update
     1. Sarah is leaving Douglas County and will therefore not be returning as member or Chair.
        1. Tyler has volunteered to be considered for Chair, Liz for Vice Chair. Council will vote on new leadership at December meeting.
     2. Michele is not seeking reappointment; Michael has resigned from SAB.
        1. Leaving a total of 5 open seats for 2021: 2 producers, 1 public health, 1 SAB, and one open County appointment.
        2. Interested individuals can contact Kaitlyn Ammerlaan: kammerlaan@dgcoks.gov.
   • Budget overview: $508.29 remaining for 2020
     1. Virtual workshop: “Mobilizing community food systems in the era of COVID-19 and the struggle for racial equity.” Wednesday, November 18 @ 10:30am-1:30pm - $25/person 
        1. Funding for six spots approved at October meeting; two remaining
     2. Consider printing new copies of Food System Plan in a less expensive format.
     3. Staff and leadership will bring back formulated proposals for use of remaining funding on printing and/or retreat costs.
2. Public Comment
3. Guest: CJ Armstrong, Senior Associate, Gould Evans 
   • Just Food renovation project
4. Incoming County Commissioners
   • Discuss plan for FPC initial engagement
     1. Approach plan for presenting to the new commission in early 2021.
   • On engaging with new Lawrence Director of Equity and Inclusion: extend invites to both Health Equity and full Council meetings. Include Food System Plan linkages and commitment to racial equity.
5. “Food Builds Community”
   • Completed ethnic food retail video funded by FPC
6. Reflect on Food and Farm Council Self-Assessment Exercise 
   • Each working group elevated representation and engagement in some way
   • Upon review, two potential actions identified by Council leadership: 
     1. Allow Health Equity to take lead on internal examination of FPC engagement strategies and meeting procedures, and bring recommendations to the full Council 
        1. What do we mean by “engagement”?  
           1. Are we hearing from or consulting those who are most impacted by a given food system issue.
              1. FPC should be explicit when approaching these individuals or groups on a given issue.
           2. This could also include making meetings more available to participate in or communicating other ways to be involved: working groups, functions, etc.
        2. Motion to charge Health Equity with investigating engagement strategies and meeting procedures by Marlin, second by Christina. Motion passes.
     2. Focus January 2021 retreat on equity, inclusion, and conflict management
        1. If consensus, opportunity to charge staff and leadership with bringing forward funding proposal for retreat facilitation at December meeting
           1. Is “conflict management” referring to internal or external conflicts? 
              1. Without more context from the surveys, the original interpretation was internal.
              2. There is value in an external approach too; it could mean bringing in competing interests and perspectives.
           2. Is the retreat the appropriate platform for this work considering there may be several very new Council members? 
              1. Motion to focus the retreat toward equity, inclusion, and conflict management, and also provide separate orientation to new members by Marlin, second by Tyler. Motion passes.
7. Member Updates
8. Adjourn
   • Motion to adjourn by Liz, second by Marlin.

Next Meeting: December 14, 2020, 6:30pm to 8:30pm | Location: Zoom and 1006 New Hampshire