The HWFC Board of Directors met on Wednesday, November 19, 2003.

The Board approved end-of-year expenditures requested by the Finance committee: a $5,000 donation to the Community Foundation of the Capital District and $10,000 for store coupons for working members. Staff bonuses were also approved.

The Finance committee had been seeking estimates from various accountants for an audit. This is projected to cost in the range of $12,000–$15,000. Several consultants contacted, though, indicated that the Coop probably does not really need a certified audit. Rather, they recommended an internal review of financial procedures and a financial manual. The committee asked the board to make a decision on this. The Board discussed the matter and determined that it is not committed to an audit. The committee was asked to talk with the various CPAs and get proposals for services and then come back to the Board.

The budget for the coming year was discussed. The main concern of directors was the advertising budget. There was concern about the cost, especially since there is no marketing plan guiding expenditures. Members felt that the Board needs to develop marketing guidelines and plans. The Board decided to cut the proposed budget item for advertising in half; have more local outreach; develop a marketing strategy in line with the values approved in the strategic planning process; get professional advice; and develop measurements to test the effectiveness of various marketing efforts (such as coupons). The plan will be implemented by the Collective Management Team. No advertising contracts will be signed without the approval of the Collective Management Team (when falling with their departments’ budgets) or by the Board (when falling outside the team’s budgets). The Communications committee was authorized to establish a task force on marketing and advertising that includes people both involved with the Coop (as staff, Board, or members) and people outside the Coop.

The draft employee manual is almost complete. There were a few items still to be completed such as a clause allowing staff to donate vacation time to fellow employees who have used up sick time and a statement of who evaluates the Collective Management Team and how. With the understanding these items will be completed and with the understanding that there may be additional changes, the Board approved the manual.

The new Personnel Administrator has located an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for Coop staff. The EAP is the same one used by Clearview Center (the Coop’s neighbor) and staff there give it high marks.

The Collective Management Team has established the following priorities for the Personnel Administrator: begin a customer service training program using videos the Coop has already purchased and facilitate the rewriting of job descriptions for the Personnel committee. After a draft of each job description is developed with the staff person, it will go to the department head for further revision and a final draft will then be presented to the staff and the Personnel committee.

The Board met in executive session at the end of the meeting.

Minutes of all meetings are available at the Coop. Minutes of the most recent meeting are posted on the bulletin board.