Phoenix Earth Food Co-op Board Meeting Minutes
June 9, 1992

Meeting opened at 7:40 p.m. Present were Dini, Madelyn, Robert Hannon, Gary, Kristie, Dave, Helen, later joined by Kyle, Becky and Hal. Last meeting minutes were read and approved as read.

Robert Hannon shared his experiences at the Co-op workshops he attended. Membership issues: Membership is considered income unless declared stocks which require a dividend. Bylaws must say sell shares refundable if and when co-op closes. Membership loans must be at low interest rates only to avoid problems with the S.E.C. (Robert gave all his notes and handouts to sec'y who.will forward copies with these minutes.) Personnel policies: Write up policies before opening, have all personnel (paid and volunteer) sign & date it. Samples included. We discussed liabilities of paid and volunteer workers. Keep a personnel file of all who work in store. The touchy issue of drug abuse questioning was discussed. For disaster: Business insurance, Inventory replacement, Equipment replacement insurance is recommended.

Robert also shared his impressions from the workshop about concensus and collective management vs. manager/co-manager operation. Regardless of type, the duties of all positions must be spelled out distinctly.

Next he mentioned that separate accounts must be kept for loans, capitol improvement and income. Regarding discounts: S.E.C. sees member shares with discounts as dividend. It gets harrier from there. We should not mention discounts, interest or dividend in bylaws. We can mention them in policies and procedures. Robert recommended we contact Greenstar Co-op because of their management skills and experience. We ended Robert's report with a discussion of the lease arrangement and with Kristie asking for careful handling and early renewal if possible as well as how to protect ourselves in case Haddad sells out.

MANAGER'S REPORT: Helen revised the opening date to 6/29 due to logistics of getting all contractors to sign off their work before filing for our certificate of occupancy and the ensuing waiting period. This generated much discussion about opening without the coolers certified and getting them later approved. Helen discouraged that due to the logistics. Next, she mentioned the obvious problem that we still have moths and we will use Pyrethrums. Gary recommended absolutely no food for volunteer or salaried people be allowed in the store until we get this solved. Helen reported that we could get bonding for cash register operators at $94/yr for $5000 coverage for 10-12 people. Dave moved we get it, Madelyn seconded. Unanimous. Kyle asked about board insurance. We were told we could not afford it, F.O.R.C. doesn't have it. Gary almost has the cash registers programmed. Dini moved we accept no personal checks except for the exact amount of purchase. Dave seconded, unanimous. Gary gave copy of modified store policy. Hal moved we accept it, subject to membership approval at next meeting. Dave seconded, unanimous. Gary will price compare. Gary will be gone 7/3-7/9 or 10. Gary is having trouble getting 20 paid hour/week without burnout and asked to revise his salaried status. He will meet with personnel and finance committees to hash out an alternative and present it for a board vote. Kristie asked Helen for an operating procedure manual (for running the store from opening to closing) and an itemization of as-yet-to-be-purchased equipment.

FINANCE COMMITTEE: We discussed balance of account vs. outstanding debts, then getting a line-of-credit or other reserve. Kristie spoke with Pat Garver re: hiring her for accounting, bookkeeping, etc.

FUNDRAISING: Kristie will step down as chair as soon as a replacement is found. Charlie King is Friday. Helen and Gary will back up Kristie (who is on call) at the concert. Kristie talked about thank-you postcards, leaflets.

MEMBERSHIP: Dini announced we have 261 members. We spoke of many ways to get the word out. Flyers got good response at the Old West End festival. Membership cards have been typed and will be distributed at the store. Kristie suggested the following thank-yous to especially diligent volunteers:

We all agreed to these expressions of our appreciation.

EDUCATION: We will send an announcement instead of a full newsletter this time. We discused which mailing list to use and how to announce our opening. Becky moved we generate a single flyer to go into Linkages newsletter and to our mailing list. Kyle seconded, unanimous.

There will be a special board meeting 6/15. Adjourned 10:02

1447 West Sylvania • Toledo, OH  43612 • 419.476.3211

Report to board June 9, 1992

Renovations still to be completed include painting back of building, installing concrete ramp, getting parking lot patched & sealed & lines painted on.

Signs are ready to hang - permits have been obtained.

Guardian has been contracted to do our security system.

Strauss Refrigeration has been contracted to install new compressors for produce rack, 5 door cooler & walk-in cooler.  They will work with our electrician.  Our plumber will install a drain.  Mike Burkett of Seagate Fixtures will exchange the compressor he sold us with the 2 Kelvinator freezers and will have Smitty of Ohio-Michigan Refrigeration install it.  Mike says he will guarantee the freezers will work fine.  He said he would pay for labor if in fact it doesn't work.  This is supposed to happen yet this week.

Strauss will not begin work until we get our walk-in cooler erected.  Steve Boellner had the concrete poured on 6/8/ and we can get to work on the cooler anytime.  Will need 2 to 4 men for this work.

We still have a major moth problem.  John Shephard of the Ann Arbor Creepy Crawly Ecological Pest Control will be here Sunday afternoon to do something.  We cannot bring food in, of course, until this problem is taken care of.

Volunteers are being contacted & trainings begun.  Eight people attended a cashiers training on 6/8.  Our scale has been delivered and a packagers training will be held on 6/10.

Cashiers must be bondable.  Cost to us for bonding through Brooks Insurance is $94 per year for 10 - 12 cashiers for an amount up to $5,000.  Dishonesty must be proven in any claim.

Our opening date of June 20 is no longer feasible due to compressor delay.  To open by July 1, compressor work must be completed by June 18th.

Our health inspector, Jack Sharp, stopped in last week.  The building inspector is the first to be contacted.  Everything should be hooked up & signed off by individual contractors before we call the building inspection dept. (or apply for a Certificate of Occupancy).  After building, fire inspector is called, then C.O. is applied for which could take up to 10 days.  When we receive the C.O., the health inspector issues a retail establishment license.

Want delivery of food on Sunday, June 28.  Linda Harig said she will plan to be here the day we get our inventory.  She will help us with receiving, pricing, setting up.