Notes from Food Lobby Meeting at LAEV on 2/10/08
Facilitator - Ron; Scribe - Kathy; Present - Amy, Thiago, Lara, Jessica, Hilary, Rebecca, Irina.
Meeting convened at 16:03 and adjourned at 17:05.
1. Bulk Buy - deadline for current order is this Tuesday - pass the word.
2. Orientation - Ann has been doing an effective job welcoming new members and assigning them to cells.
3. Coordination - Ron has published a schedule of dates for each cell; 1 coordinator slot to be filled (Cell E); listing published of “Non-Sunday” jobs (newsletter, phone calls, database, outreach, accounting (Yuki), research). Workers taking leadership roles were identified (Randy handling money, Lara placing orders and opening door, etc.).
4. Membership - stands at 35.
5. Identified issues - How to determine who has dropped out so they can be removed from work shifts; what to do when active members fail to work; decisionmaking model; accountability; empowerment; duties pertaining to each role; improving communications; improving variety (fruit, grain, seeds, nuts); whether to charge a membership fee or markup.
6. Finley Farms - was dropped from rotation when it got down to 4 vegetables, could be reinstated, decision was not widely known.
7. Decisionmaking structure - issues could be discussed on the listserv, then decided at monthly meetings. Agreement that cell coordinators should make an effort to attend meetings and communicate with their cells.
8. Communications - meeting schedule can be part of orientation; notes in boxes an underutilized channel; any decision affecting the group should be brought to the Yahoo group (such as inability to meet an obligation); not everyone has reliable email access; adding/subtracting members from the listserv is not seamless process; meeting agendas should be published in advance.
9. Bikeracked for March: Membership fee or markup; Variety of foodstuffs; contiinue discussion of decisionmaking and communications.
10. Evaluation: Pro: Wow. Good discussion. Insightful. Interesting. Good. Good to be outside. Important community work appreciated. Enjoyable. Appreciate input. Path to improvement. Con: No visuals (need whiteboard). Could have had better reminders. Sundays hard.
11. Next Meeting: Sunday March 9 at 1600.