Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD MEETING MINUTES July 13, 2026 AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, JULY 13, 2026 The Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board (ATCFPB) convened on Monday, July 13, 2026 at the City of Austin Permitting and Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr., Room 1406, Austin, TX 78752. Board Members in Attendance: Andrea Abel, Lisa Barden - Chair, Beth Corbett, Nitza Cuevas, Kacey Hanson, Seanna Marceaux, Melody McClary, Natalie Poulos Board Members Absent: Marissa Bell – Vice-Chair, Erin McDonald Staff in Attendance: Edwin Marty (City of Austin), Amanda Rohlich (City of Austin) CALL TO ORDER Lisa Barden called the meeting to order at 5:00 PM. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Carlos Soto, Community Advancement Network, shared events coming up in the fall: August 26th, Building Community Forum – The Power of Connections: Taking Social Capital to the Bank. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Board Member Kacey Hanson motioned to approve the meeting minutes from the Regular Meeting on June 8, 2026, with Natalie Poulos seconding the motion. Minutes passed on an 8-0 vote. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. 3. Staff briefing regarding community gardens on City-owned land. Presentation by Lindsay Loftin, Community Garden Program Coordinator, Austin Parks and Recreation (see back-up materials for presentation). Staff briefing regarding Austin-Travis County Food Plan Implementation. Presentation by Edwin Marty, Food Policy Manager, Austin Climate Action & Resilience (see back-up materials for presentation). DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. 5. Discuss the Annual Internal Review. Discuss advocacy points of contact for each board member, both at the City Council and County Commissioners Court level. AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD MEETING MINUTES July 13, 2026 Beth Corbett left the dais at 5:48 and returned at 5:53 PM 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Presentation and discussion regarding the working group to expand access to nutritious foods through improvement to existing materials and resources and explore alternate or expanded hours for existing resources. Natalie Poulos provided updates. Request to change name of working group to Food Access for simplification. Presentation and discussion regarding the working group to participate in the USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) application for funding for conservation easements as a regional partnership. Andrea Abel provided an update. The working group is working to apply for the USDA RCPP. Meeting with farm owners who may be interested in a conservation easement. Presentation and discussion regarding the working group to explore revenue generators such as sugar sweetened beverage tax, a surplus food donation requirement for events, and/or a percent conservation fund from all land purchases or new developments. Lisa Barden provided updates. Putting on pause until there is additional support. Discussion of future strategic planning – delay until vacancies are filled. Review Board Member Assignments. a. Lindsay Loftin to send bee and flower flyers to Amanda Rohlich who will bring to future meeting b. Board members to email Lindsay Loftin with questions about gaps/opportunities in programming or funding. c. Nitza Cuevas to make friendly amendments to the Healthy Worker Rebate and return to staff d. Amanda Rohlich to connect Melody McClary to the Clerk’s Office regarding JSC appointment DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 11. Amend the bylaws to increase the term of the Travis County appointees to four years. Andrea Abel made a motion to amend the bylaws with Melody McClary. The board approved the amendment on an 8-0 vote. Discuss and take possible action on a Recommendation to create a Healthy Food Worker Incentive Rebate Pilot Program. Nitza Cuevas moved to make the recommendation with Kacey Hanson seconding the motion. Nitza Cuevas amends the recommendation with the friendly amendments and Kavey Hanson seconded. The board voted 7-0-1 with Beth Corbett abstaining. Discuss and take possible action on the Joint Sustainability Committee liaison appointment. Kacey Hanson moved to have Melody McClary serve as liaison with Andrea Abel seconding. The board moved to appoint Melody McClary as liaison with a 8-0 vote. 12. 13. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS • Capital Services Delivery Update on Food Forest and Remediation and Reimbursements to Food Forest for lost plantings • Del-Valle Food Co-op Board Chair to present on progress • Review and approve draft recommendation for Urban Ag Coordinator position • Austin Government Relations – Grants Division • Austin Emergency Management – Austin Resilience Network AUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD MEETING MINUTES July 13, 2026 • WIC Presentation • Changes to State Level SNAP – Jamie Olson or JC Dwyer / ADJOURNMENT Lisa Barden adjourned the meeting at 6:48pm PM. Minutes were approved at the August 10, 2026 regular meeting on Board Member Nitza Cuevas’ motion with Board Member Beth Corbett seconding. Minutes passed on a 7-0 vote.