The Montgomery County Food Council Organizational Summary

Table of Contents Introduction…………………………………………………………………………......…...1 Acknowledgments………………………………………………………………....…………3 Section 1 – Background………………………………………………………………….…..4 History Definition and Purpose Mission Vision Section 2 - Organizational Structure…………………………………………………….......5 General Council Meeting Structure and Expectations Presentations Food Council Members Food Council Member Expectations Food Council Member Selection Removal and Leave of Absence Section 3 - Internal Management……………………………………………...…….…..….10 Steering Committee Communications Committee Development Committee Monitoring and Evaluation Committee Policy and Advocacy Committee Section 4 - Working Groups and Involvement…………………………………………..…14 Working Groups Friends and Partners of the Food Council Food Council Coordinator Food Council Internships Section 5 – Processes…………………………………………………………………..……16 Decision Making Policy Sign-on Protocol Communication Conflict of Interest Section 6 – Financial………………………………………………………………………..19 Appendix A – Strategic Goals and Objectives…………………………………………...…20 Appendix B – Food Council Member Interim Expectations…………………………....…...23 Appendix C – Internal Committee Members 2012…………………………………......…..24 Appendix D – Working Groups 2012 -13………………….…………………………...…..25 Appendix E – Food Council Members & Staff 2012-13………………………….....….…...26

     

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Introduction What follows is the organizational summary developed by the members of the Montgomery County Food Council in 2012 during its inaugural year. This document is intended to guide its operations day to day and to establish expectations for participation. The Food Council’s goals and objectives for this and next year are included in the Appendix, as is a list of past and current members. This strategy will be updated over time as the Food Council matures and identifies new ways to advance its mission. What i s a Food Counci l? According to a comprehensive survey conducted by Food First, entitled Food Policy Councils, Lessons Learned1: “A Food Policy Council (FPC) consists of a group of representatives and stakeholders from many sectors of the food system…anti-hunger and food justice advocates, educators, nonprofit organizations, concerned citizens, government officials, farmers, grocers, chefs, workers, food processors and food distributors. Food Policy Councils create an opportunity for discussion and strategy development among these various interests, and create an arena for studying the food system as a whole…The central aim of most Food Policy Councils is to identify and propose innovative solutions to improve local or state food systems, spurring local economic development and making food systems more environmentally sustainable and socially just.” Four common functions of food policy councils identified in the same report include:

[Serving as] A “Forum for Food Issues” - Food Policy Councils can be described as umbrella organizations in which diverse members of the food movement participate. They create space for dialog…

[Fostering] Coordination Between Sectors - In taking a food systems approach, FPCs commit themselves to working across the full range of food sectors – from production to consumption and recycling. How well each of these sectors is represented and whether FPCs improve communication between the five sectors (production, consumption, processing, distribution and waste) varies widely among Food Policy Councils… [Developing] Policy - … Food Policy Councils’ roles include those of research, oversight, advising and advocating for specific policies. They…have the opportunity to bridge the divisions in public policy making – representing food issues to sectors of government that might be unaware of the effect of their mandates, policies and actions on health, nutrition and the environment… [Implementing] Programs - Food Policy Councils, despite their name, have often focused on implementing programs – working to tackle the issues themselves,

                                                                                                               1 Harper, Shattuck, et al. 2009. Food Policy Councils, Lessons Learned. Oakland, California. Food First. Available at http://www.foodfirst.org/en/foodpolicycouncils-lessons

     

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rather than exclusively to policy advising. Direct experience in the food system can inform policy making, and many newer FPCs (of which there are many) feel that they need greater experience as a basis for proposing policy recommendations. Many programs that councils launch can be one-time successes, such as getting food stamps accepted at farmers markets, creating school breakfast programs, building affordable housing for farm workers or securing land for community gardens. Other programs actually spin-off into new organizations that continue to work on a specific issue area…”2 Why the Montgomery County Food Counci l? As described in the Background section of this strategy and the foundational documents also available on the Food Council’s website,3 several years ago, a number of concerned stakeholders came together to discuss a visionary report and recommendations prepared for the County Executive’s Office of Community Partnerships. The report laid out a vision to establish Montgomery County as a national model for a sustainable community food system. The report and stakeholders took note of the County’s important achievements in food and agriculture to date. Stakeholders recommended the creation of a food council to bring together the diverse actors in the County’s food system in order to further these achievements, develop more system-oriented approaches, share skills and resources, and produce outcomes that would not be possible without coordinated action. National and global concerns about improving access to fresh, healthy food at a time of constrained budgets and greater need for food assistance, as well as changing environmental pressures on farm land, can be found here in Montgomery County as well. It is also a time of tremendous excitement and innovation in this area across the country, as old relationships are strengthened and new ones built to develop food hubs, connect new farmers to those that are at the end of their careers, increase job training opportunities in the culinary arts, improve the health of school lunches, and much more. The Montgomery County Food Council exists as a forum to provide local leadership on how the County can address challenges and seize new opportunities in food production, consumption, processing, distribution and recycling.

                                                                                                               2 Ibid, pages 2- 3 3 http://www.mocofoodcouncil.org/about/history-structure/

     

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Acknowledgements We would like to thank Bruce Adams, Rana Koll-Mandel, Caroline Taylor and Jessica Weiss for doing the groundwork of getting the Food Council founded and funded. We extend our deep gratitude to The Montgomery County Office of the County Executive, The Mead Family Foundation and The Community Foundation for Montgomery County for their initial and on-going support. This continues to be critical to our success. We also wish to recognize the vital contributions made by our volunteer members and committed community partners, along with the volunteer efforts of our webmaster, Bobak Safiei, and our GIS intern, Liz Ducey. We are also thankful for the North American Food Policy Council Network, Community Food Security Coalition, and Food First for their advice and guidance throughout our development process. Whether they know it or not, we are incredibly grateful for the examples set by the Chicago Food Policy Council, the Cleveland – Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition, the Detroit Food Policy Council, the Greater Birmingham Community Food Partners, the Illinois Food Farms and Jobs Network, the Montana Food Systems Council, the Oakland Food Policy Council and the Portland Multnomah Food Policy Council. We are extremely grateful for the work of Interim Advisory Board Members Bruce Adams, Gordon Clark, Tony Cohen, Jeremy Criss, Kim Damion, Dave Feldman, Michele Levy, Linda Lewis, Dolores Milmoe, James Ricciuti, Caroline Taylor, David Vismara, Jessica Weiss and Woody Woodruff. September 1, 2012 Montgomery County, MD

     

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History The idea for the Montgomery County Food Council came out of a series of passionate conversations held throughout 2010-2011 on the challenges and opportunities facing the local food system. The extraordinarily diverse community stakeholders discussed how to support existing farmers and food processors in meeting the expanding demand for local food; how to create more affordable and equitable means to distribute local foods; how to educate consumers about sourcing and preparing healthy food; and how to protect our local environment through responsible land management practices and the recycling of food waste. All agreed that to realize the shared vision of a sustainable Montgomery County food economy a food policy council was needed. And so, a grant was written, an advisory board was assembled, a coordinator was hired, and the organization was created.

Definition and Purpose The Montgomery County Food Council is an independent council formed and led by professionals, private businesses, government officials, individual members, community organizations, and educational institutions that broadly represent the food system both substantively and geographically. The purpose of the Council is to: (1) Serve as a forum for food system work in Montgomery County by connecting action groups, communities, businesses, and state agencies. (2) Address challenges and opportunities in the local food system with a comprehensive and collaborative approach. (3) Engage constituents with the local food system through promoting job opportunities, volunteer projects, and purchasing practices. (4) Educate Montgomery County residents and institutions to promote a greater awareness of the entire food cycle: where food comes from, where it ends up, and its social, environmental, and economic impacts. (5) Inform and advise policy makers and voters on the impacts of mandates and policies on the Montgomery County food system and advocate for mandates and policies that support the Food Council’s mission.

BACKGROUND SECTION 1

     

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Mission The mission of the Food Council is to bring together a diverse representation of stakeholders in a public and private partnership to improve the environmental, economic, social and nutritional health of Montgomery County, Maryland through the creation of a robust, local, sustainable food system.

Vision Montgomery County cultivates a vibrant food system that consciously produces, processes, distributes, prepares, consumes, and recycles food, making it accessible to all citizens while promoting the health of the local food economy, its consumers, and the environment.

The Food Council is lead by 13 to 17 selected or appointed Food Council Members. The Food Council is staffed by a Food Council Coordinator. The work of the Food Council is carried out by Working Groups, which are lead and facilitated by Food Council Members with help from Food Council Partners.

General Council Meeting Structure & Expectations All meetings will be led by the Co-Chairs and in their absence the Coordinator and one other Food Council Member will fill in. All meeting agendas will be available for download from the website a week prior to the meeting. All meeting minutes will be available for download from the website a week following the meeting. The agenda must allow time for introductions, reports from Working Groups, and public announcements and comments. All meetings will have a sign-in sheet to gather participants’ name, e-mail, organizational affiliation and areas of interest. Presentation requests should be submitted to the Food Council Coordinator by no later than two weeks before the meeting.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE SECTION 2

     

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Presentations Members of the public are welcome to present at Food Council Meetings. Anyone interested in presenting must submit a presentation request to the Food Council. A draft presentation no more than 2 pages long and a maximum 300-word summary about the topic must be e-mailed to mocofoodcouncil@gmail.com. The summary is added to the agenda. The 2-page presentation should include what will be presented at the meeting. The presenter must make sure the presentation connects back to the mission, vision and goals of the Food Council, which can all be found online at www.mocofoodcouncil.org. If the applicant has any reading materials they would like to have accompany the presentation, then those materials must be sent with their application. Also, if there is any specific action the presenter would like the Food Council to take, it should be noted in the application. Applicants will be notified at least a week prior to the meeting if they have been selected to speak. To facilitate this, presentation requests must be submitted to the Food Council Coordinator by no later than two weeks before the meeting. Presentations are selected based on their relevance to the work of the Food Council and the timeliness of the issue or information presented.

Food Council Members The Food Council is lead by 13 to 17 representatives from the local food system who serve a two-year term. Members are selected based on their individual qualifications in the following areas: 1. Commitment to improving the Montgomery County food system. 2. Lives, works, or has a strong interest/investment in Montgomery County. 3. Expertise in one or more local food-related issues such as agriculture, food security and access, nutrition, food business and industrial practices, food education and research, land use, urban food production and distribution. 4. Representation of one of the five food system sectors (production, processing, distribution, consumption, waste management) and one of the following “working communities”: -Business Community -Local Governance -Community Organizations and Citizens -Health and Educational Organizations -Rural and Regional Organizations 5. Capacity to bring specific food system relationships and resources to the effort, as well as potential to represent diverse sectors of the local food system and/or the community at large.

     

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Food Council Member Expectations Ongoing Expectations 1. Commitment to a two-year term requiring regular attendance and participation in bimonthly meetings (currently 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM or 7:00-9:00 PM on the second or third Wednesday of every other month) and follow up internal meetings. Food Council Members are expected to let the Coordinator know in advance if they cannot attend any public or internal meetings. 2012 Public Meeting Schedule: *Wednesday February 15th – 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM, Rockville Memorial Library, Rockville *Wednesday April 18th – 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM, Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring *Wednesday June 20th – 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM, Germantown *Wednesday August 15th – 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM, Briggs Chaney, Silver Spring *Wednesday October 17th – 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM, Bethesda Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, Bethesda *Wednesday December 19th – 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM, Red Brick Courthouse, Rockville 2013 Public Meeting Schedule: *Wednesday February 20th – 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Eastern Village Cohousing Community, Silver Spring *Wednesday April 17th – 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Brookside Gardens, Wheaton *Wednesday June 19th – 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Rockville Memorial Library, Rockville *Wednesday September 18th –7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Bethesda Green, Bethesda *Wednesday November 6th – 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Takoma Park Presbyterian Church, Takoma Park Meeting locations will be varied to enhance access to, and participation in, the work of the Food Council. 2. Active leadership on one working group of the Food Council OR one to two of the Council’s internal committees. This includes attendance and facilitation at the majority of one Working Group’s meetings (average of one meeting per month) with a few hours of work outside of meetings, or equivalent participation in internal committee(s), or some combination thereof. Active facilitation is considered working with the Coordinator to set meeting date, location, and time, drafting the agenda, and getting meeting minutes to the Coordinator within a week after the meeting. 3. Attendance at full day Food Council orientation, which is held annually in the winter. 4. Attendance at one internal meeting between each public meeting to be held bi-weekly via phone or in person, approximately one month between public meetings. The internal meetings will be held for voting on issues presented at public meetings and any necessary follow-up. Food Council Members are expected to let the Coordinator know in advance if they cannot attend any public or internal meetings. If a quorum does not exist for the meeting, the meeting will still be held with any issues that require a quorum put to an

     

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electronic vote. Members who can’t attend meetings will familiarize themselves with the issues discussed at the meeting in order to participate in the vote. Revisiting issues discussed at the internal meeting is strongly discouraged. Please see Appendix B to find out what the expectations are for 2012-2014 Food Council Members. 5. Commitment to working in the public interest. 6. Tolerance of a diversity of people and opinions. A commitment to reach out to and engage with people of all backgrounds. 7. Respect for the complexity and sensitivity of the Food Council’s work and willingness to follow procedures and decision-making processes. 8. Willingness to recognize the multiple demands that Food Council, Working Group members and other stakeholders have on their time. Commitment to communicating in the most direct, efficient, and transparent way possible to avoid, or resolve, miscommunication should it occur. Terms Food Council members serve a two-year term, with the potential for a second term of either one or two years. If the second term is one-year, the member can opt for a second one-year term, for a total of four years. At this point, they may choose to reapply to the Food Council for another set of terms. The chair or co-chairs serve as chair for one term only. Food Council Member Selection Process Four months before a Food Council Member’s first term is up, they must decide whether or not they will stay for another one or two year term. Food Council Member terms begin the month of February. Members must decide by October if they will stay on another year, and the application, nomination, and selection process will be held from November to January. An orientation will be held at the end of January or beginning of February every year for old and new Food Council Members. The orientation will be a full day over the weekend that is dedicated to reviewing roles, responsibilities, history of the organization, expectations for operation, and diversity training. In October a Search Committee is formed that consists of the Food Council Coordinator, Steering Committee Members, and two other Food Council Members. There should be no less than five people and no more than seven people on the Search Committee. The Search Committee is charged with handling and selecting the new Food Council Members. The Search Committee will work with the Coordinator to draft and distribute the application,

     

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reach out to any stakeholders unrepresented on the Food Council, review applications, and make the final selections. In the event of unanticipated changes to Food Council membership, vacancies, or if a gap in representation has been identified, the Search Committee may recommend appointments to the Food Council to ensure a consistent representation of diverse backgrounds, skills, and stakeholders on the Food Council. Food Council members will be asked to make nominations for this purpose. The Search Committee will reach out to nominate individuals and invite them to complete an application, review applications, and make the final selections. The Search Committee cannot increase membership by more than 30 percent through the appointment process. Removal and Leave of Absence A Food Council Member is in jeopardy of losing their seat on the Food Council if: 1. He or she is absent for more than two public meetings. 2. He or she is absent for more than half of the internal meetings. 3. He or she violates conflict of interest protocols. 4. He or she is grossly negligent of fiduciary responsibilities. 5. He or she fails to co-facilitate a Working Group or actively participate in an internal committee for longer than six months. The Food Council Coordinator will keep attendance records and notify the Steering Committee of potential problems. Procedure for Removal: If a person believes a Food Council Member should be removed from their position, they will alert the Steering Committee with a letter naming the person in violation of any of the above. The Steering Committee will touch base, either virtually or in person, to make sure they agree follow up is needed. If the Steering Committee is in agreement, then a representative of the Steering Committee or the Food Council Coordinator may begin by reaching out to the Food Council Member, either virtually or in person, to see if resignation or a leave of absence is in order. If the issue is more complex than a resignation or a leave of absence, then the Steering Committee will set up a meeting with this person to discuss the issue(s) in greater detail to see if a solution can be found. The Steering Committee will then set up a meeting with this person to discuss their position. If the Steering Committee is unable to resolve the problem, then the person will have the opportunity to speak with the entire Food Council. At the end of that meeting, the Food Council will make a vote on whether the person should maintain their position. Procedure for a Leave of Absence: If a Food Council Member needs to step away from their duties for a period of time they shall: 1. Submit a letter to the Steering Committee outlining their reasons for leaving. A Food Council Member can only request a leave of absence for a total of four months during their term.

     

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2. The Steering Committee will review the letter and make a recommendation to the rest of the Food Council. 3. The Food Council will vote whether or not to grant the leave of absence for the Food Council Member.

The internal management of the Food Council is lead by five different committees. The

committees include: steering, communications, development, monitoring and evaluation, and policy and advocacy. The purpose and expectations of each committee are listed below.

Steering Committee The Steering Committee is led by two elected Co-Chairs, one Treasurer/Fund Manager, and the chair of the Fundraising Committee as well as the Coordinator. The Food Council Coordinator works closely with the Steering Committee and regularly participates in Steering Committee meetings. A person can serve on the Steering Committee for up to two terms. The roles and responsibilities of each position are as follows: Co-Chairs The Co-Chairs lead public meetings, handle interviews and serve as the spokespersons for the Food Council. They help the Working Groups establish goals and deliverables, set strategic goals for the Food Council, and set meeting agendas with help from the Food Council Coordinator. This is an internally elected position. Treasurers (also known as Fund Managers) The Treasurers serve as the organization’s two Fund Managers for the Community Foundation for Montgomery County (the organization’s fiscal agent). The two Fund Managers are the individuals who have the authority to approve and manage the Food Council’s finances. One approves all of the Food Council Coordinator’s bi-weekly invoices, are the signatories on contracts, and manage organizational expenses. Another Fund Manager is also able to receive limited “expense grants” from the Food Council’s fund with the Community Foundation for Montgomery County. These simple grants of money allow the Fund Manager to make direct reimbursements without all the necessary details and paperwork required by reimbursements from the Community Foundation. The two Fund Managers and the Food Council Coordinator are the only people who have access to Donor Central, which is the Community Foundation’s online banking system. The Fund Managers work with the Coordinator to set budgets, manage cash flow, and approve expenses and reimbursements.

INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SECTION 3

     

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Secretary: The Food Council Coordinator The Coordinator maintains a historical record of all of the meetings of the Food Council, handles the approval of meeting minutes, and ensures the minutes and the agenda are publicly accessible within a week of each meeting. Communications Committee Purpose: This Committee serves as the communications and media relations arm of the Montgomery County Food Council. It works closely with the Policy and Advocacy Committee to decide strategy related to the Food Council’s positions and actions related to policy issues. Along with the Co-Chairs, members of this Committee serve as the Food Council’s primary spokespeople with the media. Process: The Committee is responsible for writing and/or editing all forms of Food Council communications, from letters to elected officials and the community, to promotional materials, press releases, statements and op-ed columns for newspapers. The Food Council Coordinator writes all drafts for the Committee’s review before posting to the Food Council’s website and works with the Committee to keep the website up to date, so it may continue to be a resource for the community. Additionally, the Committee works closely with the Coordinator to develop and implement a social media strategy through Facebook and Twitter, and other social media as appropriate. Committee members are expected to develop strategic relationships with key reporters and bloggers interested in issues related to the mission of the Food Council. Along with every Food Council member, the Committee is charged with developing strategic partnerships with stakeholders interested in working with the Food Council and its Working Groups and is responsible for communicating the position of the Food Council on certain requests the community may have, including sign-on letters and testimony requests. Expectations: The Communications Committee will meet (virtually or in person) at least once a month. The Committee, in whole or in part, is prepared to meet on an ad-hoc basis to provide immediate response to urgent communications or strategic needs.

Development Committee Purpose: The purpose of the ad-hoc Development Committee is to supervise and assist with grant writing to support the mission of the Food Council. The Food Council Coordinator convenes this group as necessary to make sure the budget is being funded.

     

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Process: Working Groups will present fund requests to the Food Council Coordinator (documentation template to come) for referral to the Development Committee. When the Food Council Coordinator does grant writing, the Development Committee will be expected to review applications and provide feedback. The same applies for grant reporting. All other budget and funding issues are handled by the Fund Managers, the Food Council Coordinator, and the Community Foundation for Montgomery County. Expectations: The primary need for funding is to fund the staff position of the Coordinator. It is anticipated that the need for grants will evolve from projects within the Working Groups and/or projects developed by the Food Council as a whole. Other funding needs will be based on the annual budget developed by the Steering Committee.

Monitoring and Evaluation Committee Purpose: This Committee develops the monitoring and evaluation system for the Food Council and its Working Groups. Monitoring and evaluation will allow the Food Council and its Working Groups to measure their effectiveness, progress toward goals and outcomes, and to demonstrate accomplishments to the public and funders. Process: The Monitoring and Evaluation Committee will determine the outcomes and indicators for the Strategic Plan (goals and objectives of the Food Council). This will occur as Working Groups meet to determine their activities for the coming year. The Strategic Plan indicators and outcomes will measure the objectives looking across the Working Groups’ and the Food Council’s goals. Each objective for each goal will have at least one indicator that monitors the Food Council’s progress toward meeting goals. Once the Working Groups determine what issue, project, activity, etc. they want to address each year, the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee will meet with the leadership of each Working Group to establish a Monitoring and Evaluation plan and determine methods to collect data. This Committee will introduce the process for Monitoring and Evaluation to Food Council Members during a summer or fall internal meeting and present an overview of Monitoring and Evaluation as part of a general council meeting in the fall. The Monitoring and Evaluation Committee will help Working Group facilitators turn objectives into indicators through consultations and then the Working Group facilitators will present their work plan for review at a Working Group meeting. Facilitators will identify indicators for how the Working Group plans to measure its outcomes. The data collection system will be simple enough to gather data easily and be used to write reports, submit grants, and report to other stakeholders.

     

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Anticipated Timeline: Summer 2012 will have completed the strategic level outcomes and indicators. Fall 2012 will have consulted with Working Group facilitators on their specific objectives, indicators, and outcomes. Expectations: The Monitoring and Evaluation Committee will meet with each Working Group once they have decided on their initial activity. Each Working Group will report on the data from their indicators two times a year at a public meeting and the Committee will help them prepare for that report and provide constructive feedback for improvement. The Committee will check in on the Working Groups’ progress as needed. The Committee will design and manage a data collection system.

Policy and Advocacy Committee Purpose: The Committee is tasked with researching forward thinking policies that advance the vision and purpose of the Food Council and then providing this information to the Council as a whole. The Committee may also assist the Coordinator with deciding which issues to have the Food Council address. When appropriate, the Committee may also offer specific recommendations for changes in existing or proposed policy that would further the Food Council's mission. Process: Any relevant policy and advocacy related items should be directed to this Committee for review and recommendations. Once the Committee has received a new item, they will convene to decide whether to take action on the item. The Committee will be tasked with prioritizing policy and advocacy issues for the Food Council based on their timeliness, relevance to Montgomery County, and how well they align with the organization’s mission. If the Committee determines that an item fits within the scope and vision of the Food Council and is a high priority, the Committee will research the issue and provide a brief summary of it to the Food Council with a general recommendation on how the Food Council should move forward. The Coordinator and/or Food Council Members will direct relevant policy and advocacy related items to the Policy and Advocacy Committee. Once the Committee has received a new item, they will convene to decide whether the Food Council should take action on the item, giving preference to those with the highest priority. If the Committee determines that an item fits within the scope and vision of the Food Council, the item will be further researched and presented to the Food Council. Expectations: The Committee is expected to provide recommendations on existing or proposed policies that the Food Council may review and take action on. Committee members are expected to remain informed about current policy issues and keep the Food Council updated on

     

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developments in local and regional food policy. The Committee will also assist the Food Council Coordinator in creating content and categories for the Resource section of the website.

Working Groups The Food Council is committed to taking positive action toward building a better food system for Montgomery County. The Working Groups are subcommittees within the Food Council that are focused on addressing specific issues that fall within food access, healthy eating, growing farmers, school and youth gardens, land use, zoning, and more. The groups establish projects, policies, and partnerships. They conduct research, inform and recommend policy change, and develop initiatives that improve our community. Expectations: The Working Groups will meet each month between general council meetings or more or less frequently as needed. Each Working Group will be co-facilitated by at least one Food Council Member or have a Food Council Member as a liaison to the Council coordinator. Working Group meetings will be open to the public and community involvement will be encouraged. Working Groups will provide brief reports on their progress at each general council meeting. Working Groups will set clear and specific annual deliverables that are guided by the goals, objectives, and mission of the Food Council. Someone will record minutes at each Working Group meeting. The minutes will be sent to the Food Council Coordinator within a week. The Food Council Coordinator will make all Working Group meeting minutes available to the public on www.mocofoodcouncil.org. The Working Groups will not take a position on behalf of the Food Council. If they are interested in having the Food Council take action or release a statement on an issue then they can present it to the Food Council for review. Facilitator Responsibilities: Work with Food Council Coordinator to schedule a meeting at least once between general council meetings. Manage any documents and notes from the Working Group. Make sure the Coordinator is copied on any Working Group communication. Prepare the Working Group update at the general council meetings. Manage (with the help of the Coordinator) the Working Group listserv.

WORKING GROUPS AND INVOLVEMENT SECTION 4

     

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Process: Working Groups must begin by outlining how they fit into the Food Council’s goals and objectives. Once it is clear the Working Group’s focus is appropriate, at least one Food Council Member must serve as a facilitator. A co-facilitator may be selected from other stakeholders that have demonstrated a commitment to the work group and can meet the responsibilities of co-facilitation. Once the facilitators are selected they will be expected to fill out the Facilitation Worksheet (forthcoming). Then the facilitators will convene a meeting and, with the help of the Coordinator, perform outreach to draw in necessary stakeholders. Once a Working Group holds enough public meetings to craft a basic work plan, the facilitators will meet with the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee to create a simple monitoring and evaluation plan and method for data collection. If necessary, the Working Group will also schedule a meeting with a member of the Development Committee to go over any potential partnerships, draft contracts, and funding opportunities if needed. Finally, the Working Group shares their project and progress with the entire Food Council as often as needed.

Friends and Partners of the Food Council Friends A Friend of the Food Council is any organization, business, or individual that supports the work of the Food Council through involvement with Working Groups, attendance at general council meetings, listserv membership, or simply by sharing the Food Council’s vision. To become a Friend of the Food Council, go to www.mocofoodcouncil.org and fill out the “Friend Form.” The Food Council has the right to “unfriend” any organization, business, or individual that does not share the mission and goals of the Food Council. Partners A Food Council Partner is any organization, business, or individual that has a contractual agreement with the Food Council to collaborate on structure or projects, in particular with the Food Council Working Groups. A Partner could provide expertise, resources, research, or any other useful support for specific food system projects. Partners may propose collaborating with the Food Council to secure grants for targeted plans. If interested in becoming a Partner go to www.mocofoodcouncil.org to fill out the interest form. See Appendix C for 2012 – 2013 Working Groups.

Food Council Coordinator The Food Council Coordinator is responsible for providing staff support to the Montgomery County Food Council. The Coordinator should have an understanding of food system issues, food policy councils, and organizational development.

     

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Staff support may include but is not limited to: Support the structure, mode of operation and make up of/for the Montgomery County Food Council. Support the Council as it develops its organizational strategy, which would include terms of Council Members, size of council, representation, Council Members’ responsibilities, etc. Developing the annual operating budget for the Food Council in conjunction with the Food Council Co-Chairs and/or a specified governance committee. Meet with individual members of the Food Council to identify relevant stakeholders and partners. Identify potential Partners and participants for the Food Council. Document Food Council meetings. Set up modes of communication for Food Council Members. Maintain an online presence. Manage the website (www.mocofoodcouncil.org). Maintain social networking presence, e.g. Twitter, Facebook, and blog. Support fundraising through the identification of funding and grant opportunities. Oversee the work of all Food Council interns or other support staff.

Food Council Internships The Food Council plans to develop a formal internship program by 2014.

Decision Making Decisions shall be made by Modified Consensus Building (a process developed by the Oakland (CA) Food Policy Council): 1. Hear all viewpoints:

a. Hear and address concerns b. Hear reservations

2. Seek consensus. 3.If there is no consensus, take a vote noting:

a. Blocking concerns b. Abstention – if a person abstains, their vote and count toward the majority are

removed from the process (i.e. if 10 people are needed out 15 people and a person abstains then it becomes 9 people out of 14 people) 4. There must be a quorum for a decision to be made. A quorum shall consist of 2/3 of the current number of Members serving on the Food Council. Decisions shall be made by 2/3 of the quorum. Proxies are permitted and it is preferred that the Food Council Members use the Coordinator as their proxy.

PROCESSES SECTION 5

     

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5. When decisions cannot be made by simple majority, disagreements will be distinguished as either:

a. Can live with it b. Strong disagreement

6. If more than 1/3 of the group strongly disagrees, reopen for discussion to reach compromise with at least 2/3 majority. 7. All Food Council Members will be expected to disclose any possible conflict of interest prior to the vote. 8. Decision making can occur in person, online, or over the phone. 9. Individual votes of Food Council Members will not be shared. Once the Food Council has made a decision, it will be a decision by the entire Food Council. The Coordinator votes only as a tie-breaker, only when decisions can be made by simple majority (i.e. there are no blocking concerns).

Policy Sign-on Protocol When other organizations request the Food Council’s sign-on to policies they are proposing, the approval process shall operate as follows: 1. Any Food Council Member wishing to propose that the Council sign on to another group’s policy should provide all relevant information to the Food Council Coordinator for review and circulation. 2. If time allows, the Food Council Coordinator will announce upcoming approval requests at an in-person meeting or bi-weekly phone call, and allow for brief initial discussion. 3. The proposed sign-on letter will be circulated via email for review, accompanied by an online poll designed to allow members to vote "yes" or "no" to sending the letter, or provide proposed changes to the letter. 4. One week will be allowed for responses to the poll. Non-response is considered "no objection." If any changes to the letter are proposed, another week will be allowed for Food Council Members to vote on a modified letter. If more than 1/3 of the group strongly disagrees then the proposal will need to be discussed at an in-person meeting with call-in arrangements available.

Communication Internal Communication Rules and Expectations: The Food Council Coordinator and the Communications Committee will facilitate the internal communication of the organization to ensure Food Council members are kept abreast of projects, organizational developments and group updates. The Food Council Coordinator will compile a bi-weekly internal digest that includes all the updates and announcements and place it on google DRIVE for Food Council members to edit. All notes from bi-weekly phone calls will be added as well, and then the document will be placed in Dropbox. The Food Council Coordinator and the Communications Committee

     

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will manage an online calendar (www.mocofoodcouncilcalendar@gmail.com) and Facebook page and Twitter that are updated with current events and news. The Food Council Coordinator and the Communications Committee will produce newsletters based on ideas shared by the Communications Committee and the Steering Committee and will allow at least two days for the Communications Committee to review and submit feedback. All Food Council Members will fill out a survey identifying their areas of interest. The Food Council Coordinator will make sure that as information comes in pertaining to those specific interests, the Food Council Members are informed.

External Communications Rules and Expectations: The Food Council Coordinator and the Communications Committee will manage all forms of external communication. The Food Council Coordinator and Communications Committee will be able to update social media sites using their best judgment. If any individual is unsure whether an event, article, announcement, etc. should be posted then they will consult with the rest of the Communications Committee.

Working Group Communication: Working Groups will each have separate listservs for communication within the groups. The Food Council Coordinator will be on each of these listservs to assist with communication between Working Groups and the rest of the Food Council. The facilitators of each Working Group will be expected to have minutes from each meeting submitted to the Food Council Coordinator within a week. The minutes will be made available for download from the “Working Groups” sections of the webpage. At every general public meeting, the agenda will allow time for brief reports from each Working Group. If a Working Group would like to spend more time updating the Food Council, the Working Group can submit a request to present (for more details on presentation expectations see page 6).

Conflict of Interest The Food Council is committed to being transparent, fair, and accessible to all. For this reason, our conflict of interest policy is as follows: All Food Council Members will sign a conflict of interest waiver. Food Council Members are responsible for knowing their own rules from the organizations, businesses, and agencies they work for or represent. Food Council Members always have the option to abstain from a vote or discussion if they feel it is a conflict of interest. Whenever a vote occurs, Food Council Members will be expected to share with the group any conflicts of interest they might have on the issue. There will be time allowed to openly discuss these conflicts of interest. The Food Council is committed to transparency. In addition, all prospective Food Council Members are expected to agree to the following considerations when applying for membership to ensure they are committed to putting the vision and mission of the Food Council above their self-interest when operating as a Food Council Member.

     

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I want to improve the Montgomery County Food System. I am open to a diversity of ideas and opinions and I am excited to develop collaborative solutions to current problems within my community. I am committed to working in the interest of the entire food system and not just my personal or my affiliated organization’s interest.

Budget and Funding

Fiscal Agent The Montgomery County Food Council is a sponsored program fund of The Community Foundation for Montgomery County, a regional affiliate of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region. As a sponsored fund of The Community Foundation, the Montgomery County Food Council is entitled to receive charitable contributions under The Community Foundation’s tax identification number. Fund Managers There will always be two Fund Managers in addition to the co-chairs who manage the budget and funding. One person signs the Food Council Coordinator’s contract as one of the fund managers, reviews invoices every other week, adds his/her electronic signature to the invoices and forwards it to the organization’s representative at The Community Foundation for Montgomery County. The other person signs the contract as one of the fund managers, is cc’d on the Food Council Coordinator’s invoices but does not have to sign them, and receives the expense grant from the Community Foundation. This person reviews the Food Council’s expenses and makes reimbursements for those expenses. Donations The Food Council is a not-for-profit, volunteer-driven organization. To make donations to the Food Council: Visit www.TheCommunityFoundationMC.org Click "Donate Now" at the bottom Fill out your contact and gift information, making sure to type "Fund for Montgomery - Montgomery Food Council" into the line that asks "Name of Fund I'm Donating To." Funding Parameters The Food Council is committed to improving the environmental, economic, social, and nutritional health of Montgomery County, Maryland and will only accept funding from entities that share this mission.

FINANCIAL SECTION 6

     

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APPENDIX A - STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Note: The strategic goals and objectives set out below are those created by the first members of the Montgomery County Food Council when the group discussed what might be accomplished in their inaugural two-year term. It recognizes that these goals and objectives may change as the Food Council membership evolves, and also as the organization experiences success and challenges as it grows.

Goal 1: Food Economy To develop and sustain an economically viable local food system in Montgomery County that supports producers, processors, distributors, retailers, and consumers of local foods Objective: Begin a supply chain analysis within the County to identify resources, needs, challenges, and potential solutions in creating a value chain in the farm to table process by year 1 Working Group: Value Chain Analysis Objective: Support training farmers and food processors in environmental, fair trade, animal welfare, and other certifications that add value to products beginning year 1 Working Group: Growing Farmers Objective: Implement solutions from supply chain analysis moving toward creating a more robust value chain system beginning year 2 Working Group: Value Chain/Mapping Solutions Objective: Increase acreage under production, and the diversity of local products produced and sold within MC beginning year 2 Working Group: Growing Farmers Objective: Develop place-branded marketing campaigns that add value to local foods through traceability, quality, and certifications while encouraging Montgomery County residents to buy local beginning year 2 Working Group: Growing Farmers

     

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Goal 2: Food Access To increase access to locally produced, healthy food among county residents, especially communities with limited access, over the next 6 years Objective: Map food deserts within the county and conduct needs assessment to understand where access issues exist, which communities are affected, and why in year 1 Working Group: Food Access Objective: Develop resource list or wiki of organizations, non-profits, county offices, and other entities with programs that address food access issues by the end of year 1, posted to the Food Council website Working Group: Food Access Objective: Develop initiatives and new objectives to address the food access issues outlined in the mapping, needs assessment, and value chain analysis beginning Year 2 Working Group: Value Chain/Mapping Solutions Objective: Increase the food self-sufficiency of county residents and community groups through training in backyard/urban agriculture and the development of stable community gardens beginning year 2 Working Group: School and Youth Gardens Objective: Increase the amount of fresh, local food served in Montgomery County schools, hospitals, senior centers, retailers and/or other institutions within 4 years Working Group: Buy Local [includes farm to school and other institutions] Goal 3 Food Literacy To increase Montgomery County residents’ understanding of the importance of local, healthy, food through education opportunities that lead to healthier food choices by residents over the next 4 years Objective: Expand school and youth garden programs to improve Montgomery County students’ understanding of where food comes from, its cultural significance, how to make healthier food choices, and appreciating fresh food through experiential learning within 5 years Working Group: School and Youth Gardens Objective: Expand school and youth garden programs to improve Montgomery County students’ environmental literacy, including sustainability and a sense of environmental stewardship within 5 years Working Group: School and Youth Gardens

     

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Objective: Expand opportunities for Montgomery County residents to improve their nutrition knowledge and cooking skills through education. Working Group: Healthy Eating Goal 4 Environment To improve agricultural soils and reduce the environmental impacts of local land and water use, and the environmental footprint from non-local food in Montgomery County over 6 years Objective: determine current environmental impacts and issues surrounding land and water use in the county by the end of year 1 Working Group: Land Use, Zoning, and Planning Objective: develop initiatives or policy recommendations to address the issues found in year 1 research beginning year 2 Working Group: Land Use, Zoning, and Planning Objective: partner with other organizations to assist county farmers and residents to establish rain catchment/rain barrel systems that reduce water run-off and water usage, and decrease run-off into the Chesapeake beginning year 2 Working Group: Water Catchment/Rain Barrel System Objective: partner with other organizations to develop a food waste compost program for Montgomery County offices, schools, and other institutions as well as promote residential composting either at home or through service providers. The finished compost product from these service providers should be shared with county farmers and residents to enrich the nutrient value of their soils beginning year 2 Working Group: Food Waste Compost

     

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APPENDIX B - FOOD COUNCIL MEMBER INTERIM EXPECTATIONS Interim Expectations (2012-2014) In the first few years of the Food Council’s existence, the Food Council Members will need to participate in regular internal meetings. The internal meetings will be a time for Members to work with the Coordinator to make sure the needs of the organization are being addressed and everything is operating smoothly. For the remainder of 2012 and all of 2013, Food Council Members will be expected to make it to one additional two hour internal meeting held between public meetings. These meetings will be held regardless of whether or not there is a guaranteed quorum and Food Council Members will be expected to submit their availability to the Coordinator in advance of the meeting. For the first two years the Food Council Members will be expected to rsvp to all meetings, attend at least 50% and be responsible to read, edit and approve the minutes from ALL meetings, regardless of whether or not they attend the meetings. 2012 Internal Meeting Schedule *Wednesday July 11th – 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM *Wednesday August 29th – 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM *Monday October 29th – 7:00 to 9:00 PM

     

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APPENDIX C - 2012 INTERNAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS STEERING COMMITTEE Co-Chairs - Kelly Feltault and Cheryl Newman Fund Managers – Dick Stoner and Michele Levy COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Sheila Crye, Michele Levy, Cheryl Newman, Jessica Weiss, Elizabeth Wenk DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE This ad-hoc committee is comprised of Food Council Members from the Steering Committee and the Communications Committee. MONITORING AND EVALUATION COMMITTEE Jenny Brown, Kelly Feltault, Cheryl Kollin POLICY AND ADVOCACY COMMITTEE Clark Beil, Shawn Connell, Larry Ledgard, Tim Warner, Jessica Weiss

     

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APPENDIX D - WORKING GROUPS 2012 - 2013 HEALTHY EATING Objective: Expand opportunities for Montgomery County residents to improve their nutritional knowledge and cooking skills through education. SCHOOL AND YOUTH GARDENS Objective: Expand school and youth garden programs to improve Montgomery County students’ understanding of where food comes from, its cultural significance, and cultivate an appreciation for fresh food through experiential learning within five years. Objective: Expand school and youth garden programs to improve Montgomery County students’ environmental literacy, including a sense of sustainability and environmental stewardship within five years. FOOD ACCESS Objective: Map food deserts within Montgomery County and conduct needs assessment to understand where access issues exist, which communities are affected, and why within one year. Objective: Develop a resource list or wiki of organizations, non-profits, county offices, and other entities with programs that address food access issues by the end of one year, posted to Montgomery County Food Council website. GROWING FARMERS Objective: Support training farmers and food processors in environmental, fair trade, animal welfare, and other certifications that add value to products beginning in the first year.

VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS Objective: Conduct a supply chain analysis within Montgomery County to identify resources, needs, challenges, and potential solutions in creating a value chain in the farm to table process by the first year. LAND USE, ZONING, AND PLANNING Objective: Determine current environmental impacts and issues surrounding land and water use in Montgomery County by the end of the first year. BUY LOCAL Objective: Increase the amount of fresh, local food served in Montgomery County schools, hospitals, senior centers, retailers and/or other institutions within four years.

     

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APPENDIX E - 2012 FOOD COUNCIL MEMBERS & STAFF Full biographies can be viewed at www.mocofoodcouncil.org/about/council-members/ Clark Beil – Senior Administrator of Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Licensure and Regulatory Services. Jenny Brown –Schoolyard Garden Coordinator for GreenKids, a grant-funded educational outreach program of the Audubon Naturalist Society. *Shawn Connell – Sustainability Coordinator at Sandy Spring Friends School and co-manager of the school's Community Farm. Sheila Crye – Owner of Young Chefs, a company that provides culinary education programs with the goal of passing on a fun, healthy and thrifty cooking heritage to the next generation. + Vicki Edouard, CPA -  Victoria is a certified public accountant, specializing in non-profits, and is currently living in Bethesda. She is a lifelong resident of Montgomery County, growing up on her family’s dairy farm in Boyds. Her brother, David Heisler, still farms in the Ag Reserve. *Kelly Feltault, PhD – Program Analyst for the US Peace Corps. +Cristina Frey - Cristina is a member of the Gaithersburg Rotary Club, community member with international business and graphic design experience committed to building a better food system. +Dan Hoffman – Montgomery County Department of Innovation +Laura Howard - Laura is a Community Benefit Program Manager at Kaiser Permanente working to increase access to healthy foods for vulnerable populations to support public health efforts and prevent chronic illness related to obesity. *Larry Ledgard – Farmer, Good Life Farm. +Michael Katz - Michael is a twenty year resident of Montgomery County and the father of three children in Montgomery County Public Schools. As an amateur gardener, composter, and bicycling farmer’s market customer, he brings a layperson’s perspective to the workings of the Food Council..Michael is passionate about edible landscaping.

     

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Cheryl Kollin – Principal of Full Plate Ventures, a consulting business that leverages the symbiotic relationship between business and social mission. *Michele Levy – Executive Director of the Crossroads Community Food Network, a Takoma Park-based food justice non-profit that aims to eliminate barriers to fresh, healthy, sustainably grown foods in communities statewide. +Brett Meyers- Brett is the founder of Nourish Now, a non-profit that collects donated, unused fresh food to deliver to families and organizations assisting the food insecure in Montgomery County and surrounding areas. *Cheryl Newman – Vice-President and Deputy Chief of Mission at Honest Tea, an organic beverage company based in Bethesda. *Dr. Vicki Reese – General and Trauma Surgeon and owner of 5 A DAY CSA. +Kim Robien - Kim is an Associate Professor at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. She is a public health nutritionist, whose research focuses on environmental nutrition and sustainable food systems, and the extent to which exposure to pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and other chemical exposures through the food and water supply may contribute to risk of cancer and other chronic diseases +Christabel Sampson- Christabel has worked in the healthcare field for over 12 years. She is a board certified Pharmacy Technician, Medical Biller and CAN with a certificate in Wide Area Networking. Christabel has been working with growingSOUL since 2011 learning and assisting with composting. She also does work with the homeless through Interfaith Works that runs several homeless shelters in Montgomery County. Christabel has seen first-hand that unhealthy eating can lead to various illnesses. Dick Stoner – Manager of Stoner Family Farms, LLC and collaborator on two USDA-SBIR and VAPG groups which are implementing technology relating to food traceability and farm marketing and identification. *Rev. Tim Warner – Chief Engagement and Partnership Officer, Montgomery County Public Schools **Jessica Weiss – Executive Director of growing SOUL – Sustainable Opportunities for Universal Learning, a diverse multi-generational non-profit that demonstrates the strategies necessary to create a zero-waste food cycle including composting, local food production, preparation and preservation all fueled by renewable energies. *Elizabeth Wenk – Vice President of Public Policy at Burness Communications, with a focus on issues of childhood obesity, food access and security and public health.

     

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FOOD COUNCIL STAFF Jessica Weiss – Food Council Coordinator (Current), mocofoodcouncil@gmail.com Lindsay Smith – Food Council Coordinator (September 2012 – April 2013) Claire Cummings – Food Council Coordinator (October 2011 – September 2012) * - left council in 2013 before term was up ** - left council in 2013 to become the Coordinator + - added to the council in 2013