by John Cleary, Board President
At our well attended Annual Meeting in August, an enthusiastic new Board of Directors was elected (with one continuing member, myself). The outgoing Board deserves a standing ovation for the work they accomplished over the last three years to shepherd the business through the complicated process of planning, fundraising and relocation. Huge thanks to Rose Paul, Anne Van Couvering, Clare Dumas, Andy Robinson and Jan Waterman for all the hours of work on the expansion project. It was more work than a typical board would take on, but everyone rose to the challenge. The new Board will continue with the usual board duties of fiscal oversight and policy governance, but is also taking on the new challenge of envisioning the long-term future of this store now that the transition is completed.
During the October Board meeting, the new directors toured the building to get a better understanding of the physical infrastructure and operations. The main hardware side of the building is in good shape with minimal needs, but the older, single story section housing the grocery department needs a lot of work. Infrastructure like the walk-in cooler, loading dock and roof all need attention. The recent installation of efficient heat pumps will save the Co-op money through the winter, reduce our fossil fuel consumption and provide cooling in the summer as well. The Co-op Building Committee was a huge help on that project and many other smaller projects around the store.
Developing a comprehensive plan to address facility needs will be a top priority for the new Board. This process will take some time because infrastructure will need to be designed for the future of the business, not just meeting today’s needs. For example, the roof, loading dock and back wall repair are interconnected projects. If there are going to be any changes to the building footprint (such as moving the walk-in cooler to an exterior addition or changing the roof line) these decisions need to be made in a coordinated way. We will likely seek some outside assistance from an experienced contractor as this plan is developed.
Since most of the Board is new, we will be undergoing some training in Policy Governance so that we can function smoothly and provide the right type of assistance and support to the General Manager without being directly involved in daily operations. Policy Governance is a comprehensive model whereby governing boards establish their values and expectations in policy, delegate implementation to the General Manager, and monitor the outcome of operational activities against the stated policies. Policy Governance gives boards the capacity and role clarity to truly be trustees for the member-owners.
As we move into our 2nd year of operations at this location, we welcome your thoughts and ideas. I love shopping at this store and have heard that many of you feel the same way. We have a wonderful and hard-working staff. Let’s let them know how much we appreciate them. See you around the store!
Board Members
- John Cleary, President
- Carla Siegle, Vice President
- Maureen Lynch, Secretary
- Jeremy Matt, Treasurer
- Allen Freund, Liaison to the Building committee
- Katherine Bizzoco
Contact: board@plainfieldcoop.com
The Co-op Board meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 6 – 7:30 pm, in person at the Co-op.