Mark Thorne, Board President
Summer solstice is nearly upon us, which sadly means that day lengths will begin to decline. Oh well, it also means that long-day plants will begin to flower!
The Moscow Food Co-op Board of Directors held their June Board meeting on Tuesday the 4th 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. The General Manager presented a well-documented monitoring report for 2024 first quarter financial conditions and activities for Policy B1. It was noted that the loss of a wholesale account and shipping delays in January due to bad road conditions caused sales growth to be below our target percentage. However, even with the decline in growth, the good news was that overall sales growth for the quarter was positive. All other B1 fiscal sub-policies were accepted in compliance, including net income, which was also positive. 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 C3 policy covering agenda planning and the Board’s supplemental calendar. The C3 policy is a two-part policy that states the Board will maintain a calendar that contains all our activities including meetings, training events, policy monitoring, elections, and GM compensation and evaluations. The second part of the policy requires the Board president to develop meeting agendas, which can be altered if needed by a majority vote of the Board. The calendar itself is not part of the official policy but is included as a supplemental document along with the C3 policy. After a brief discussion, the Board voted that we were in compliance with the C3 policy; however, three small amendments were made to the calendar to better facilitate our work.
In other business, the Board voted to accept the appointment of Joseph Charles to the Board to fill the seat left open from the 2024 election. The Elections and Board Owner Communication Committee (EBOCC) confirmed the 2024 Annual Meeting will be held on Friday, June 28th at Hunga Dunga in Moscow. The Policy and Bylaw committee will add language to Policy C5 Directors’ code of conduct to better emphasize our compliance with the seven cooperative principles. In our concluding discussion, the GM and I shared important reflections from our attendance at the Consumer Cooperative Management Conference (CCMA) held in Portland, ME. We were both very inspired by the presentations in the breakout sessions and the tour stops to different Co-ops and local food producers in the area. I visited a small farm held in a land trust where the mission was to produce and store first-quality food for people who are food insecure. It was a great example of people doing great things for those in need!
For our Study and Engagement Series, we heard from Sam Martinet, Executive Director of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce. Director Martinet did an outstanding job of describing the mission and activities that the Chamber of Commerce provides to Moscow! The Chamber is a confluence of people involved in commerce and the community who work to support both economic activity and quality of life for Moscow and ultimately our entire area. The Chamber maintains six programs that provide member engagement opportunities to support member needs. Among its many other facets, the Chamber maintains an events calendar that keeps everyone up to date on current and planned activities, publishes a magazine of local interest, and is involved in area arts and entertainment, the Farmer’s Market, and various outdoor activities that enhance our quality of life. You can find out more by visiting the Moscow Chamber of Commerce website: https://moscowchamber.com/.
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 July 9, 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.
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.