Meeting Minutes
Meeting Date: 05/04/2025
Start Time: 2:15 PM
Location: Marys River Park
Jules Fredrikson (Gleaner Coordinator) opened the meeting.
Sharon Thornberry (PCS Executive Director)
- introduced herself, her qualifications, past work history, history of PCS program.
- Sharon makes sure the five programs at PCS run smoothly.
- Gleaners is one of five programs at PCS.
- PCS is a 501 C3 Non-profit organization. PCS Gleaners is not its own 501 C3. PCS Gleaners are the only gleaning group in this area that doesn't run their own 501 C3.
- Explantation of origin of the program - Wood program
- Discusses policies & procedures
- Policies and procedures need to be approved by the board. The last policies and procedures that was put together one year ago were not approved. Need to deal with new process for approvals.
- Applications
- Explanation of the self sufficiency program that Gleaners is, member participation is not a requirement ( e.g. Adoptees)
- Rules are enforced by two partner agencies and their agreements with PCS
- Linn-Benton Food Share
- Fresh Alliance (grocery store establishments and Target)
- Drivers are technically double insured- Fresh Alliance has a drivers policy and also driving on behalf of PCS driver policy as long as the driver has insurance a Drivers License on file.
- PCS Driver Policy Explanation **Requirements for drivers.**
- Drivers must participate in getting ServeSafe and Food Handlers certifications with the newly changed rules.
- New food safety policies- meat packaging broken = trash, dented cans cannot be circulated.
- Rules from partner agencies must be followed or we could lose the PCS Gleaners program.
- Sharon asked for all members to come ask questions- Come to office in SE corner of the building inside Junes Kids Closet or email her directly at director@philomathcommunityservices.org
- Jules mentioned if issues arise that there is no recourse of contacting Sharon.
- Elections- Board has approved Jules to Program Coordinator and Jennie Mikkelsen to Co-Coordinator. Rules currently do not show information for interim elections. As a group, gleaners must re-write policy & procedures and vote on them to keep it fair. Online elections have been harder as it hasn't been accessible to everyone/ harder to not be exclusive. Jan/ Feb may be more appropriate for an election.
- Treasurer solely for the Gleaners cannot exist- all funds and fund info go through the PCS Treasurer- Board appointed.
- Gleaners cost over $11,000 in 2024
- allocation of Gleaners fund information needs to be redirected to the PCS OneDrive. (Ann Morgan voiced concerns of program needing audit)
- No authority to a Gleaners appointed treasure anymore
- Sharon explains there was money found in the desk from 2023. Need to assure information is secure. Addressed how long info is kept. This is a liability of information. The less private information we keep the better for the safety of our members.
- Because our Gleaners program is part of PCS, we have privileges such as the van and building (walk ins, bathrooms, office space, electricity, water etc.)
- Explained need for a Co-Coordinator
Karen Canan aka Morgan (Gleaners Member)
- Spoke about her appreciations for what the building offers
- Shared her hopes that people do not talk ill of the program or past leaderships.
Jules Fredrikson and Jennie Mikkelsen
- Presented their ideas for structuring the program for the future because the needs are not being met with the 8 hours per Gleaner member requirement.
- Breaking the load down into teams so we can analyze the program more efficiently.
- "Wheel of Change" - a non-hierarchal division of work.
- Teams include: Admin, Inventory, Sign-Ups, Training, Adoptees, Fundraising, Site Conditions, Dispute Resolution
- Discussed the opportunity for Adoptees to come and help with the volunteer load.
- Looking to put together a list of members who live close and that could come in a pinch.
- Communication is a struggle and we're actively looking for ideas to get the group more communicative.
- Jennie will be out of town for three weeks. Needing to fill her position during that time.
Susan James (LBFS)
- Our Gleaning group was asked by LBFS to shop only one day per week.
- Our gleaning group is the only group in this region with two shopping days.
- This would help to maximize the amount we can distribute with deliveries allowed. This would allow our pickups to be more efficient.
- Susan James is trying to make it a fair system.
- Many concerns were addressed about what day would we move to and there were no answers.
