2009Mar05

There were present Yvonne Goodwin (6:00p), William Watkins (6:30p), Lisa Blake & Sándor Halász (6:40p), John Klear (7:00p), Abby Youngs (7:07p).

Yvonne Goodwin announce that she no longer can be president--too much work. Lisa Blake offered herself, if John Starr becomes treasurer, but he is free only after tax season.

Abby Youngs reports

A volunteer came in to look at the bad floor and found much rot from the freezers and coolers. It therefore well may be the coöp s fault, not for the owner to mend. Watkins and Klear talked of supporting the floor with jacks and heavier beams; maybe only the plywood is bad. They are willing to work on it. Yvonne Goodwin said that earlier the NCGA had threatened to call the loan if the coöp considers moving. Youngs said that Ken from the People s Food Coöp in Ann Arbor will come look at it.

On 23d 2-6 and 24th 8-3 there will come for a look at mending, cleaning, making the shop better-looking some from the NCGA. Some are for Phoenix s moving, some against. Goodwin said that they want to meet the board and the staff. Paula Gilbertson the Central-Corridor director is to be among them.

James anew works but part time for low pay.

Produce is indeed now high-priced: Watkins said that he would not buy produce from the coöp. Goodwin brought up CSA, Watkins that any competition helps us. Youngs said that CSA is now popular, there is not enough to go around. Blake said she would talk to that to which she belongs. Youngs said that in spring, summer, fall it is not so bad but in winter the coöp is stuck. Al Peake, local, was bad to the coöp. Phoenix is the smallest coöp, and suffers high prices. Sean gets good margin in comparison with other coöps.

Too few members know of the change. To the NCGA this is board bizness; Youngs suggests that someone of the board Saturdays be in the shop. She will write about it.

There is a new discount rate for preorders: 5% for all, 10% for members, 15% for member-workers, off the price on arrival, and only $10 down-paiment is accepted at ordering. She considers one monthly 5%-off day, Thursday or Friday, right after Wednesday when the orders come in.

Talk of email-address list and website-password, which Youngs has not.

How shall Grafenstein s money be spent? The NCGA is against billboard? Paula discuss with him marketing. Blake speaks for it, that generally no Toledoän knows of it. Goodwin explains that the message-bearind vinyl sheet that goes onto a billboard costs $1000, and rent for 6 months $3000. Something smaller called a poster costs less. May and June are the bizziest for these; a donation of three in one month is much likelier than one for three months. Blake suggests WGTE, although Phoenix is not an officially not-for-profit corporation. Youngs said NCGA finds mailing best, and David Finet suggests giving City Paper coupon books to fold into the paper, wherefore Youngs sees to it that all therin pictured is in stock.

Blake showed the book that she finds helpful, "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team".