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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-25-2013 (3), tl Auburn International Farmers Market Advisory Board Meeting Minutes Friday, October 25, 2013 Auburn City Hall Annex Room #1 - 3:00 pm Mission Statement: The mission of the AIFM is to provide a forum for the purchase of a variety of healthy and locally grown products to area residents, a convenient marketplace for local farmers and artisans, and a vibrant gathering place for the community to enjoy downtown Auburn. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Trudy Ginther at 3.02 pm. Advisory Board Members present: Trudy Ginther, Maggie Greenslit and Linda Morris. Not in attendance (unexcused): Christian McLendon, Ronnie Roberts, Trenity Walker. (excused): Mark Wayne. City Staff /Council present. Market Manager Joanne Macnab, City Council member Bill Peloza and Parks Secretary Julie Mehl. Citizen present: Michael Thompson. II. Minutes May minutes not approved as there is no quorum. III. Market Manager Report —Joanne Macnab The AIFM had 63 registered vendors (and a waiting list of 9) 18 Non - Profits 19 Community Organizations = 100 participants for 2013 (96 in 2010) Averaged 40 vendors per market day for the 16 week season Opening Day 40 Vendors (including non - profit and community service booths) Closing Day 27 Vendors Most vendors on a market Sunday was 47 on Kids Day (July 281h) Shopper Count 23,454 (The 2012 season was 23,907) 2 Rainy Days Revenue Generated $19,080 ($16,890 in 2012) = 13% increase from 2012 plus $1,500 in sponsorships = $20,580 in revenue Gross Vendor Sales $157,214 (2012 season was $146,362) 7% Increase from 2012 season Food (in pounds) donated to the Auburn Food Bank 4,314 (2012 was 1,510 lbs.) @ $1.66 per pound = $7,161. We participated in the American Farmland Trust "I love My Farmers Market Celebration ". Purpose: To raise national awareness about local farmers markets and putting money directly in the pockets of family farmers. Throughout the celebration, consumers made pledges for money they intended to spend at their local farmers market. A pledge was a commitment to spend $10 at your favorite farmers market. Celebration ran from May 28, 2013 through midnight on September 9, 2013 Results: In Washington State - #2 Top 100 Most Celebrated Farmers Markets In the United States - #58 We had $450 in pledges. Bremerton was #1 with $830. In addition to a top 100 American Farmland Trust graphic and a top celebrated market in Washington graphic, we will be receiving a special thank you package of No Farms, No Food gear. We can use these special graphics in our outreach throughout the year. Community Service • Opening Day we featured our 2014 poster program entries from Auburn High School and their teacher Diane Sarr was present to introduce and acknowledge Mariana Rubio, our 2013 poster program winner. All participating AHS students received a Certificate of Appreciation and an AIFM t -shirt. There were 26 entries. • We had two canning demonstrations by Master Food Preserver - Hal Meng June 23rd — Traditional Jams August 4th — Many Ways To Can Green Beans • August 18th we featured Chef Marcello Baylor from Green River Community College. He prepared several dishes using only items found at the market. • Ciscoe Morris gave a presentation on June 30th. He called it "Stump the Chump" He invited the audience to bring their toughest gardening questions. • King Conservation District came to the market three times. On June 30th they gave information on soil testing and did a bat house building demonstration. On July 2151 they gave examples on creating a backyard wildlife habitat and on September 22nd KCD was at the market to advertise upcoming workshops at the Mary Olson Farm. We featured two gardening seminars with Marianne Binetti 1. "Oldies but Goodies" Gardening for Life on July 7th (Senior Appreciation Day) 2. 'The Naked Gardener" Growing Natural Without Pesticides on August 4th. July 28th was Kids Day and we had the VRFA Fire Engine on site and the King County Library-To -Go van telling short stories and providing children with lots of giveaways. Thanks to Artrageous, we featured a rock received a monthly break down of the weight. Linda says we should be able to get the weight at the time they pick up. Joanne feels the volunteers don't need more to do. Bill would like the weight numbers sooner. V. Correspondence /Public Input Joanne read the board a very nice 'Thank You' she received from the Auburn Food Bank regarding the chili cook off. Joanne was asked, by the executive director of the Washington State Farmers Market Association, to teach a class at the WSFMA Conference, a 'boot camp' for new market managers. Joanne hands out AIFM budget and vendor & shopper surveys for 2013. Joanne is working on creating a Market Statistics spread sheet for 2009. At the volunteer potluck, Trudy shares that it was discussed the market receives about $45,000 budgeted from the City and would like to know if we have used that? Joanne says we have used less than half of that money. Bill would like to see line items. The 2013 City budget is $41,900 and $61,897 is projected to be spent through 2013, including all grant monies. Bill would like to see a column showing the balance. Bill would like to know how much money to ask King Conservation District for this year. The total grants funds for 2013 is $22,000. Joanne will purchase merchandise for 2014 with the remaining grant balance. Bill would like to see line items such as advertising, revenue, expenditure and balance. Volunteer end of season suggestions include. more variety of live music and male assistance with set up and clean up. Joanne would like all board members to participate on market Sundays or if they are not able to attend, find a replacement. Maggie Greenslit shares that the Auburn Master Gardeners have nothing but praise for the organization and general ambiance of the market. Maggie would like to extend the market season from the 2 "tl week in May to the 2"tl week in October because we are missing pumpkins, squash, apples and pears. UIWe] 59!_ M I=- , $43 was all we collected from the raffle, the money will go to the Auburn Valley Humane Society. Trudy asks if Kay can continue to make blankets. VII. New Business VII. Board Recommendations /Input Board Member Maggie Greenslit hands out copies of board duties: Auburn, International Farmers Market.Advisory,l3oard -.Seven Mennbers . 4 painting /garden marker booth and Theatre Simple performed The Owl and the Pussycat throughout the market venue. • WIC came to the market twice. June 28th and August 11th. We provided recipes to the WIC clients. These recipes featured foods that were eligible for purchase under the guidelines of the FMNP and available at the market. • We had our second annual "Guns and Hoses" Chili cook -off on September 8th between the Auburn Police Department and the VRFA. All donations went to the Auburn Food Bank. We raised $720.46 from the event. The Auburn Police Department received 54 votes and the VRFA received 76. • Master Gardeners reported 568 contacts for the season. 2013 Major Accomplishments • We provided booth space to 18 non - profit organizations Total of 65 booths for the 2013 season • We provided booth space to 19 local community service organizations Total of 37 booths for the 2013 season • Total dollars earned by both the non - profit and community service organizations: $3,193.00 • We were on KIRO FM Radio (97.3) on Saturday, June 29th. • Agreement with Sound Transit for the continued use of the bus lane • Received a $20,000 grant from KCD for Marketing, Demonstrations and Education • Received a $2,000 grant from the City of Auburn Arts Commission Grant Program. • Received $1,500 in sponsorships $1,000 — Auburn MultiCare, $250 — Soroptomists, $250 — Coastal Farm & Ranch • Surpassed all previous market revenue totals. • Surpassed all previous vendor revenue totals. • Surpassed the total number of registered vendors for all previous years. • Surpassed the number of non - profits and community organizations represented at the market. I have been asked to teach a class (2 sessions) at the 2014 Washington State Farmers Market Association conference. It will be a data collection "bootcamp" for new market managers. The conference is scheduled for January 31 — February 2, 2014. IV. Council report — Bill Peloza WiFi is now available at the Sound Transit area. Councilmember Peloza asks for input regarding the amount to ask King Conservation District for. Board Member Linda Morris recommends $15,000. Bill would like to review the budget before he makes final decision. Joanne adds that the cost to have Ciscoe Morris record his t.v. show at the market is $4,000. We would need to explain to KCD how we plan to use the funding. Bill asks Joanne about the food being weighed before it goes to the Auburn Food Bank. Trudy states it is weighed in their van when they pick up. Bill would like to see individual slips by week showing the weight of the donated goods. Joannes states this year we (Chapter 2. 96 Auburn City Code) Is an Advisory Board to the City Council in farmer market - related regulations and activities. The Board ensures that there is a proper mix of vendors, such as, farmers and crafts (keeping crafts at an approximate 10% level), assisting in ideas to promote sponsors and funding, and recommending promotional awareness and interest at the farmers market. The Board consists of seven members — one member from the City of Algona, five members from the City of Auburn, and one member from the City of Pacific. Members of the Board serve three -year terms. Meetings: October through May (last Friday of the month at 3:00 PM) or as required. The public is welcome! Maggie would like to know when the AIFM issues go, before City Council Chair Trudy Ginther feels the meetings are more like volunteer meetings rather than a decision making board. Trudy feels the decisions made during meetings don't happen. For example, Joanne Macnab „Market Manager is not an employee of the City :and as a result does not have a voicemail on her office phone. 'Councilmember Peloza states the board needs to have a list of unresolved issues. Trudy feels the board is under the City but is not respected and would like to have Joanne become an employee of the City. . Maggie adds that the board has voted on the issue but nothing ever happened. Trudy states the following as issues needing.to be resolved: Joanne to become City staff with voicemail on her desk phone. We talk about bags and things don't get completed, emails are sent to AIFM board members and folks don't respond so nothing happens. Bill Peloza suggests to move forward and order bags. Joanne stated that she did move forward with the bags. They were ordered in August, 2013 and there should be enough to last for at least two years. Maggie-adds that the restrooms at Sound Transit are always in a bad state with horrible odors and the same stains have been there for quite some time. There has been no soap in the restroom toward the right for over -a year. Bill says that is a Sound Transit issue and is unfortunately a homeless restroom. Joanne adds the Washington State Farmers Market Association requires we have restrooms for vendors, but not customers.. Bill suggests renting,port-a- potties or writing a letter to Sound Transit to see what.theythink of our renting port-a- potties. Joanne suggests incorporating with complaints received from Sound Transit regarding the chalk; dirty spots in cement etc. with diplomacy. Joanne would like to know where the credit is for cleaning up cigarette butts, garbage and syringes each market Sunday, Trudy adds the issue of only having six board members and needing one person from Algona. Bill Peloza has talked with the Mayor about this issue and perhaps requesting. $.10,000 per city in lieu of a board member since both cities are,not involved at meetings or . financially. Bill has.spoken with Mayor Hill and he understands if they don't,become involved we will have to remove their names from ourmarketing. Trudy says the board also needs more volunteers on Sunday to help with heavy items during set up and take down.. Bill feels student participation would be helpful and will speak with Eileen, the President of Green River Community: College. Joanne would like one .hour.of set up time and one hour of clean up time, they wouldn't have to stay the entire day. Bill asks the board if the aluminum fencing 'can be exchanged for plastic fencing.: Joanne Macnab has tried and the answer given was "no”. Bill suggests asking Rob Roscoe in Human Resources: Advisory Board Member appointments = Trenity Walker, Linda Morris and Mark Wayne's terms all expire 12- 31 -13. Linda will stay on the board for another term. Mark Wayne is caring for his mother and performing so he will resign from the board. Bill suggests getting resignation(s) in writing. Trenity Walker has only attended one meeting, should the.board take action? Bill will contact Trenity. Trudy would like to discuss changing the meeting day from Friday to a. different day. Trudy will ask Christian and Ronnie if another week -day or time would work better with their schedules. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:35 pm. Approved this Day of �, 204