MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
OCTOBER 8, 2009
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Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development Local Food Project Associate Jason Grimm: Request to Administer the Iowa River Valley Food Cooperative Consumer Survey to Johnson County Employees 1
Reports and Inquiries from Executive Assistant Andy Johnson County............................... 2
Reports and Inquiries from the Board of Supervisors........................................................... 2
Chairperson Neuzil called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in Room 203B in the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building at 6:42 p.m. Members present were: Pat Harney, Terrence Neuzil, Sally Stutsman, and Rod Sullivan.
Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development Local Food Project Associate Jason Grimm said the Iowa River Valley Food Cooperative has a distribution site in Merle Hay Mall. They work with producers wishing to market products through the Cooperative. Consumers buy products that they order once a month at the Cooperative at Merle Hay Mall, or they can have them delivered to their home. Grimm said he is working with a local food business consultant with Prairie Ventures and a group of University of Iowa students to establish a Cooperative in Johnson County. He said they are surveying Rockwell Collins employees as well as Midwest One Bank in Iowa City. Stutsman asked how the survey will be administered. Grimm said it will be on the internet. They will draft an email for approval by the Board of Supervisors, and then send the survey to whomever would send it out countywide, but Grimm said the Iowa River Valley Food Cooperative wants to be identified as conducting the survey. Neuzil asked what questions will be on the survey. Grimm said questions are related to how far people would be willing to drive to pick up food, what products they would be interested in buying, and what the distribution sites should look like. He said there is also a question to target the basis for a persons' interest in the Food Cooperative.
Grimm said this survey is a study as well as information gathering so the students can write a report. Neuzil said the Board has identified rural economic development and local food initiatives as a strategic priority. Grimm said people wouldn’t be required to take the survey and it will be available for two weeks. The survey would be between 12 and 15 questions and would take about 10 minutes to complete. Stutsman asked if the students will compile the information. Grimm said the internet service they use will organize all the information, give percentages, and rankings for certain answers. The students will have to analyze and summarize the information. Stutsman said the Board has talked about doing more with local foods and this is a good opportunity to gather data and learn about peoples' choices. Sullivan asked if the survey is collecting demographics on where people live. Grimm said yes. That will help them determine where distribution sites should be located. Stutsman asked when the survey will take place. Grimm said they plan to mail it out October 19 or 20, 2009. The Board agreed to put this item on a future formal agenda.
Executive Assistant Andy Johnson said the next full Board meeting is scheduled on October 15, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.
Stutsman had a Communications Committee meeting and a Chamber of Commerce Local Government Affairs meeting.
Harney attended a Communications Committee meeting, the ribbon cutting and opening ceremony of McCollister Bridge, a liaison meeting with Facilities Manager David Kempf, the Iowa Award honoring Grant Wood, went on site visits with Planning and Zoning, to Kent Park and the new Clear Creek park area, to Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and to the 4-H Four Oaks Pal Program. Harney reported he also attended the Coralville Chamber and the Iowa City Chamber meetings and the Chamber of Commerce of Business PM at the Children’s Museum.
Sullivan attended the Board meeting with FEMA, the State Department of Homeland Security, the State Historic Preservation, and the Sutliff Bridge Authority to discuss options for the Sutliff Bridge. Sullivan met with Information Technology Director Jean Schultz and other Information Technology staff to discuss landfill issues.
Neuzil said Governor Chet Culver ordered an immediate across the board cut in state spending with this Fiscal Year's budget. He said the Board might need to ask each department to prepare a report about the potential impact of this budget cut. Neuzil said he has a Listening Post scheduled on October 9, 2009 at Bruegger’s Bagel Bakery in Coralville at 7:30 a.m., and on October 14, 2009 at Baxa’s Sutliff Store at 12:00 p.m.
Adjourned at 7:01 p.m.
By Nancy Tomkovicz, Recording Secretary