March 4, 2025, Board Meeting Recap
Daffodils are coming out of the ground!
The Moscow Food Co-op Board of Directors held their March Board meeting on Tuesday the 4 at the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Present were all nine Board members, our General Manager and Board Administrative Assistant, and one Co-op owner present on Zoom.
The General Manager presented her monitoring report for policy B1, 2024 fourth quarter Financial Conditions and Activities, and for policy B2, Planning and Financial Budgeting. The B1 report showed that fourth quarter sales growth rebounded from the third quarter and were also higher compared with 2023. Sales growth and income, as well as all other financial indicators, were positive showing that the Co-op is in good financial position heading into 2025. The General Manager also presented her 2025 work plan showing financial and management goals and priorities. The work plan was well prepared and takes into consideration risk assessments that could affect the Co-op, as well as important training and development needs. The Board unanimously approved both B1 and B2 monitoring reports.
The Board approved monitoring reports for policies D3, Delegation to the GM, and D4, Monitoring GM Performance. In these policies, the Board authorizes the General Manager to develop plans, policies, and practices for managing the Co-op as long as they use reasonable interpretations of the Executive Limitations (B policies) and Ends policies set by the Board and by which the Board monitors and evaluates the General Manager’s performance. These policies give the General Manager, and only the General Manager, authority and responsibility to manage the Co-op in the best possible manner as long as certain constraints are not violated. Our policies are available for everyone to read on the Co-op webpage under the “Meet Your Board of Directors” tab and then “Board Information.”
In other business, the Board briefly discussed scheduling for the spring retreat and planning for the Annual Meeting. The Board discussed chapters six and seven of the book “US History in 15 Foods,” which we are reading as a group project. The subjects in these chapters were the development of Jell-O and peanuts as food items and how social, economic, and political issues, including slavery and the industrialization of meat processing, played roles in these becoming common and accepted foods. We are reading this book as a Board to help educate ourselves on how we can best serve our community as described in our Ends policy (see below). In addition, we reported that our three-day Board food drive raised well over $300 to help replenish shelves at the West Side Food Pantry! Nice work Co-op folks!
For our Study and Engagement Series, the Board heard from Alondra Ibarra, Evelina Arevalos, and Victor Canales-Gamino, representing the University of Idaho College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). The program provides financial, academic, and supporting services for students in their first year, or their families, who have had migrant/seasonal farmwork backgrounds. For academic assistance, CAMP helps students with class registration, course requirements, study hours, grade requirements, and provides help for students still in high school to prepare for college work at the University of Idaho. In addition, during their annual Farmworker Awareness Week, March 25-31, CAMP brings to light the issues that farm workers encounter. During this event students and organizers collect protective clothing for people working in fields, increase awareness of violence protection for female farmworkers, hold a blood drive, and provide a venue for people’s stories to be heard. Overall, migrant and seasonal farmworkers endure harsh and difficult conditions to provide much of the food that nourishes us all, and respect and gratitude for their work is the least we can offer. More information can be found on their webpage at https://www.uidaho.edu/current-students/college-assistance-migrant-program.
Our Study and Engagement Series helps Board and staff members become better informed about issues and activities that affect our community. One of the Seven Cooperative Principles states that we have “Concern for Community,” and listening to people describe issues of concern in our community is directly tied to our Ends.
If you have questions or comments regarding these recaps, please email me your thoughts at mthorne@moscowfood.coop. It would be good to know that they are reaching our owners. The next Board meeting is scheduled for April 1, 2025, at the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center (411 S Main St, Moscow, ID). The meeting will run from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Current Co-op owners can attend in person or via Zoom. To attend via Zoom, contact the Board'sAdministrative Assistant at boardadmin@moscowfood.coop for more information and to RSVP.
Further information about our Board meetings is at https://www.moscowfood.coop/board-
meetings.
Sincerely,
Mark Thorne, Board President
Moscow Food Co-op Ends Policy
The Moscow Food Co-op is at the heart of a thriving, healthy, and inclusive community where:
1. We embody and embrace cooperative principles and values.
2. All community members have local access to environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and
healthful choices.