October GM Reminder and Other News

Hello Coop Member,

We have several pieces of news to share with you in addition to inviting you to attend the October General Meeting.

GENERAL MEETING

The Coop’s next General Meeting (GM) is on Tuesday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Come to hear a report from the Treasurer on the Coop’s finances, reports from the General Coordinators on Coop operations, Coop Committee reports, and to make your voice heard in the Coop’s democratic governance system. There are two elections on the October agenda.

* To participate in and vote at the October GM, you must register by 5:00 pm on Tue., October 26: https://www.foodcoop.com/gmsignup/

*Members who pre-register and are eligible to attend will receive an email with the Zoom invite on October 26 after 5:00 pm.

* Get prepared for the GM by reading the meeting agenda: https://www.foodcoop.com/gmagenda/

* Read the draft minutes from the September GM:

https://www.foodcoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2021_10_26_minutes.pdf

FINANCIAL REPORT

The Coop’s 36-week financial statement will be presented during the Treasurer’s report portion of the meeting. Time is allowed for questions from members. Follow this link to preview the financial statement prior to the meeting:

https://www.foodcoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2021_10_26_financials.pdf

We strongly encourage you to make time to attend the October GM. Attendance at the General Meeting has fallen considerably compared to pre-pandemic attendance despite greater availability made possible by the online format. Your participation in our governance process is one of the three important aspects to our member-labor participatory model. The GM is where you get to discuss and vote on important proposals and also to hear directly from the General Coordinator team about the finances and operations of your Coop. Please come out on Tuesday night to virtually engage with your Coop community.

IN OTHER NEWS

GAZETTE: The Gazette committee is proud to announce the publication of the re-imagined Linewaiters’ Gazette. Two digital issues have been published and are available here: https://linewaitersgazette.com/

You may also access the digital Linewaiters’ Gazette following the link from the Coop’s homepage, foodcoop.com.

Over the past 18 months, the Gazette committee logged nearly 1,000 hours (during a time when member labor was not required) to create processes and ultimately a platform for a 21^st century Gazette. Nevertheless, the new Gazette is a work-in-progress and one that will doubtless continue to evolve. The members working on the Gazette thank you for your readership and support for this updated and more environmentally-friendly Gazette.

LENGTH OF CYCLE, ADDITIONAL WORK SHIFTS and CHANGES TO RECEIVING SHIFT START TIMES: The current cycle began on Monday, October 18 and is 6 weeks in length. The next cycle will begin on Monday, November 29. The length of that cycle has not yet been determined.

Shifts are now available in Cleaning (formerly known as maintenance), Food Processing: Bulk Packaging and Stocking, Produce Processing, and Soup Kitchen. Shifts meet throughout the week and some are in the evening. Please read the job description before signing up so you are aware of any requirements and the responsibilities of the shift.

Afternoon and evening Receiving shifts (both lifting and stocking) will now begin at 2:30pm, 5:00pm, and 7:30pm. The Coop is experimenting with these new start times as we try to figure out what best meets the Coop’s operational needs. Members working at 7:30pm will be allowed to do a small shop at the end of their shift.

We appeal to members to consider working a shift in receiving as this work is fundamentally to the smooth operation of the Coop. We need help getting products on the shelves for members to purchase. Shifts labeled Receiving: Stocking do not involve unloading trucks or heavy lifting.

We advise members to frequently check the shift calendar as new shifts become available throughout the cycle. Over the next several weeks, many shifts are available in all areas of Coop operations. Plan ahead and sign up now to be sure that you have shift credits in your bank before the next shift cycle debit date on November 29.

If you have any questions or problems managing your membership through Member Services, please visit the Membership Office for support and assistance. The Office is open 7 days per week, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.

As the Coop prepares to enter its busiest shopping season of the year, while facing ongoing national supply chain disruptions, we appeal to all Coop member-owners to dedicate all or most of your grocery shopping dollars to your Coop. As the Coop works its way back to financial sustainability, it is more important than ever that we collectively support our Coop with our dollars.

In Cooperation,
Ann Herpel, General Coordinator
On behalf of the General Coordinator Team