Lake County supervisors approve Food Policy Council bylaws, MOU with community foundation and clear membership to reopen applications

The Lake County Board of Supervisors on June 12 approved bylaws for a newly reorganized Food Policy Council, authorized a revised memorandum of understanding with the Lake County Community Foundation to serve as fiscal agent, and voted to vacate the council’s current membership in order to reopen the application process.

Rebecca Harper, introduced to the board as representing the Farm Bureau, described the council’s purpose in a presentation: “The purpose of the Food Policy Council is to advance sustainable solutions for Lake County's local food and farm economies so that growers and eaters can thrive.” Harper outlined a strategic plan emphasizing local production, processing, distribution and resilience in the face of emergency events such as wildfire.

The board approved three related measures: the council bylaws, the MOU with Lake County Community Foundation (version 2, as amended), and a motion to vacate the current membership and reopen applications. Each motion passed with an affirmative voice vote; the record shows the motions carried without recorded opposition.

Greg Damron of Blue Zones Project — which he described to supervisors as a company providing coordination and technical assistance — told the board Blue Zones and Adventist Health have provided substantial in-kind support. “Through the generosity of Adventist Health, we’re able to provide probably over a hundred thousand dollars of technical assistance and in-kind dollars,” Damron said, describing Blue Zones’ role as the council’s initial backbone organization and staff support while the council establishes longer-term structure.

Supervisor Bruno Sabatier, who sponsored the item, said the council seeks to combine work on food security, public health and local economic development rather than addressing them in “silos.” He described goals in the strategic plan including strengthening food infrastructure and markets, expanding school-based food production and enacting supportive zoning and policy. Sabatier also told the board the MOU’s signature page was revised so that the document is executed by “the County of Lake Food Policy Council” and the Lake County Community Foundation; he said a council representative may sign the executed agreement once approved.

Annette Camaloni, representing Lake County Community Foundation, thanked supervisors and said the foundation looks forward to the role. “We look forward to working with everybody to make sure that, you know, everyone in Lake County is fed,” Camaloni said during public comment.

Public commenters and council members emphasized several implementation priorities. A member of the public who identified themselves as a member of the Lake County General Plan Advisory Committee urged the council to support preserving agricultural lands amid the county’s general-plan updates and recommended making council agendas and meeting records accessible to broaden participation. Tammy Alexey, speaking as an American Red Cross representative and Food Policy Council member, stressed the council’s role in emergency food (she described it as “addendum number 5”). Joan Moss, a resident, urged incentives for home and school gardens, citing Kelseyville Grade School’s existing garden.

Kyle Bill, a member of the Lake County General Plan Advisory Committee, urged the council to engage tribal communities and consider impacts such as contaminated land that limit some tribes’ ability to grow food safely. Supervisor Sabatier acknowledged a tribal seat had previously been filled but said the council plans to reopen membership to find an engaged tribal representative.

Board action on the MOU names Lake County Community Foundation as the proposed fiscal agent for grants and contracts supporting the council’s work; supervisors were told the foundation would not be paid by the county or council for that role but would help identify grant opportunities and administer funds. Harper and other presenters said the council aims to identify a long-term “backbone” organization and to include Blue Zones Project staff in a transitional support role per the MOU.

The council’s bylaws, as approved, call for an 11-member council with a chair, vice chair and secretary and an executive committee made up of co-chairs, staff designees and standing committee representatives. Presenters said the council will review membership categories to improve quorum reliability for a voluntary body and will solicit new applicants to fill seats, including a tribal seat and representatives of schools, growers and other sectors.

Supervisors and presenters emphasized that the Food Policy Council is intended to be proactive, distinct from the county’s Ag Advisory Committee, and focused specifically on food-system resilience, markets and policy that support local producers and access to nutritious locally produced food.

The board closed public comment after several speakers and moved on to other calendar items.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Approve the Food Policy Council bylaws as presented. Mover: Supervisor Bruno Sabatier. Second: not specified on the record. Outcome: approved (voice vote; motion carried). Tally: yes 5, no 0, abstain 0.

- Motion: Approve the MOU between the Lake County Food Policy Council and Lake County Community Foundation, version 2, as amended. Mover: Supervisor Bruno Sabatier. Second: not specified on the record. Outcome: approved (voice vote; motion carried). Tally: yes 5, no 0, abstain 0.

- Motion: Vacate current Food Policy Council membership and reopen applications. Mover: Supervisor Bruno Sabatier. Second: not specified on the record. Outcome: approved (voice vote; motion carried). Tally: yes 5, no 0, abstain 0.

What’s next

Presenters said the council will pursue grant opportunities, confirm a fiscal agent relationship with Lake County Community Foundation, and continue Blue Zones Project staff support during the early implementation phase. Supervisors and public commenters asked the council to post agendas and recordings, broaden outreach (including to tribal communities), and align future work with the county’s general-plan process.