Mark Thorne, Board President
Greetings! I hope you were able to view the recent and spectacular display of the northern lights! Very cool, indeed!
The Moscow Food Co-op Board of Directors held their May Board meeting on Tuesday the 7th at the 1912 Center from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Present were all eight Board members, our General Manager and Co-op staff, and one Co-op owner via Zoom. On the agenda were the General Manager’s monitoring reports for the B3 Asset Protections Policy, and the B5 Treatment of Customers Policy. The B3 Asset Protection Policy requires the Co-op to have adequate insurance against property and business interruptions, to have adequate liability and asset insurance, and adequate security for the premises and property. The Policy also requires there to be protection for intellectual property and sensitive data, member information, and the Co-op’s public image. The monitoring report was very thorough and was accepted in compliance with the Policy. The B5 Policy requires the Co-op to have a system in place where customers can voice their requests, suggestions, and comments. The Co-op will also maintain a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for all customers. The B5 monitoring report provided data on the number and types of comments, and data on the number of store accidents over the past five years, which was zero in 2023, Yay! All data and interpretations were well presented, and the monitoring report was accepted in compliance. More details can be found in the General Manager’s FYI report on the Meetings and Minutes page of the Co-op’s webpage.
The Board monitored its C2 Policy covering the Board’s governance activities. The C2 Policy has six parts and the first sub-policy requires the Board to maintain opportunities for two-way communication between the Board and owners. We do this by holding annual meetings and by having a 10-minute period at the beginning of every Board meeting where owners can address the Board. In addition, individual Board members can listen to owner comments at in-store events and other Co-op sponsored activities, or directly by email. The Policy also requires the Board to delegate responsibility through our various policies, to hold accountable the General Manager through effective monitoring of our policies, and to set General Manager compensation in a strategic and timely manner. We are also charged with providing educational opportunities, which would include our retreats, book readings, and other materials that are available. And, we are responsible for recruiting good candidates for Board service and ensuring fair elections, and other duties that are required by the bylaws. Overall, we found ourselves in compliance with each sub-policy, but do recognize we could implement some more effective Board candidate recruitment strategies.
In other business, the Board heard an announcement from the Elections and Board Owner Communication Committee (EBOCC) regarding planning for the 2024 Annual Meeting, which will be held on Friday, June 28th at Hunga Dunga in Moscow. The Board also heard from EBOCC and the Executive Committees regarding minor changes to each committee’s charter.
For our Study and Engagement Series, we heard from Sandra Townsend from the Moscow Area Mountain Bike Association (MAMBA) regarding their mission, history, and current activities and plans. The association was organized in 1997 by Jim LaFortune to gain access to trails on Moscow Mountain for mountain biking, which was illegal at the time. Access to the trails was given to MAMBA in return for members of the group spending time cleaning up the trails. This has been a great example of community involvement as MAMBA members, which include mountain bikers, runners, hikers, and cross-country skiers have worked together to develop and maintain 60 miles of trails in the area and counting. The group has a working Board of nine non-paid volunteers and is dependent on donations by members and some grant money. Challenges include funding for projects, and a plan for a trail from Moscow to Moscow Mountain in the vicinity of Mountain View Road. You can read more about MAMB and find out how to get involved at their website: https://mambatrails.org/.
Our Study and Engagement Series is a way in which the Board and staff 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 aspects of concern in our community is directly tied to our Ends.
The next Board meeting is scheduled for June 4, 2024, in the Fiske Room at the 1912 Center (412 E 3rd 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's Administrative 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
Further information about our Board meetings is at 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.