Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution has no fiscal impact.
Title
SUBSTITUTE Resolution to change the name of the Madison Local Food Committee (Local Food Committee) to the Public Market Development Committee, add seats to the Committee, and specify the Committee’s mission as focused on implementation of the Madison Public Market.
Body
WHEREAS, the Madison Local Food Committee was created in 2011 by RES-11-00586 with a mission to, “Oversee a community process to determine the best ways to enhance the local/regional food economy, address the needs of local growers and producers, and identify the best strategies and location for a public market that will meet these goals”; and,
WHEREAS, the Madison Food Policy Council was formed in 2012, shortly after the Local Food Committee was created, with a broader mission to address a range of issues and policies related to food; and,
WHEREAS, for the last four years, the focus of the Local Food Committee has been leading the effort to create a vision and plan the Madison Public Market and Market District, while the Food Policy Council has addressed a larger array of additional food-related policy issues; and,
WHEREAS, the existence of both the Food Policy Council and the Local Food Committee often creates confusion among members of the public who are unclear which committee is focused on the Public Market and which committee addresses a broader set of food issues; and,
WHEREAS, the Local Food Committee’s work has included researching models of other public markets, talking to stakeholders, developing the Public Market Business Plan, selecting and overseeing consultants, selecting a location for the Public Market, completing a racial equity analysis of the Public Market, developing a budget for the Public Market, broadening the project to be a Market District, creating the Public Market Implementation Strategy, cultivating potential Public Market vendors, and engaging the community in the Public Market planning process through numerous public meetings, workshops, focus groups, and surveys; and,
WHEREAS, key milestones in the Local Food Committee’s work were the completion of the Public Market Business Plan, which was approved by the Common Council on October 6, 2015 (RES-15-00814) and the completion of the Public Market Implementation Strategy, which was approved by the Common Council on March 15, 2016 (RES-16-00194); and,
WHEREAS, the Business Plan for the Public Market recommends that the Public Market is ultimately operated by an independent 501c3 non-profit entity; and,
WHEREAS, until such time as the non-profit operating entity is established, the Public Market project needs continued guidance and leadership from a City Committee focused on executing the five “Work Elements” described in the Public Market Implementation Strategy, which are operations, funding, design, vendor development, and momentum building; and,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the Madison Common Council hereby changes the name of the Madison Local Food Committee to the Public Market Development Committee effective January 1, 2017; and,
BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED the Mission of the Public Market Development Committee will be changed to, “The Public Market Development Committee shall lead the effort to implement the Business Plan for the Madison Public Market including planning the market’s organizational structure and management, creating a plan to raisinge capital funds, creating a site plan for the project, designing the Public Market building, overseeing construction, cultivating and recruiting Public Market vendors, advancing the racial equity goals of the project, and creating a process to transition operational control over the Public Market to a non-profit operator”; and,
BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED current members of the Local Food Committee will keep their appointments as members of the Public Market Development Committee if they so choose; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED whereupon the name of the Local Food Committee is changed to the Public Market Development Committee, the membership of the Committee shall be increased from nine voting members to eleven voting members plus three non-voting technical advisors, and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Mayor and City staff will seek to recruit additional voting members to the Public Market Development Committee who are community leaders with expertise in project development, project finance fundraising, business development, and racial equity, and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the three non-voting technical advisors will be individuals who represent potential tenants/vendors at the Madison Public Market, and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Mayor will submit appointments for the additional seats to Public Market Development Committee for review and approval by the Common Council; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED the Public Market Development Committee will be a temporary committee established to implement the Madison Public Market Project and to create a plan and timeline for the transition of operational control of the Public Market from the City to the non-profit operator, at which point the Public Market Development Committee will dissolve.