From the Board | October 2016
September Board Meeting Recap
Two of the board’s biggest decisions at the September meeting reflect our commitment to “triple bottom line” management; that is, ensuring that our operations continue to have a positive impact on our environment and our community while maintaining financial sustainability.
Eureka Deli Expansion Plans Move Ahead—with the Triple Bottom Line in Mind
Co-op managers have been working with consultants over the last year to develop concepts and plans for an expansion of the Eureka deli and a corresponding “re-set” of the rest of the store. There was vigorous discussion at the meeting about the project’s potential impacts on various measures of the Co-op’s financial, environmental, and community success. In the end, the board voted to approve “Phase 1” of the project (development of more specific architectural and financial plans and schedules), while stipulating that the project must have zero net environmental impact and that management should consider providing a more community-friendly eating area in the new store design.
New Pilot “Co-op Access Program” Will Begin Next Fiscal Year
After more than a year of development by the Member Action Committee, followed by feasibility review by an ad hoc committee of board members and staff, the board approved a new pilot Co-op Access Program (CAP). The goal of the CAP is: “To help all interested members of the community to access the benefits of Co-op membership and of shopping at the Co-op, including the benefits of access to healthy food and of democratic member ownership, regardless of income.” The CAP will offer a 10% discount on all purchases up to $500/month to members with low incomes, as demonstrated by their participation in the CalFresh (formerly food stamps), WIC and/or SSI programs. The pilot program will run for one fiscal year starting at the end of March 2017 and will be limited to 50 participants, after which the board and management will assess the CAP’s success at achieving its goals and the impacts on the Co-op’s finances.
…and (as usual) much more!
The board also approved updates to our elections policies, approved a newsletter policy and a policy for keeping our membership rolls and share accounting up to date, set a 2% C-share dividend rate for the coming fiscal quarter, and directed the General Manager to being providing us with annual business plans and marketing plans to review each fiscal year, among other decisions. If you want more details, the full minutes of the meeting will be included in the board’s October meeting packet. You can get a copy of the board packet at the customer service desk (or by email if you request it) about a week before that meeting.
Next board meeting is the Annual Membership Meeting on 10/22, 3pm at Azalea Hall.
