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Our Board
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About our Board
The Board of Directors develops guiding policies for the Co-op, assures performance and fiscal responsibility, provides a link to members, and helps define the broader vision of the Co-op. These responsibilities are spelled out in our Policy Governance Manual.
- The Willimantic Food Co-op’s Policy Goverance Manual, click to download and view.
- Our By-Laws, click here to download and view.
From Left to Right: Nancy Ames, Kevin Donohue, Alice Rubin, Rhonda Withington, Steve Scanlon, Dan Britton, Tina Shirshac, Phoebe Godfrey, Mitch Beauregard stand-in (Romal)
Meeting Minutes
Willimantic Food Co-op
Board of Directors’ Meeting
December 10, 2009
Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m.
In Attendance Were:
|
* Alice Rubin |
* Dan Britton (Facilitator) |
* Kevin Donohue (Timekeeper) |
* Nancy Ames |
* Phoebe Godfrey |
|
Rhonda Withington |
* Shandra Craig |
* Steve Scanlon (Vibes) |
* Tina Shirshac |
|
Scribe: Susan Chasin
Guest / Member: Bruce Oscar, Bryan O’Hara
Welcome, Check In:
Everyone is good.
Approve Minutes from November 12, 2009 Board Meeting:
Nancy made a motion to approve the minutes from the November 12, 2009 Board meeting. Kevin seconded the motion. There was a request that the minutes be distributed sooner after a meeting. The motion was unanimously passed.
Letter of Intent to Purchase Building:
A question was raised regarding the price. It was decided that rather than state an actual price, we would make a statement about the price being “based on a mutually agreed upon number determined after an appraisal.” The purchase price would be determined after the market value is determined by an independent appraisal that the
Co-op will pay for.
We don’t want to present a low-ball offer because we don’t want to offend the owner, with whom we have a good relationship.
It was suggested that we should pay an attorney to do a “formal” review of the letter. It was pointed out that even though we did not pay him, Steve Bacon’s review of the letter would be thorough enough to be considered a “formal” review.
It was also suggested that we should find out from someone involved in commercial real estate what the various steps are and who pays for what.
It was decided that we should present the owner with a signed letter of intent but not include a price or specific timeline, state that the Co-op will pay for an appraisal, and will include a statement about needing a member vote regarding the purchase. We will talk to Carol about rewriting the letter.
Kevin made a motion to have Carol review and rewrite the letter and based on her review, the Board votes to move forward with the letter. Phoebe seconded the motion. It was unanimously approved.
Communication Committee:
Becky will come to the January Board meeting to show us how to use the blog. If we get enough traffic, we’ll set up a “community board”.
She will look into how to get some of the website in Spanish. Should it be the same site or different sites?
There was discussion about the need to switch to a faster host. It will be looked into.
Kevin will look into getting a wireless password for the next meeting.
Review Annual Calendar:
It was requested that “Annual Report” be removed from December on the master calendar. It already has been on the latest version, so the master calendar will be sent out when the minutes are sent.
Kevin volunteered to monitor D.8 for the January meeting.
We need to start looking for new Board candidates for the June election. We do not really know Denise’s status. She has been dropped from the Board due to inability to attend meetings, but she is welcome to return in the future if she wishes. We could put out a Board Declaration sheet that states the expectations for Board members, so possible candidates would know what to expect. In order to create some interest, we could talk about upcoming issues the Co-op will deal with. It would be nice to have 6 candidates. We could put the word out via store postings, the newsletter, and the website. We might indicate particular skills the Board needs.
B.4 Financial Condition:
For the record, we are in compliance as stated in the report prepared by Alice.
Payroll was almost $10,000 under budget, which is good. This is partly due to Shandra’s maternity leave. It was briefly discussed whether or not the Co-op is in a position to provide paid maternity leave. Alice said that it is not.
A question was asked regarding our current status with loans. Alice said that we have been able to pay ahead on our bank loan. The member loans start coming due in 2011 and go for a total of 5 years.
The income statement and balance sheet are the key points and there is a comfort level with the accuracy of numbers.
D.5 Board Process:
For the record, we are in compliance as stated in the report prepared by Nancy.
There was a question of compliance regarding D.5.1.2. It was decided that we actually are in compliance because once the agenda is emailed, the facilitator can contact the president with any questions they may have.
Approve Staff Bonuses:
Financially the Co-op is in a position to give staff bonuses this year. Last year the bonus amounted to one week’s payroll, which was around $11,000. This year’s recommendation is to double that because of the minimal raises. There will be further discussions regarding the bonuses as the final numbers come in for the year.
Kevin made a motion to approve staff and manager bonuses. Tina seconded the motion. It was unanimously passed. Abstentions: Steve, Alice.
B.8 Customer Service & Value:
Good information.
The timeline for the bulk expansion is 3 – 6 months.
There is a focus on making things less expensive. What about the social &
ecological aspects?
There are no formal rules regarding limitations on ingredients or distance
traveled. We try to be careful – it is up to the buyers to decide what they
should carry based on customer demand.
While we are trying to keep the margins up, increasing the bulk sales will
probably lower the margins.
The education part (B.8.2.1) is still our weakest area. Phoebe is working with
UConn on a movie series and speakers that could help with this.
The meat issue is coming up again because of increasing requests. We are
working on a plan to make meat available with the least amount of
controversy possible.
B.9 Membership:
We plan on doing an equity billing in 2010.
Working members is a gray area with some potential issues. Many Co-ops have
discontinued this practice.
The Co-op is doing a better job with getting information out.
Store Update:
Sales for the months of November and December (so far) have increased approximately 2% over last year. Not sure if this is due to an actual sales increase or inflation. The “person count” is holding steady or slightly increasing.
Executive Session:
Kevin made a motion that the Board go into an Executive Session in order to discuss Alice’s review. Dan seconded the motion. It was unanimously passed. The session ended at 9:03 p.m.
Board Training Budget:
It was decided that rather than have Board members go to the training that was previously discussed, it would be cheaper to have them come here to work with us.
What is the budget for training? No one from the Board ever requested a training budget be set up.
This will be further discussed.
Letter from Hartford Regarding Interest in Opening a Branch:
It was decided to create a sub-committee in order to gather facts and report back. Alice suggested that we could offer to be a consultant for them if they decided to form a Co-op and wish our help. We are not interested in opening a store there but we are willing to talk with them to determine exactly what they are wanting.
Kevin made a motion that Phoebe will be the point person for the discussion with Hartford. Tina seconded the motion. It was unanimously passed.
Member Speak Out:
Bryan attended this meeting as a way of “getting up to speed” on what the Board is doing because he plans to run for the Board in the next election. It was mentioned that if he were interested, he could be appointed to the Board at the next meeting. He agreed to that and it will be put on the agenda for the January meeting.
Wrap Up and Evaluation:
It was a good meeting and brought up some important issues.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:19 p.m.
Meeting Minute Archives:
Click on a date to download a Word document of the meeting’s minutes.
Year |
Date |
| 2009 | December 10, 2009 |
| August 20, 2009 | |
| July 09, 2009 | |
| June 14, 2009 - Annual Meeting | |
| June 11, 2009 | |
| February 11, 2009 | |
| 2008 | December 18, 2008 |
Board Bios
Board Bios
Phoebe Godfrey ’10 President
(860) 456-2774 (Home) (956) 236-6030 (Cell)
phoebe.godfrey@uconn.edu
Phoebe Godfrey is an Assistant Professor-in-Residence of Sociology at the University of Connecticut. She was written on the issues of ecofeminism and activism as well as a number of other unrelated topics- desegregation, pedagogy, obscenity..etc. She is currently involved in the creation of a student run organic farm at UConn as she seeks to integrate issues of pedagogy, activism, sustainable food production and social justice. She lives in Willimantic with her partner Tina Shirshac (who is also on the Board) and Tina’s son Dylan and their three cats, but no chickens as of yet.
Nancy Ames ’10 Vice-President
(860) 456-8909
ameswc@aol.com
Nancy joined the Co-Op in 1997 when she relocated from New York to Windham Center. After a career as a fundraiser for several museums and colleges, Nancy now focuses on gardening, knitting and cooking. She is also a member of the Board of the Windham Free Library and sits on the Windham Historic District Commission.
Tina Shirshac ’11 Secretary
(860) 456-7627 (Work) (860) 202-7251 (Cell)
tmshirshac@snet.net
Tina Shirshac has been a Coop member for the past 16 years. Supporting the local economy and being part of the community that the Coop creates has become extremely important over that time. Volunteering time as a working member, being involved on various committees, past employment at the Coop and now being a board member are all bits that add to a vision of where the Coop is and the great places it can grow to in the future. Tina currently works and resides in Willimantic.
Kevin Donohue, ’10 Treasurer
(860) 656-6050 (Home) (860) 942-0905 (Cell)
kcdonohue@gmail.com
Kevin Donohue has been a loyal coop member since it was on Main Street as well as a long-time area resident having lived in Columbia and Windham. Currently working at United Natural Foods in Providence, Kevin has also owned a Willimantic business and has taught at ECSU for decades. Living in a 1700’s house the Green in Windham with his beloved first wife Ellen, Kevin has three grown children and is active in the Windham Village Association. While never officially nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, Kevin would accept it without hesitation but is growing increasingly less confident of the prospect.
Rhonda Withington ‘12
rkps@juno.com
Over 25 years experience owning and operating a business. Many years being interested in natural health and alternative medicine. With many years of diverse business experience. I am grateful that we have the co-op right here in our part of the state. I look forward to working with the board and management of the co-op.
Dan Britton ‘12
(860) 690-0944
danielgbritton@gmail.com
Dan has been a Co-Op member since graduating from UConn in 2006. An advocate of eating well and treading lightly on the planet, Dan is grateful to have the Willimantic Food Co-Op as a source of great food and community connection. Dan is a resident of Mansfield and works for a solar installation company, Sunlight Solar.
Mitch Beauregard, 2006 – present
Mitch is an accounting and business professional with broad experience in accounting, financial management, retail operations, and human resource management. His future goal is to develop a youth bicycle outreach program for Windham County and to work with his wife in creating organic community vegetable gardens in the lower income sections of Willimantic. He and his wife live in Hampton with their coonhounds, cats, chickens and guinea hens. They have a large garden and specialize in garlic and tomatoes.
Alice Rubin, General Manager
Alice started her career in working cooperatively as a warehouse worker and truck driver for CT Coops – a wholesaler which later merged to become part of Northeast Cooperatives. She has worked at the Willimantic Food Coop since 1984.
Shandra Craig, Assistant Manager
Shandra has worked at the WFC for the last three years after returning to her hometown after college. She is Assistant Manager.
Steve Scanlon, Staff Representative
Steve Scanlon brings 10+ years of retail, managerial and customer service experience to his position as Grocery Buyer for the Food Coop. In addition to his various functions at the Coop, he is also a freelance graphic designer, a freelance web designer and a freelance computer support consultant.
Board Goals
Goal 1: Work with GM to develop a long-term strategic development plan (3-5 years)
Goal 2: Develop and enhance Co-op linkages with community partners
Goal 3: Increase interaction, participation and involvement with membership
Goal 4: Define and promote Co-op benefits
Goal 5: Strengthen Co-op’s financial position
Get Involved with a Committee!
The Co-op needs members to serve on committees to guide the direction of our co-op. If you have skills or expertise with a particular committee and want to help make a difference or help move the coop toward the goals set by the board, call to be included in the next committee meeting. Even if you are just considering it, give a call and sit in on the next meeting. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to participate.
| Committee | Board Goal | Mission | Coordinator |
| Finance | Goal 5: Strengthen Co-op’s financial position | Review finances with General Manager and advise Board on financial matters. |
Chip Gough 487-1445 |
| Communications and Outreach |
Goal 2: Develop and enhance Co-op linkages with community partners Goal 3: Increase interaction, participation and involvement with membership |
Communicate with members and the general public. |
Sarah Keleher 228-2117 alliswell13@sbcglobal.net |
| Downtown Fair Committee |
Goal 2: Develop and enhance Co-op linkages with community partners Goal 3: Increase interaction, participation and involvement with membership Goal 4: Define and promote Co-op benefits |
Plan, organize and run a fair in the Co-op’s parking lot. |
Kristin Fortier 860-368-1791 kristin_fortier@hotmail.com |
| Co-op Kitchen Committee | Goal 1: Work with GM to develop a long-term strategic development plan (3-5 years) | Review options for having a kitchen in the Co-op |
Kevin Donahues kcdonohue@gmail.com |
Master Calendar for the Willimantic Food Co-op Board
The Board developed the following master calendar that includes when policies need to be monitored as well as other events that occur throughout the year. All Board members should print out this master calendar for reference in monitoring and planning their work.
|
Month |
Manager Policies |
Board Policies |
Other Events |
Events for 2008-09 |
|
January |
A.1 Providing High Quality, Nutritious, Affordable Foods & Products |
D.8 Board Committee Principles |
|
|
|
February |
B.5 Asset Protection |
D.2 Relationship to Members |
1. Newsletter (early in month) |
Co-op Birthday Party |
|
March |
B.4 Financial Condition (internal) |
D.9 Cost of Governance |
|
|
|
April |
A.2 Assure the Viability of the Willimantic Food Cooperative |
D.7 Board Members’ Code of Conduct |
1. Buy envelopes and stamps |
|
|
May |
B.10 Environment |
C.4 Manager’s Annual Review (or June if Board meeting occurs prior to Annual Meeting) |
1. Mail ballots, Annual Report and |
Develop a new Board Packet and plan orientation |
|
June |
B.4 Financial Condition (internal) |
C.4 Manager’s Annual Review (or May if June Board meeting occurs after Annual Meeting) |
|
|
|
June / July |
|
|
1. Establish Board Meeting schedule |
|
|
July |
A.3 Promote the Well-Being of the Environment |
D.3 Governing Style |
1. Generate list of Board members |
Discuss and assign annual duties |
|
August |
B.2 Compensation & Benefits |
C.1 Unity of Control |
|
Form committee to develop budget for cost of governance |
|
September |
B.4 Financial Condition (internal & external) |
D.1 Board Job Description |
|
Country Fair |
|
October |
A.4 Support Cooperative Principles |
D.4 Agenda Planning |
1. Review Manager and Board goals |
|
|
November |
B.8 Customer Service & Value |
D.6 President’s Role |
|
|
|
December |
B.4 Financial Condition (internal) |
D.5 Board Process |
1. Approve staff bonuses (if Co-op |
Group forms to write Annual Report |
* Policy E Co-op Expansion Policy is only in effect when the Co-op is in an expansion project. At that time, the policy is monitored quarterly. The exact months in which the monitoring takes place is determined by when the expansion project begins. When the Co-op is not in an expansion project, the policy will remain part of the Willimantic Food Co-op Policy Governance Manual, but it will not be monitored.
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