Versión en español a continuación. Special Meeting of the Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board December 09, 2020 Meeting of the Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board to be held December 09, 2020 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance by December 08, 2020 by noon. All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the December 9th Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board Meeting, members of the public must: •Call or email the board liaison at Amanda Rohlich, at Amanda.Rohlich@austintexas.gov no later than noon Tuesday, December 8th. The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. •Once a request to speak has been called in or emailed to the board liaison, residents will receive either an email or phone call providing the telephone number to call on the day of the scheduled meeting. •Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to Amanda.Rohlich@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •If this meeting is broadcast live, residents may watch the meeting here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch- atxn-live Reunión del Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board FECHA de la reunion 9 de Deciembre de 2020 u por otra correo pueden folletos enviarse electrónico reunión se información La junta se llevará con modificaciones de distanciamiento social Se permitirán comentarios públicos por teléfono; no se permitirá ninguna entrada en persona. Todos los oradores deben registrarse con anticipación (8 de Deciembre de 2020 antes del mediodía). Todos los comentarios públicos se producirán al comienzo de la reunión. Para hablar de forma remota en la reunión, los miembros del público deben: • Llame o envíe un correo electrónico al enlace de la junta en Amanda.Rohlich@austintexas.gov, (512) 974-1364 a más tardar al mediodía (el día antes de la reunión). La información requerida es el nombre del orador, los números de artículo sobre los que desean hablar, si están a favor / en contra / neutrales, y un número …
87TH STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA Intergovernmental Relations Office – Brie L. Franco, Officer TEXAS LEGISLATURE INCREASINGLY FOCUSED ON CITIES Total Bills Introduced Total Bills Passed City-Related bills introduced City-Related bills passed Year 76th-1999 77th-2001 78th-2003 79th-2005 80th-2007 81st-2009 82nd-2011 83rd-2013 84th-2015 85th – 2017 5,813 5,612 5,633 5,512 6,241 7,464 5,938 5,950 6,476 6,800 1,622 1,601 1,384 1,389 1,481 1,459 1,379 1,437 1,329 1,208 1,230+ 1,200+ 1,200+ 1,200+ 1,200+ 1,500+ 1,500+ 1,900+ 1,900+ 2,500+ 86th – 2019 7,324 1,429 2,300+ 130+ 150+ 110+ 105+ 120+ 120+ 160+ 220+ 220+ 294 338 • 54 % more City- related bills were passed between 2015 and 2019 • 182 % more City – related bills were passed between 2009 and 2019 12/9/2020 87th Legislative Agenda 2 LEGISLATIVE SESSION: IGRO ROLE In the 86th session • 3,970 Bills/JR’s were filed in last 10 business days before filing deadline, March 8th. (54%). • 7,324 bills read and analyzed by IGRO. • Over 2,500 bills were determined by IGRO to affect cities. • 1,296 Bills/JR’s required analysis/action by departments and IGRO. 12/9/2020 87th Legislative Agenda 3 TREND: ANTI-CITY TONE: STATE LEADERSHIP "I think a broad-based law by the state of Texas that says across the board, the state is going to pre-empt local regulations, is a superior approach“ –Governor Greg Abbott 1 "Our cities are still controlled by Democrats…and where do we have all our problems in America? …in our cities that are mostly controlled by Democrat mayors and Democrat city council… That's where you see street crime.“ -Lt. Governor Dan Patrick 2 1: “Abbott wants "broad-based law" that pre-empts local regulations” Texas Tribune, March 21, 2017 2: “Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick blames city governments for "all our problems in America" Texas Tribune, AUG. 4, 2017 POST-ELECTION UPDATE Republicans will control House and Senate in the 87th Session • Senate: 18 Republicans, 13 Democrats Democrats gained 1 seat, Republicans lost supermajority • House: 83 Republicans, 67 Democrats Same as 86thSession Austin / Travis Delegation Held Seats • Including hotly contested seats: Reps. Goodwin, Bucy, Zweiner, & Talarico will all be back ISSUES THAT WILL INFLUENCE THE 87TH SESSION TREND: TONE Politically Charged, Overarching Issues Influencing the 87th session • Electing a new Speaker: Rep. Dade Phelan? • Redistricting (Special Session)? • School Finance & Budget • COVID-19 12/9/2020 87th Legislative Agenda 6 87TH AGENDA: LEGISLATURE’S CITY-RELATED PRIORITY ISSUES Super Preemption Police Reform Preemption COVID Preemption Employees’ Rights …
SAFELY REDUCING BARRIERS TO CHARITABLE FEEDING Response to Resolution 20200729-087 and CIUR 2290 City of Austin Food Policy Board Virtual Meeting December 9, 2020 ▪ Don Hastings, Assistant Director ▪ Marcel Elizondo, Program Manager Austin Public Health Environmental Health Services Division 20200729-087 & CIUR 2290: Charitable Feeding Organizations (CFOs) The Resolution Asian American Quality of Life Develop recommendations to amend the Food Enterprise permitting process for charitable feeding organizations (CFOs), in order to reduce the barriers of providing access to healthy foods for our community’s vulnerable and food insecure populations. Encourage the City Manager to cease enforcing structure-based requirements that do not impact life-safety and health at least until December 31,2020, to avoid losing this valuable network of resources, especially during the upcoming demands that we will see due to COVID-19 related lay-offs. 2 Asian American Quality of Life CFO Concerns: Hurdles & Burdens Sharing space (e.g., a pantry in a church) complicates permitting process. Tenant status complicates needed facility upgrades. Change of use determination triggers a need for Certificate of Occupancy, which triggers the need for building plans. Food handler certification for volunteers can be costly & time-consuming. Physical requirements of Texas Food Establishment Rules & City Codes can be costly & for lower-risk food pantries might not be justified: — Self-closing doors; smooth ceiling tiles, 3-compartment sink separate from hand washing station separate from mop sink. — Kitchen vent hood. — Grease trap. City-required fees can be burdensome: APH, Austin Water, Austin Fire, DSD. 3 Health & Safety Considerations Prior to Action Asian American Quality of Life BENEFITS of Streamlining: — Lower CFO operating costs will increase resources available to feeding. — Lowered cost-of-entry may result more CFOs to serve the community. — Registration/ permitting a higher percentage of existing CFOs will result in safer operations community-wide (an estimated 24% of CFOs are currently permitted*). *Note: An unknown portion of unpermitted CFOs may be Cat. 1 CFOs not requiring permits RISKS of Streamlining: food establishments. — Food borne pathogens pose equal dangers in both commercial and non-profit — The Texas Food Establishment Rules (TFER) classify all food pantries/ CFOs as food establishments except pantries that only distribute shelf stable & uncut produce. — CFOs often rely on volunteers who may lack training in food safety and hygiene. — It is common for CFOs to transition to higher risk …
Austin/Travis County Food Policy Board Draft FY2020-21 Work Plan (DRAFT) The Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board advises both Austin City Council and the Travis County Commissioners Court about ways to improve the availability of safe, nutritious, and affordable food that is grown locally and sustainability for all residents, particularly those in need. The original city ordinance creating the board stipulated that the board should conduct the following activities: 1) monitor the availability, price and quality of food throughout the Austin and Travis County area; 2) collect data on the food security (i.e., access to an affordable, diversified local food supply) and 3) the nutritional status of city residents; inform city and county policy makers, administrators, and the public at-large about the status of the region's food system and food security; 4) monitor and analyze the administration of city and county food and nutrition programs; 5) explore new means for the city and county to improve the local food economy, the availability, sustainability, accessibility, and quality of food and our environment, and assist city and county departments in the coordination of their efforts; review availability and recommend measures to promote the preservation of agricultural land in the City of Austin and Travis County; and 6) 7) 8) Recommend to the city and county adoption of measures that will improve existing local food production and add new programs, incentives, projects, regulations, or services FY2020-21 Food Policy Board Work Plan (DRAFT) Goal Potential Strategies How Strengthen board engagement practices to allow full participation of all board members ● Create Governance team ● Support mentorship among board members; strengthen member onboarding process ○ All board members partnered up ○ Shadowing Chair and VC positions ● Governance WG develops process and actions taken on by all ● Governance the result of creating these strategic areas ● Less siloed – board members ● Develop a full understanding of attend other WG meetings communications constraints related to being a board/commission ○ [Kara]: I think this is a great first step. I'd like to know, especially from the research of other boards/commissions, best practices on communication and collaboration that the board can implement. I think this is a "yes and". Document constraints, ● Check/Update/Develop communications guide ○ [Kara]:I'm not sure what the "communication guide" is but I think this could be expanded to implement communication channels/best practices ● Update advocacy docs ● How to start a WG guidance …
