City of Columbia, Missouri  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Food Council  
The Food Bank Market  
705 Business Loop 70  
W.  
Wednesday, November 20, 2024  
4:00 PM  
Regular  
Columbia, MO 65203  
I. CALL TO ORDER  
A. Johnson called the meeting to order at 4:16 p.m.  
6 -  
Present:  
Anna Meyer, Katie Molitor, Tish Johnson, Shannon Stokes, Corrina Smith and  
Johnna Martin  
3 - Gabriela Weir Vera, Adam Saunders and Kyra Barnard  
Excused:  
II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA  
A. Stokes moved to approve the agenda, Meyers seconded the motion and it  
passed unanimously.  
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
A. Corrections were discussed regarding attendance and the accuracy of  
motions, particularly concerning Jackson's attendance. Smith pointed out a  
potential error in the motion recording, leading to a consensus for further review.  
Ultimately, Meyer motioned to approve the minutes with corrections, which was  
seconded by Molitor and unanimously approved.  
Attachments: Updated Draft meeting minutes  
IV. NEW BUSINESS  
A. Survey distribution updates  
The community survey for the Our Food Boone County project has been  
launched, receiving approximately 170 responses to date. Distribution efforts  
include outreach to community partners through the Live Well Boone County  
network, established by Public Health and Human Services (PHHS), as well as a  
public press release. Additional distribution via Constant Contact, expected to  
reach approximately 20,000 individuals, is underway with technical challenges  
being addressed. Printed copies of the survey, currently available only in  
English, have been ordered and will be distributed at the next meeting, with  
translated versions forthcoming. Based on prior response rates, the Constant  
Contact outreach is expected to yield approximately 2,000 participants, meeting  
the project’s quota. To engage food producers. To engage food producers,  
Johnson has scheduled meetings with Jeff and Glenda Deshon of Farm Bureau  
and Soil & Water to explore strategies for increasing participation, which can be  
bolstered by endorsements from trusted individuals or organizations  
B. Community Food Ambassador Program update  
Community Food Ambassadors will play a key role in ensuring diverse voices are  
captured, particularly from underrepresented areas, addressing both geographic  
and demographic gaps in data collection. Members discussed strategies to  
encourage producer participation and emphasized the importance of leveraging  
community partnerships, printed surveys, and translated versions to enhance  
accessibility. Next steps include distributing printed surveys, continuing outreach  
via Constant Contact, and sharing updates on producer engagement and survey  
progress at future meetings. Ambassadors will undergo training on December  
4th, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the PHHS training room, and while members are  
encouraged to attend to meet the ambassadors, participation in the training is  
not required. The recruitment process for ambassadors was straightforward, with  
eight applicants filling all available slots without interviews. Selected  
ambassadors have been notified, and confirmations for the training session are  
being collected. Post-training, ambassadors will begin in-person surveys with  
schedules being developed collaboratively with CCUA, the project team, and  
stakeholders. High-impact survey locations identified so far include the Farmer’s  
Market, the ARC, public libraries in Ashland, Centralia, and Daniel Boone,  
Loaves and Fishes, and the Senior Activity Center. Scheduling and outreach  
efforts are being coordinated by the project team, including Kaye, now a PHHS  
staff member, with logistical support from Smith. During the training,  
ambassadors will provide additional availability to ensure flexibility and  
sustained engagement and will have the opportunity to propose new survey  
locations, leveraging their familiarity with underserved areas in the community  
C. Vacancy has been posted  
Johnson noted that the Council vacancy had been filled, with Johnna Martin  
attending this meeting as a newly appointed public member.  
D. Vice Chair Election  
The Council addressed the need to elect a vice chair, highlighting the primary  
duty of the position: to preside over meetings in the chair’s absence. Molitor  
nominated Meyer for the role, with Stokes seconding the motion. A vote was then  
conducted, resulting in Meyer’s unanimous election as vice chair.  
V. OLD BUSINESS  
A. Our Food Boone County Finalized Logo  
Transitioning to old business, the Council revisited the discussion on finalizing  
the project logo. After reviewing feedback from previous meetings and  
comparing three updated designs shared by Schley, members debated the  
inclusion of various food elements, such as dairy, meat, and vegetables, to  
create a balanced representation. The challenge of incorporating cheese into the  
design was noted, with alternatives like eggs proving more visually cohesive.  
Members expressed preferences for consistent lighting and shading across the  
logo elements, favoring a design with a unified aesthetic. While some  
appreciated the inclusion of cheese for its explicit representation, others felt it  
disrupted the overall harmony of the design. Ultimately, members leaned toward  
selecting option two, which maintained consistency and balance among the  
visual elements. A motion was made by Smith and Meyer seconded to approve  
design option 2, concluding the discussion with a unanimous vote.  
B. Community contacts  
The Council reviewed the survey distribution process, incorporating feedback to  
expand outreach to suggested community contacts. Efforts have been made to  
connect with individuals in various areas, and members were encouraged to  
respond to any follow-up inquiries regarding potential connections. A suggestion  
was made to engage ambassadors in high-traffic events, such as the North  
Village Arts District’s First Fridays, which can attract up to 4,000 attendees, and  
the Living Windows event. Specific contacts, including Tootie Burns and Nikki  
Davis, were recommended for these events, with the caveat that alternative  
contacts may also be identified. The Council agreed to follow up on these  
suggestions and leverage City Hall’s display as an additional outreach  
opportunity.  
C. Retailer/producer surveys  
Feedback was gathered from multiple individuals on the full drafts, emphasizing  
the importance of reviewing them in their entirety. Efforts are underway to  
incorporate this feedback, and a finalized survey distribution plan will be  
presented, similar to the community survey approach. This plan may require  
additional input from the Council as it targets specific groups. Updates will be  
provided at the next meeting, where a more comprehensive discussion is  
anticipated. The goal is to align the rollout of targeted surveys with the  
community survey. Suggestions were made to involve ambassadors in events  
such as Powerhouse's turkey distribution and the Thanksgiving meal at Douglass  
High School, both of which attract significant community participation. Members  
recognized the importance of balancing outreach efforts with personal time,  
noting upcoming travel and holidays.  
VI. NEXT MEETING DATE  
January 15th, 2025  
VII. GENERAL COMMENTS BY PUBLIC, MEMBERS AND STAFF  
A. Ryan Ripple of the Gates Foundation has secured $40 million in donations to  
fund initiatives addressing chronic poverty in Missouri, with $200,000 allocated to  
ten selected projects. He recently met with Columbia nonprofits to encourage  
proposals, highlighting the vital role of nonprofits in tackling systemic issues.  
Details from his presentation are available upon request.  
Upcoming community events include the Veterans Farm Winter Festival on  
December 13th, featuring family-friendly activities, and a Giving Tuesday event  
on December 3rd. Both are open to all, though some Veterans Farm events are  
primarily for veterans and their families. Ambassadors are encouraged to  
participate to boost community engagement  
.
Efforts are underway to re-engage individuals from the former food council who  
feel excluded, and public comment opportunities will guide broader outreach.  
Discussions with Jefferson City have begun, recognizing the interconnected  
nature of food systems beyond Boone County. Revisiting a mid-Missouri focus  
may help expand the scope of collaboration.  
Producer and consumer surveys will include perspectives from local farmers,  
even those exporting internationally, to better capture the food system's realities.  
Outreach to Cole County and insights from local experts like Dhruba Dhakal  
could foster stronger regional relationships.  
Jefferson City’s USDA UAIP grant for food projects, potentially through Mocha  
Farm, offers additional opportunities for collaboration. Meanwhile, the local  
market has successfully transitioned to winter operations with strong vendor  
participation, signaling resilience in the community food e  
VIII. ADJOURNMENT  
A. The meeting was adjourned at 5:14 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)