City of Columbia, Missouri  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Food Council  
Department of Public  
Health and Human  
Services  
Wednesday, December 18, 2024  
4:15 PM  
Regular  
Training Room 1  
1005 W. Worley St.  
Columbia, MO 65203  
I. CALL TO ORDER  
Johnson called the meeting to order at 4:20 p.m.  
6 -  
Present:  
Katie Molitor, Tish Johnson, Shannon Stokes, Kyra Barnard, Corrina Smith and  
Johnna Martin  
3 - Gabriela Weir Vera, Adam Saunders and Anna Meyer  
Excused:  
II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA  
The agenda was distributed in advance of the meeting. Johnson requested that  
attendees review the document and suggest any amendments. A motion to  
approve the agenda was proposed by Smith, seconded by Barnard, and  
unanimously approved.  
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
Draft Minutes for November 20th, 2024  
•Discussion of Edits to Food Assessment Document  
Johnson referred to the food system assessment document and highlighted an  
edit in the third paragraph where the word "monitor" had been crossed out.  
Smith sought clarification on whether this change appeared in their copy, which  
was resolved after it was determined that they had been referencing an outdated  
version of the document. Smith also raised concerns about unclear language  
under "Business B" regarding family and outreach efforts. Molitor suggested  
refining the phrasing to enhance clarity, and Shikles and Oliver offered to assist  
with revisions.  
•Motion to Approve Document with Corrections  
Johnson called for a motion to approve the food system assessment document  
with the noted corrections. The motion to approve, with corrections, was  
proposed by Barnard, seconded by Molitor, and passed unanimously.  
IV. NEW BUSINESS  
•A. Proposal to Table Discussion on Items A and B  
Shikles proposed tabling the discussion on items A and B to prioritize other  
pressing topics.  
o Discussion on Food Rescue and Waste Management:  
Stokes provided an update on food rescue efforts, highlighting partnerships with  
Into Action and Starbucks. Johnson inquired about key contacts and local waste  
management practices. Challenges in rescuing food from restaurants, including  
packaging and portion sizes, were discussed. Additional community initiatives,  
such as food donations to Loaves and Fishes and Comac, were mentioned.  
Johnson shared a personal story and raised questions about donation  
restrictions. Barnard and others suggested exploring catered food donations from  
commercial kitchens.  
o Discussion on Business License Fees for Small Vendors:  
Smith expressed concern over the disproportionate impact of city business  
license fees on small vendors, proposing a lower revenue category for small  
businesses. Johnson supported this idea and recommended further research on  
fee structures. Molitor emphasized the equity concern of lowering barriers for  
new businesses. Attendees discussed challenges with duplicative fees for  
vendors operating across multiple counties. Smith offered to research business  
license structures in other cities and proposed adding this topic to the next  
meeting's agenda.  
o Discussion on Water Rates for Small Producers:  
Molitor raised concerns about the impact of water rate increases on small  
producers and home gardeners. Molitor referenced previous surveys and reports.  
Johnson noted a 4% rate hike in October, with plans for further increases.  
Attendees acknowledged the complexity of water rate policies and expressed  
interest in reviewing past reports to understand their impact. Schley suggested  
adding this issue to future discussions.  
V. OLD BUSINESS  
• A. Community Food Ambassador Program Update  
Nothing to update  
• B. Survey Distribution Update:  
Schley provided an update on the assessment phase, noting that 800 responses  
had been completed in the community survey, but no significant new data was  
available for presentation. Johnson elaborated on the survey's extensive  
distribution through Constant Contact, ensuring broad outreach.  
Schley clarified that 850 surveys had been completed, exceeding initial  
expectations. They emphasized ongoing efforts to encourage further  
participation and reminded the group of the retailer and producer surveys, which  
are integral components of the broader assessment.  
• C. Retailer and Producer Survey Distribution Working Session  
Schley suggested a brainstorming activity in which participants would break into  
two groups to generate ideas on improving engagement with producers and  
retailers. Sticky notes would be color-coded for the two categories. Johnson  
inquired about the meeting duration, and Shikles confirmed sufficient time for  
the session.  
Shikles proposed prioritizing categorization if time became constrained,  
deferring further discussion to the next meeting. Schley agreed and proposed  
emailing the updated distribution plan for review before the next meeting.  
o Brainstorming Clarifications:  
Molitor sought clarification on whether participants should focus on one category  
(producers or retailers) or both. Schley encouraged ideas for both, even if time  
was limited, and requested all ideas be recorded for later categorization.  
o Brainstorming Activity Assignment:  
Johnson suggested completing the brainstorming activity as homework, allowing  
participants additional time to refine their ideas. An unidentified speaker agreed  
with this approach, ensuring participants had ample time to contribute thoughtful  
input.  
o Discussion on Time Constraints and Topics:  
Johnson acknowledged the limited time available but noted several topics for  
discussion. An unidentified speaker apologized for the oversight on time. Shikles  
reassured the group that the meeting had been productive, with no issues arising  
due to time constraints. Oliver confirmed that the discussion adhered to the  
meeting's policy.  
o Updates on Business Licensing and Retailers:  
Molitor expressed satisfaction with the progress regarding business licensing for  
food retailers, noting that businesses like produce delivery services fall under  
different regulations. Molitor highlighted that businesses combining retail and  
restaurant models should be considered for inclusion in the discussions.  
o Discussion on Local Mexican Restaurant and Distribution of Specialty Products:  
Stokes provided an update on La Churrasa, a Mexican restaurant that also  
distributes specialty products to local restaurants. There was a brief inquiry into  
whether La Churrasa sources its produce locally, with Stokes uncertain of the  
supply chain. Stokes Suggested adding the business to retail rescue initiatives  
due to its broader distribution reach.  
o Updates on Upcoming Meetings and Events:  
Schley asked for final thoughts as the meeting was scheduled to conclude at 5:30  
PM. The group discussed upcoming meetings, including membership meetings  
on January 21st and February 18th. Stokes suggested using paper forms to  
distribute information at these events, as many recipients do not engage with  
emails regularly.  
VI. GENERAL COMMENTS BY PUBLIC, MEMBERS AND STAFF  
No additional comments.  
VII. NEXT MEETING DATE  
The next meeting is scheduled for January 15th, 2025  
VIII. ADJOURNMENT  
The meeting was adjourned at 5:45 p.m.  
USB DRIVES PROHIBITED: Due to cybersecurity concerns, flash drives and other media devices  
are no longer permitted for delivering files or presentation materials. A speaker who desires to  
display a presentation must upload the presentation, in advance, to the city network using an  
upload portal. To upload your files and learn more, visit CoMo.gov/upload. (Effective Jan. 1,  
2023)