POS Meeting Notes

9/5/07

Present: Jane, Chandra, Amber, Cindy, George, Slug, Tim, Sherry, Dora

New Visitors: Larry Middleton from Grafton, Kia & Hannah from POP at BUHS

Sharing/Announcements:

• Amber shared information on teach-in in Washington DC 14^th/16^th of Sept. May be some SIT students going if anyone is interested in carpooling
• Amber will be off to Nicaragua soon for practicum, gave update on the advances her and others have realized with their work to "Green" the SIT Campus and World Learning Programs throughout. She thanked all with POS for the support that helped support her and others, and POS likewise thanks Amber, Megan & Anne for all that they and others have accomplished.
• Amber mentioned that there is opportunity to have a POS table at SIT Community day Wed 12^th. AMBER WILL BE AT THE TABLE, ANYONE INTERESTED IN JOINING HER SHOULD BE THERE AT NOON.

Discussions

1. Bank Account:

• Lots of activity in account with money coming and going with localvores, WFM, and workshops, etc.,
• Question on pmt for workshop presenters – when there are co-presenters all present agreed each would be paid the full $50

2. POS Challenges and Future – 2^nd POS Retreat

• Tim raised the question of what is needed to sustain the POS projects. Mostly boils down to a core group of members and brings us back to the need for a Leadership Council or whatever we want to call it.
• International Center at SIT possible site for a Sunday retreat gathering. Tentative Date Oct 28^th.

3. CASE Application

• If successful, can help POS to fund a Sustainable Food Project Coordinator who would run (with direction from POS) with the local food projects and secure additional funding to maintain the position.
• Vision is that a first task would be for this person to work with Tim and a work-study student from SIT to find other funding sources to keep the position funded. Lisa Johnson is willing to consider Valley Food & Farm being fiscal agent for POS as we are not currently 501C3.

4. Cindy's Presentation for Food Sustainability Coordinator

• Cindy shared her interest and background for such a position and her resume. She is director of Drop-In Center/Food Shelf in Bellows Falls. Before was farming and doing work with farming community in Mali, West Africa. Experience has brought her to point of wanting to do more to connect people with food, especially those who are low-income to help them with awareness and access to local/organic food. Did SIT program, worked on farm in northern VT to get subsidies for low-income population to become parts of CSA. Promoted the "Plant a Row" project to get people to plant food in garden for those in the area in need.
• Local food movement is very much at the heart of what Cindy wants to be putting her passionate effort toward. It all comes down to who owns/controls the food supply. The time is now to create positions of leadership in our local communities around food. Community development is about facilitating the process, the agenda belongs to the community.
• Finds the opportunity of this position exciting, despite the risks associated with this new, currently unfunded "idea". Cindy has experience and has been successful with grant writing and has had access to information and individuals relevant to the whole world of fundraising and foundations.
• Discussion followed including concerns that POS not be lost as the community action group and become driven by the money/funding and related agendas. We would lose much of what has been attractive to many involved with POS.
• Tim proposed we invite Cindy on board to help create this position, she clearly has the attitude and the desire to make this a reality. All present agreed.

5. Social Gatherings

• All agreed we need to plan gathering again, the Common Ground was suggested as a possibility.
• Impromptu plan to gather at McNeil's Friday 9/7 to wish Amber and Anne well in their next endeavors.

6. Community Gardens

• Dora & Jane have been considering the grant process for NEGEF for next year for Dora to continue getting paid as coordinator. Maximum grant is $2500. Amber and Anne have gotten grant money to continue the SIT Garden on it's own. NEGEF grant to focus on continuing with Upper Dummerston Rd. garden and a new garden if that were created.

7. Tim will be interviewing students at SIT for 10 hour POS work-study position this Friday.

8. Winter Farmers Market

• Began discussion on question of POS maintaining the WFM rather than seeking to have BAFM take it over for the 3^rd season. Many positive points related to sustaining this project were raised.

 

Next POS Forum – Community Supported Renewable Energy Projects

7pm, Wed. Sept. 19 at the Marlboro Grad Center.

Next POS Meeting- 7pm Wed Oct. 5^th

Room 211, Paramount Bldg.