Drafter
Clerk 07/24/2008
Title
AN ORDINANCE establishing a King County regional food policy council; and adding a new chapter to K.C.C. Title 2.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Sections 2 through 6 and 8 of this ordinance should constitute a new chapter in K.C.C. Title 2.
NEW SECTION. SECTION 2. The King County regional food policy council is hereby established.
NEW SECTION. SECTION 3. The mission of the regional food policy council is to undertake activities and make recommendations to King County on policies, programs or operations to strengthen the local food system. The goal of these activities and recommendations is to improve public health, reduce impacts on the environment, support vulnerable communities, strengthen the regional economy, protect and sustain agricultural lands and increase the region's food security and emergency preparedness. As no single jurisdiction has sole authority over the local food system, the regional food policy council is encouraged to collaborate with cities, towns and other public and private organizations in King County who impact or are impacted by the local food system.
NEW SECTION. SECTION 4. The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
A. "Ancillary food policy sectors" means:
1. Food and community gardening, such as individual gardeners, staff or agency personnel who support community gardening programs such as those in cities and schools;
2. Labor, such as union representatives, labor advocates or others who address labor in a food system context;
3. Emergency preparedness, such as emergency preparedness planners with expertise in food access and food resources;
4. Planning and land use, such as environmental organizations, urban planners and other land use professionals or experts;
5. Transportation, such as transportation planners, advocacy organizations or other professional or experts with a focus on transportation and its relation to the food system; and
6. Waste and recycling, such as public or private waste, recycling, composting or food recovery professionals and experts.
B. "Core food policy sectors" means:
1. Production, such as agriculture and fishery, farmers markets and individuals with expertise in agriculture or fishing support and advocacy;
2. Business, such as retail and wholesale marketing of food, food processing and distribution and institutional food buyers;
3. Citizen or community-based organizations, such as those who may not have particular food system expertise but have an understanding of the needs of vulnerable communities;
4. Food security or hunger relief, such as emergency food providers or human service providers focused on food security;
5. Health and nutrition, such as nutritionists, dieticians or other professionals or experts focused on food and health; and
6. Research and academia, such as institutions of higher education and research organizations.
C. "Food security" means the availability, accessibility, acceptability, affordability, safety and sustainability of the food supply.
D. "Local food system" means the people and organizations involved in food security and the production, processing, distribution, preparation, consumption and disposal of food in King County.
NEW SECTION. SECTION 5.
A. The regional food policy council shall have sixteen voting members.
B. Thirteen voting members of the regional food policy council shall be appointed by the executive and confirmed by the council. Individuals nominated or appointed to the regional food policy council shall have expertise in at least one of the core food policy sectors or ancillary food policy sectors. In making appointments to the regional food policy council, the executive shall ensure that the core food policy sectors are represented on the regional food policy council before appointment of representatives from the ancillary food policy sectors. The executive shall consider appointments such that the membership of the regional food policy council is, to the greatest extent possible, reflective of the race, ethnicity, gender, age and geographic diversity of King County. The executive shall appoint and the council shall confirm members from among the following nominations:
1. One member shall be appointed and confirmed from among nominations by the agriculture commission;
2. One member shall be appointed and confirmed from among nominations by Washington State University - King County Extension;
3. Two members shall be appointed and confirmed from among nominations by the city of Seattle;
4. Three members shall be appointed and confirmed from among nominations by the Suburban Cities Association; and
5. Six members shall be appointed and confirmed with no nomination requirements.
C. Three additional voting members of the regional food policy council shall be appointed by the other voting members of the regional food policy council from among areas of expertise that the regional food policy council determines are needed to fulfill its work program. The regional food policy council may appoint individuals with expertise outside of the core food policy sectors and ancillary food policy sectors. Neither an executive appointment nor a council confirmation is required for these members.
D. Upon formal establishment of the regional food policy council as advisory to their respective jurisdictions, the city of Seattle and the county may each appoint one nonvoting member to serve on the regional food policy council. The King County executive shall appoint the county's nonvoting member from among the members of an interbranch team established to work with the food policy council.
E. Except for the nonvoting members, members of the regional food policy council shall serve two-year terms. However, the eight following members shall initially serve terms of one year:
a. one member appointed from among nominations by Washington State University - King County Extension;
b. one member appointed from among nominations by the city of Seattle;
c. one member appointed from among nominations by the Suburban Cities Association;
d. three members appointed with no nomination requirements; and
e. two members appointed by the regional food policy council.
NEW SECTION. SECTION 6. The regional food policy council shall:
A. Elect officers and adopt administrative procedures consistent with this chapter before undertaking its other responsibilities identified in this chapter;
B. Actively encourage involvement of the general public in their work;
C. Comply with the Washington state Public Records Act, chapter 42.56 RCW; and
D. Submit by January 1 of each year beginning in 2010 an annual report for review and adoption by motion by the county council. Twelve copies of the report shall be filed with the clerk of the council for distribution to all councilmembers and the policy staff director. The annual report shall include:
1. Accomplishments and results from the prior year's work program;
2. A suggested work program for the regional food policy council for the coming year which supports the regional food policy council's mission. The work program shall include goals and strategies for the coming year that address the following activities of the regional food policy council:
a. development of recommendations on major policies, programs and operations of King County and other entities that the regional food policy council advises;
b. advocacy with the public and with other entities in King County including cities, towns, school districts, major institutions, community-based organizations and other regional bodies to increase awareness of the benefits of a strong local food system and develop and coordinate policies across jurisdictions;
c. advocacy with the state and federal government on policies that impact the local food system;
d. collaboration with the King County agriculture commission to support the agriculture commission's mission to preserve and enhance agricultural land, support and promote a viable agricultural community, and educate the public about the benefits of local agricultural products. The regional food policy council shall collaborate with the agriculture commission to identify and reduce barriers between farmers and urban consumers, including businesses and institutions; and
3. Recommendations regarding membership, operation, funding and involvement of other public and private organizations in the regional food policy council.
SECTION 7.
A. In addition to the requirements in section 6.D. of this ordinance, the first annual report of the regional food policy council shall include an assessment of the impacts of the food system on county policy goals, programs and operations, and an assessment of the impact of county policies, programs and operations on the food system. The regional food policy council shall use this assessment to develop options consistent with the county's roles and responsibilities for the 2010 work program.
B. Upon review of the first annual report, it is the intent of the county to evaluate the role of the county in strengthening the local food system and whether continuation of the regional food policy council as a regional advisory body is a reasonable mechanism to assist the county in achieving its policy goals.
NEW SECTION. SECTION 8. Members of the regional food policy council may be reimbursed for mileage and parking expenses between a member's workplace or residence and the location of meetings where regional food policy council business is conducted.
SECTION 9.
A. The executive shall establish an interbranch team to work with the regional food policy council. The interbranch team shall work in collaboration with the regional food policy council to ensure that the regional food policy council's work is aligned with the policy goals and roles and responsibilities of the county. The interbranch team shall provide information to the regional food policy council regarding the county's policies, programs, and operations that impact or are impacted by the food system and shall collaborate with the regional food policy council in preparation of the regional food policy council's annual report. The interbranch team shall include representatives from, at a minimum, the following county departments and divisions, or their successors: the department of community and human services; the department of development and environmental services; the department of natural resources and parks, parks and recreation division, solid waste division and water and land resources division; the department of public health; and the department of transportation. The council chair shall designate a representative from the legislative branch to serve as a member of the interbranch team.
B. It is the intent of the county to provide for staffing and operations of the regional food policy council and interbranch team through an agreement with Washington State University - King Count Extension. It is the intent of the county that the annual budget for King County includes funding to support the agreement that is allocated across county funds, departments and divisions participating in and benefiting from the work of the regional food policy council.
C. Upon adoption by the city of Seattle of the regional food policy council as advisory to its jurisdiction, the executive is requested to negotiate an agreement with the
city of Seattle for funding to support the agreement with Washington State University - King County Extension for staffing and operations of the regional food policy council.