News
at a Glance
by Nancy Ellegate
The HWFC Board of
Directors met on Tuesday,
May 23.
Grease Bus
The
Collective Management Team (CMT)
presented a proposal for the purchase of an alternative fuel vehicle —
a
15-passenger “Grease Bus” that would run on vegetable oil. This would
be used
mainly for the Coop’s outreach programs. Discussion of this proposal
touched on
who would drive the bus, insurance issues, whether a passenger van
rather than
a cargo van was the most appropriate purchase, and the possibility of
leasing a
car for needed immediate use. After discussion, the Board approved the
proposal
in principle and asked the CMT to make specific decisions and develop a
policy
for use of the bus. The Board urged the CMT not to rush matters, but to
lease
something temporarily, if need be, while details are worked out.
Board Officers and
Committee
Liaisons
Board
officers for the coming year will be: President – Lynne Lekakis;
Vice-President
– Susan Weinrich; Treasurer – John Godfrey; Secretary – Howard Brent.
Committee
liaisons will be: Strategic Planning – Lynne Lekakis; Membership –
Susan Weinrich;
Finance – John Godfrey; Governance – Howard Brent; Personnel – Ray
Ratte;
Nutrition – Louise Maher- Johnson.
All Board liaisons to
committees and
all committee chairs were to receive training in June. It was noted
that a
number of issues regarding committees and their functioning should be
discussed
at the next Board meeting.
Donation to YO! Youth
Organics
The Board had been asked for a
substantial donation for this non-profit group. A Board member visited
the
project and consulted with the CMT on the matter and recommended a
grant of
$5,000 and the offer of $2,500 in matching funds. The Board agreed. It
was
noted that this program very much reflects the Coop’s goals and should
be
supported. Members will be encouraged to visit the program site.
Donation Policy
A
second draft of a donation policy
was circulated. The Board was asked to review it and comment. It was
noted that
the CMT has limited discretion in making expenditures, whether on
capital
improvements or on donations. The CMT was urged to develop a proposal
for a
higher expenditure ceiling.
Coop Sites
The developer of a possible Latham branch
of the Coop has asked for a specific proposal. The CMT will provide
this. There
is also some interest from a developer in Schenectady.
The Strategic Planning
committee is considering
development possibilities at our current site as well.
New Committee
An
ad hoc committee is being formed
to prepare explanatory materials for the membership regarding the
Governance committee.
There will be members from the Governance committee, the Board and the
CMT, as
well as an at-large member.
Membership Participation
at Board
Meetings
Member
participation at Board meetings was discussed. Should a specific time
be reserved
for member participation and limited to that time? Similarly, should
committee
representatives’ participation be limited to the issues they have
brought to
the Board? A Board member will discuss the matter with the Governance
committee.
Policy Decision
The CMT requested a policy decision
regarding possible Coop support of the Fair Share Health Initiative
begun by
the Working Families Party. There was a lengthy discussion, and
ultimately it
was felt that even though the initiative itself is not problematic,
this would
put the Coop in the position of appearing to support a political party
itself.
The Coop has a longstanding practice of not supporting any political
party. Two
Board members will write to the Working Families Party and indicate our
policy
of not supporting political parties.
Education Coordinator
The
new education coordinator,
Karisa Centanni, was introduced to the Board and talked briefly about
her
plans. The Board welcomed her to the staff.
Executive Session
The Board met in executive session
at the close of the meeting.
Minutes
Minutes of all meetings are
available at the Coop. Minutes of the most recent meeting are posted on
the
bulletin board.
Upcoming
Meetings
Meetings are scheduled for the following Tuesdays: June 27, July 25,
August 22 and September 26. Meetings begin at 5:30 pm in the Community
Room at
the Coop. Date, time and location can change, however, so anyone
planning to attend
should confirm these closer to the date.
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