It’s that time of the year when we think about the things for which we are thankful. I have been feeling thankful and grateful for so much these past few weeks. Definitely for all the core Co-op stuff: the committed staff, the member laborers, the committee members.

I’m also grateful to those people we have hired to help us. Our “consultants” have proven to be just as dedicated to helping us achieve our goals as we have. In particular I am feeling grateful to our small Facilities committee. Charged by the Board with “shepherding” the site selection process and morphing into the smaller committee that will coordinate all the “specialists” and help that we will need moving forward, they are a great bunch to work with. Each brings a certain something — management brings experiences they have had opening new stores, financial expertise, an interest in the process and how what we need can translate to what we’ll get, and the members bring institutional memory and outside bank and real estate expertise, plumbing know-how, etc. We work well together most of the time (our biggest issue is not talking at once) and we’re looking forward to bringing more individuals and groups in and out of the process as it unfolds.

I’m also grateful for that vote. It shows not only that it was a pretty good site, but that we can all come together and respectfully make a decision. When I think back to some of the meetings I have sat through, that one will always be a highlight.

We know that some people still have concerns, and we will address as many of them as we can while we plan, and when we get there. It’s challenging to try to please all our members, but we have been walking this tightrope for thirty years and will continue trying to stay on top of it. (I also know that just because I want to lie on an organic bed before I buy one, the Co-op is not going to become a bed dealer just because I want us to.)

I had hoped to tell you by now that we had completed the closing and are landowners again, but it has been delayed. The tank that was removed had some rules attached to it, so we had to set a new date. The sellers wish to close in this calendar year, so it should be in the next few weeks.

Nevertheless, small details aside, we are still working our plan. The architects that we hired for the programming phase of design have just delivered their written document, and the Facilities committee is reviewing it before passing it to the greater Strategic Planning committee and ultimately, to you. The next steps will be determining a way to convert the pie-in-the-sky-money-is-no-issue wishes for each department into what-is-fiscally-manageablesize- wise?

Usually, I try not to have an opinion of the outcome of our decisions. I find that it helps me keep my mind open to hearing other ways of doing things, and not having an investment keeps me in the same boat with everyone else. But, if you must know the truth, as a leader of our process for the past five years, I really wanted us to buy this building. The timing is good for us. So, I admit it, I am grateful that we were able to do it now. Enough said. Thanks.