February 2020 Honest Slate

Honest Weight Food Co-op’s Community Newsletter for Membership • Staff • Governance • Management

Honest

Published monthly by the Communications Committee to promote transparency, report without bias, and sustain community.

SLATE

FeBruary 2020

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Avenue, Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667

honestslate@honestweight.coop • https://www.honestweight.coop/

What Boards Do: The Sequel

CONTENTS

Board Responsibilities • Best Practices • Facilitating Conflict Resolution

Membership Accountability...... 2

March 7, 2020 Community Room • 3–4:30 pm Good news! The Governance Workshop is coming back to HWFC. Evelyn Wright will be presenting “What Boards Do: The Sequel” on Saturday, March 7, 2020, from 3:00–4:30 pm in the HWFC Community Room. Last year’s standing-room-only crowd learned the role of the HWFC Board of Directors including its legal, governance, leadership, and cultural responsibilities.

In this year’s workshop, Evelyn will recap last year’s presentation and also focus on best practices for facilitating conflict resolution—always a timely and important topic for HWFC members.

community solar options event Feb. 24 • 5:30–8pm Community Room The Environment Committee will host presentations from three potential vendors for the opportunity to provide community solar for HWFC, interested Member-Owners, and shoppers.

The event is open to the public. These companies are responding to a request for proposal provided by the Environment Committee at the end of 2019.

honestslate@honestweight.coop

•

You are invited to join the Board and the Elections and Nominations Committee in their efforts to raise awareness, broaden interest, and encourage participation on the Board of Directors and the Governance Review Council by attending this workshop.

Cinnamon Warms up Winter..... 3

We are also looking forward to the soonto-be-published results of the governance survey, conducted at the October 2019 Membership Meeting. These results will inform us of further efforts that could prove useful in increasing Member-Owner involvement in Co-op leadership. Watch for those results.

Plants Dept. Seeks MOs............. 7

But first, mark your calendar and join your fellow Co-op members on March 7 to learn more about what governance participation can mean for you!

New Subcommittee at Work..... 4 All About Interns........................ 5 Art Reception Invitation............. 5 Suggestion Box Q&A.................. 6 Staff Invitation............................ 7 Committee Corner.................... 8 Coffeehouse News .................... 9 Board Decisions....................... 10 Unclaimed Funds..................... 10 January Membership Meeting Highlights................... 11 Co-Opportunities!.................... 12

Co-opportunities: Upcoming Member-Owner Opportunity IT Department Needs Tech Help

We are currently seeking some computer/ tech-literate Member-Owners for a project that will be fairly intensive during the initial three months and then slow down a bit after the startup, but will be ongoing as new products are put on the shelves. There are three main components to this: 1. Data Entry at a desk – This is primarily a desk job translating the data for brands and item descriptions in our POS (point of sale program) language to a more natural English version.

2. Data Entry on the floor – This will require standing as well as reaching both the top and bottom shelves in all of our departments. Mainly it will consist of taking a laptop and scanner out on the floor and scanning all the products on the shelf.

3. Photography of items for sale on the sales floor – This will require using an iPhone.

For more info about this project, contact Dave F at Dave@honestweight.coop.

https://www.honestweight.coop/

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Honest Slate

HWFC Membership Committee Seeks Member-Owner Policy Input

by Carol Ostrow

From last year’s tabling sessions right through last month’s Membership Meeting and beyond, HWFC’s Membership Committee has pursued its ongoing engagement with membership to improve the Honest Weight experience.

At Honest Weight’s Jan. 26 gathering, the committee led a discussion on the topic of Member-Owner accountability. “This is to initiate the conversation,” Mem Comm member Cara Benson told Honest Slate just prior to the meeting. “For those with more to say, we will have multiple avenues for them to communicate with the committee.” Changes were not actually up for a vote at the January Membership Meeting, just an introduction of ideas and discussion.

The initiative began with tabling sessions in spring 2019. The most frequent areas of concern expressed by MOs to the committee related to chronic lateness, absence, and other matters that may arise during shifts.

“We heard from MOs at tabling sessions about their frustration with other MOs who don’t take their investment seriously,” Cara shared. “We realize everyone has different strengths and interests,” she continued.

“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation for time investments. It’s about contributing to the best of our ability.”

After hearing from MOs and staff alike at tabling sessions, committee members attended a Managers’ meeting to get further input and ideas. Two matters came into focus: “no-call/no-show” and chronic lateness—both relating to MO time investments in the store.

Cara, MO since 2013, not only stressed how important it is to show up for assignments but also pointed out that not showing up also means something. “Our presence or absence for a designated shift counts,” she said. “In other words, we matter to the Coop. We are a key part of the operation of our store.”

This is a cooperative endeavor and we are responsible to each other, so we ask: “What does accountability look like?”

Membership Meetings are a key component in the governance of the Co-op. These meetings usually draw 100 to 150 attendees, which represents a fraction of MOs current with time investments. “We realize that many of the people we’ve already heard from [on]this topic may well be the ones attending the meeting,” Cara said. “But then this was the perfect place to turn the discussion toward solutions.”

At the meeting, committee members encouraged suggestions. Alan M. and Judith B. supported discussion with mobile microphones for those with questions and comments; Cara moderated the conversation, while others recorded activity on large white pads at the front of the room.

“We are proposing this topic at the Membership Meeting to initiate the conversation.”

Now, the committee continues to actively seek feedback via in-store tabling sessions, email messages, and additional meetings.

The goal of this endeavor is to create a structure wherein MOs will prioritize their accountability to one another. “The process is intended to enhance the Co-op as a functioning store that is democratically governed,” Cara said.

Ideas

February 2020 To provide feedback on this topic, please visit Membership Committee tabling sessions at the store on one of these five dates:

Sat. Feb. 8: 11am–12:30 pm Wed. Feb. 12: 1–2:30 pm Wed. Feb. 19: 12:30–2 pm Tues. Feb. 25: 5–6:30 pm Sat. Mar. 7: 1–2:30 pm Following the series of February-March feedback sessions, the Membership Committee will review results and craft possible solutions in response. These will then be presented for further feedback via tabling and email. MOs will eventually vote on proposed changes to the MO Manual at one of our spring Membership Meetings (in April or May).

“We will present feedback session results for MOs to see before voting,” stated Cara.

“It’s a process to look at how we as Member-Owners are accountable to each other as we invest our time in the Co-op.”

As results accumulate, the committee will combine incoming information with previously collected records. “Once we get all the feedback, we’re going to take it all and do some workshopping to sort through the feedback,” Cara told Honest Slate.

“The goal is for MOs, Staff, and Managers alike to have something more structured than what we have now.“ Committee members will craft results into language for suggested policies. They will present their material to the general membership via tabling; then submit a proposal for a vote to the Board, and then Membership, this spring. Ultimately, the updated MO manual will serve as the vehicle for publishing revised policies.

As HWFC community members know, change can happen slowly. In fact, Cara shared, Mem Comm was directed by the Board to pace itself by putting additional steps in the process for deliberation. Hence, the Membership Meeting discussion. continued on page 12

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop

February 2020

Cinnamon Provides Winter Warmth

by Justin Hardecker

Few spices call

to us in the depths of our northeastern winter like cinnamon.

It has become almost cliché to observe the relationship between memory and the sense of smell, yet even in the field of evocative food aromas—fresh bread, frying onions, roast turkey—cinnamon’s power is somehow special.

But cinnamon’s origin and subsequent history as a traded commodity are hinted at by its use in such a diversity of world cuisines. Cinnamon can be found in Chinese and Chinese-American cuisines as a vital component of five spice powder, in savory jerk rubs and barbecue marinades, or in Greek lamb stew.

There’s the canela hot chocolate of South and Central American tradition, and—at the other end of the taste spectrum—the delightful burn of the old Atomic Fireball, my grandfather’s favorite candy for decades. Plus, countless other cinnamon candies populate drug store shelves, strategically located at eye-level for children.

Then there are the cinnamon-spiced foods associated with particular seasons.

I’m thinking, for example, of cinnamon on and in apple pie, in homemade cranberry sauce, and the cinnamon stick added to mulled cider or wine.

Herewith, a few brief, unscholarly notes on cinnamon from someone who is NOT a health professional, just for general edification.

Co-op shoppers can choose from up to four varieties of cinnamon: Cassia (the most commonly encountered), Ceylon, Korintje, and Vietnamese.

What you get in a plastic spice jar labeled “cinnamon” might come from one or more of five distinct species of tree (cinnamon is, after all, just tree bark). This is not a claim regarding adulteration: these varieties can legitimately be considered types of cinnamon.

It is becoming more common to see certain varieties specified on retail jars (Korintje, Vietnamese, Ceylon), particularly when they are varieties that command a higher price.

Cinnamon labeling and identification is tricky in the US. What you get in a plastic spice jar labeled “cinnamon” might come from one or more of five distinct species of tree (cinnamon is, after all, just tree bark). This is not a claim regarding adulteration: these varieties can legitimately be considered types of cinnamon. It is becoming more common to see certain varieties specified on retail jars (Korintje, Vietnamese, Ceylon), particularly when they are varieties that command a higher price. However, a quick scan of the internet will show you that different notions of which cinnamon is which and what to call them abound.

It is a curious mixture of singularity and ubiquity that leads a mere food item to become emblematic. With this status comes, however paradoxically, a likelihood of being taken for granted, ill-understood, or overlooked. Then someone on TV may insist that regularly consuming large quantities will cure what ails us and guarantee longevity; so perhaps some renewed attention is due.

Some sources deem “Cassia” or “Cassia Cinnamon” an umbrella term for three species [Cinnamomum cassia, C. burmanii, C. loureiroi] and recognize “Ceylon Cinnamon”—C. verum/zeylanicum—as distinct from the broader “Cassia” designation, suggesting essentially two choices for many U.S. consumers. Ceylon Cinnamon seems more widely available as a distinct species than any of the others.

Cinnamon’s association with winter extends beyond food and drink, though. Mulling reminds me of the cinnamon sticks my great aunt kept on her radiator in a kettle during winter. It also reminds me—less pleasantly—of that brief period in the nineties when strongly-scented candles seemed like a good idea.

Much like peppermint, cinnamon has become emblematic, creating a web of associations connecting different registers of experience, from the sensory, culinary, and aesthetic to the social, familial, seasonal, historical, medical, and even to the economic.

We think, quite naturally, of oatmeal raisin breads and cookies, and of the sugary cinnamon rolled up in cinnamon buns, whether homemade, semi-homemade, or purchased at a bakery or market.

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Flavor Notes:

Cinnamon

Cassia Cinnamon [Cinnamomum cassia, aka Chinese cinnamon] •sweet-hot, insistent pungency •moderately high oil content •available as sticks & powder Ceylon Cinnamon [Cinnamomum verum or Cinnamomum zeylanicum, aka true cinnamon or Spanish cinnamon] •milder than other types, but complex with deep sweetness •slightly woody accents; bright, floral notes •available as sticks & powder

Korintje Cinnamon [Cinnamomum burmanji, aka Indonesian or Burmese cinnamon] •similar to Cassia in flavor but less heat, woodier aroma •lower oil content •available as sticks, chips, powder Vietnamese or Saigon Cinnamon [Cinnamomum loureiroi] •intense heat with a zingy bite •high oil content •available as powder

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop

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February 2020

Honest Slate

Employee Experience Subcommittee Gets Set to Survey Employees Data Should Help Us Understand How HWFC Is Perceived as an Employer “We needed ... to understand the bigger story.“ A new Board-approved working group has emerged at Honest Weight. The Employee Experience (EX) Subcommittee held its kickoff meeting Jan. 14 to gain insight into our paid workers’ experience.

Where did this come from? The idea originated neither with the Board of Directors nor from Management. Rather, a Member-Owner brought this to the Board on his own.

“It came out of conversations I was having and the realization that there was no data,” explained the MO, Gregor Wynnyczuk, a professional HR consultant and facilitator.

“As someone chairing the Personnel Committee, I was getting a lot of mixed messages about employee sentiment. I felt we needed some way to understand the bigger story.“ Gregor’s desire to know—and understand—what’s happening with Employees led to his proposing a brand-new group.

Specific goals included forming a team with more Employees represented than the current Personnel Committee permits, and to create a space with a less omnipresent role for management so that Staff might comfortably seek a clearer collective voice.

The plan (approved at the November Board meeting) is to create, publicize, administer, and report on a special staff survey. The project will strive to capture feedback on our paid workers’ overall experience that otherwise might go undetected.

Circulating the questionnaire will span February and early March. Responses will be collected anonymously to yield a data-based summary in late March; analysis could be ready in time to present the Board of Directors with results at HWFC’s April 7 Board meeting.* *Board meetings are in the Community Room on the first Tuesday of each month.

Cooperative Convo Yields Staff-Friendly Structure Because the involvement of management could have an impact on employee participation, Gregor initially proposed that the ad hoc group form independently of management. Through respectful dialogue, all parties arrived at a practical model: it was agreed that to encourage candid response, the administration of the survey needed to be done without management involvement. Thus only non-management personnel will be posing questions to staff, tabulating results, and handling survey data.

Gregor reported that the conversation at the EX subcommittee kickoff meeting on Jan. 14 was “very positive. We had a great discussion. People were free to ask any questions; we explored a lot of different issues; and we fortunately arrived at consensus around our approach.”

The EX Subcommittee functions independently of existing committees.

Officially, the crew responsible for handling the survey is known as an ad hoc, or temporary, subcommittee. It is not, however, a subcommittee of any standing committee.

MOs who are on both the Personnel Committee and this subcommittee will consolidate data and provide analysis. After results are brought to the rest of the subcommittee, the group will help form the data into a narrative.

One of the ongoing issues to explore is “a fair amount of staff turnover,” Gregor noted. “We turn over about half the store in one year. It’s a lot.”

Just as Honest Weight is hardly your run-ofthe-mill grocery store, this project will not be a standard boilerplate survey, nor one that could be applied by merely any organization.

Managers will not administer or oversee the survey.

by Carol Ostrow

This new subcommittee is structured to include: •3 MOs •2 Staff reps to the Board •3 Staff reps to the Personnel Committee •1 Management representative “We’re using some established survey methods as a point of reference and we are making every attempt to customize the survey to reflect the unique nature of the Coop and address some questions that may speak to the Employees,” Gregor said of the one-of-a-kind questionnaire under way.

“The Employees on the EX Subcommittee live it every day.”

“Individual responses are important to the outcome.”

What form will the poll take? It’s planned as a hybrid of online participation and in-person Q&A. Most questions will allow open-ended comments. “Individual responses are important to the outcome.”

How can Staff participate?

The subcommittee will make a special commitment to obtain maximum Staff participation by offering blocks of time for in-person (and department-sanctioned) participation during different work shifts.

“We know there are techno-averse people [so] the Member-Owners will set up office hours where Employees can just come in and tell us what they think.”

For more information contact Gregor at gregor@wynnyczuk.com.

A campaign is planned to • Reach Employees • Help Staff recognize the survey’s purpose • Boost response rate, and • Improve work life at Honest Weight Food Co-op.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop

February 2020

Did you know that HWFC offers not

only employment and Member-Owner positions but also educational opportunities? Just minutes from their dorm room Capital District college students can find at the Co-op an occasion to apply their education in a cooperative retail environment.

Internships have become a common part of the college experience.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found recently that over 90% of employers answering its annual Job Outlook survey preferred college graduates with work experience and 65% preferred graduates with experience relevant to their degree.

A major news magazine found that of the 311 schools reporting internship data in its annual survey, approximately 40% of graduating seniors had completed an internship. The Co-op’s natural food and healthy living workplace offers relevant work experience for nutrition, business, marketing, finance, and graphic design students.

Honest Weight posts directly on college websites, such as those of Maria College and Schenectady County Community College, as well as on Handshake, a college internship website. Handshake collaborates with approximately 50 colleges within a five-hour drive of Albany, so our listings reach a broad audience. Positions are available to college juniors and seniors who have the educational and skill foundation to match the Co-op’s operational needs.

Interested students apply directly to through Handshake.com or by e-mailing their resume and cover letter to rhoda. pickus@honestweight.coop. Rhoda, our Human Resources Director, will review the resume and cover letter. Based on the applicant’s background and experience, documents will then be shared with appropriate managers in Operations, Finance, or Marketing for review.

Our department managers commit to meeting requirements set by the college for each intern to whom we offer an op-

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Carrots, Cucumbers, and College Credits at the Co-op portunity, and generally accept one intern at a time. This selectivity allows managers to provide a quality educational experience for the intern as well as meet the Coop’s own day-to-day requirements.

Internships build on classroom learning, as students test theoretical models against real-world budgets, deadlines, and customer responses. Students arrive knowing how to use spreadsheets or graphic design software, for instance, and then put that knowledge to use reviewing inventory or producing marketing materials.

Students receive class credit from their school for these unpaid internships. Each school has different requirements to earn credit for internships. For example, some UAlbany internships require 135 hours of academic and on-site work for three credits. Each school sends the Co-op documentation of exact requirements and number of credits earned on completion.

By Elisa Grimm

Providing internships aligns with the Coop’s mission. The program helps people learn more about using natural foods and promotes alternative ways of living that are healthy for individuals, the community, and the planet. Students keep Co-op Staff and Member-Owners up to date on what’s currently being taught in degree programs, while Staff help ground the student’s theory in daily experience.

Many of us leave the Co-op with our re-

usable bags full of corn, cauliflower, or curry paste. It’s a pleasure to know, however, that some are also leaving with college credits!

Every internship

is as unique as the student, evolving from the student’s skill and knowledge, the school’s guidelines, and the Co-op’s current needs. Many interns are enrolled at the University of Albany, Siena, or Union; Capital Region students are also enrolled at more distant schools such as SUNY Plattsburgh or various Boston-area colleges. These students generally complete their HWFC internship while home for the summer.

In addition to college internships the Coop has worked with local high schools, collaborating primarily with the secondary school culinary arts programs. High school students also earn school credit for their Co-op internships.

If Member-Owners know any high

school and college students interested in these unpaid, for-credit internship experiences, HWFC encourages you to reach out and let them know about this program!

Join us on Sunday, February 23, 2020 from 2-4pm in the Community Room to celebrate the opening of our show “I SEE ME”.

We hope to see you there!

Email us at

HonestArtsCommittee@honestweight.coop

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop

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February 2020

Honest Slate

Q&A From the Suggestion Box Don’t see your comment here?

Check the bulletin board in the café.

Q: Will Kimball Brook milk be returning?

(Especially small bottles.)

A: We’re sorry to report that Kimball Brook is no longer selling any cow’s milk.

Q: Open the Co-op at 7 am daily.

A: In our experience, we have not had enough customers to warrant the cost of opening early.

Hot Bar:

Q: Great soup tonight. Chicken Mushroom Barley!  A: Thank you very much!

Q: How can we tell how many calories are in Hot Bar food?  Tasty but calories?

A: We don’t have the ability to provide caloric content of our prepared foods.

Q: Can we please bring back Fajita bar Friday? It was soooo good!

A: Thanks for your suggestion. We’ll look into adding some tortillas to our southwestern menus.

Q: Loving the sardine linguine on the hot bar. So nice and salty.  A: We’re glad you liked it!

Q: Borscht has been the only gluten-free, vegan option for many weeks. What else you got??  A: We strive to offer a variety of items to satisfy diverse tastes.

Q: Could you please have some food without spices (pepper) etc. at the Hot Food Bar for people who have sensitive GI? (Almost all food has lots of spice.)

A: We’ve been working on providing some less spicy options every day. Our new menu takes effect in February. We hope to provide what you seek.

Bakery: Q: Gluten-free rolls + bread freshly made by the bakery.

A: We lack the oven space to produce gluten-free rolls and bread in our kitchen. We have Saratoga gluten-free goods available on the floor and single rolls are available upon request at the sandwich station.

Q: Gluten-free baked goods without tree nuts or dairy please!!  A: Our Maple Berry Pumpkin Spice and Mocha Chocolate Chip (made Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday) may fit your needs.

Q: Regular chocolate chip and/or chocolate chocolate chip cookies that are gluten-free and vegan, and baked in the bakery.

A: We have no plans to produce a cookie that you have described. We would be happy to make a batch of cookies ($20 or more) for you as a special order, but that one is not feasible as a regular item.

Q: More Ginger Cookies (gluten-free)!!!

A: We will make more gluten-free gingerbread cookies in the future.

Q: Why don’t we have vegan puff pastries?

Can we get them? What process do I go about to add that to our inventory?

A: We do not have the space in our kitchen to properly produce puff pastries of any type. Our puff pastries in the freezer are made by Dufour and they do not offer any vegan items.

Q: What happened to Bread Alone chocolate chip cookies WITH WALNUTS? A: Bread Alone delivers cookies on Wednesdays and they do sell quickly. They still deliver the chocolate chips with walnuts.

Q: Please have a separate case for nut-free pastry goods so those with allergies can enjoy your nut-free options.

A: We have no plans to alter the organization of the bakery case beyond the current designations of an area for local, vegan, gluten-free, and regular.

Q: New pie company is no good, crust undercooked, and fillings lack flavor.

A: Our previous baker, Flour Girl, no longer supplies retail. We’ll pass along your concerns to our new pie vendor, Lucky Clover.

Q: Bologna flavor fake sliced deli meat??

A: Vegetarian alternatives to bologna are no longer available to us through our distributors.

Beverage Bar:

Q: Any chance you could stock non-additive (guar, carrageenan, etc.) coconut milk at the coffee bar? Thai Kitchen makes one with only coconut and water. Thanks!

Q: Would you consider adding single ingredient coconut milk (I get mine in a can) as an option at the coffee bar? Specifically for lattes? Thank you!!!

A: At this point, we use coconut milk in three different places in the deli. We can look into changing all three.

Q: Please lower the hot water temp at the coffee/tea bar. I was jostled before I could put my top and burnt my hand. It is a safety hazard and not needed for a good cup of tea. Thank you.

A: Please be careful! The temperature is set at an industry standard for brewing tea.

Sustainability: Q: Let’s use local artisans for household/ décor items. They make [great] stuff! ...

Let’s support locals.

A: We agree that there are some great things made by local artisans. We encourage local vendors to fill out the Honest Weight Vendor Application on our website.

Q: Your disposable Solo brand coffee cups are lined in PLASTIC. It mystifies me as to why you persist in using these toxic cups when there are safe alternatives.

A: We are moving away from these cups.

Q: Bites (zero waste toothpaste tablets— NO plastic tubes).

A: Thanks for bringing “Bites” to our attention. We’ve been looking for an environmentally friendly toothpaste option.

Q: Go solar—We are waiting too long.

A: The Environment Committee is working with HWFC management on feasible solar options. continued on page 7

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop

February 2020

Q&A From the Suggestion Box continued from page 6

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Honest Slate

Plants Department

Needs Seasonal Member-Owners

Customer Service: Q: Josh in the Grocery department is AWESOME!!

A: We agree! Josh is hard to beat. He’s one of the best.

Q: I shop here often and wanted you to know that today...everyone was helpful, pleasant and smiling!

A: That’s great to see your comment!

Thanks for taking the time for your kind words.

Q: Rich at the cash register was really pleasant & provided superior customer service!

We went to him because he had a smile on his face.

A: We appreciate Rich’s customer skills as well! Thanks for taking the time to write your comment.

Q: Susan F. on register is good natured, kind, efficient and makes you want to come back!!

A: Absolutely! Thank you for noticing. She truly does bring joy to the Co-op.

Q: Just want to say we love Bill’s musical performance on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It makes last-minute shopping trips relaxing and enjoyable. Please keep up the dulcimer and recorder!

A: We’re glad that you enjoyed Bill’s festive contribution.

Q: Lane closed ropes for registers? Sometimes I don’t see the signs.

A: We’ve tried lane closed “ropes” in the past. They were unsuccessful due to our double lane configuration.

By Carol Surash and Shannon Friel The 2020 outdoor growing season is nearly here and the Plants Department is a great seasonal place for Member-Owners to invest time. Our offerings are all about supporting our community of growers and providing excellent selections for eco-conscious shoppers to choose from.

Those investing time in the Plants Department need to be able to lift heavy objects and stand for their full shift, no matter the weather. This is a fast-paced, labor-intensive, on-your-feet position and we ask that you seriously consider if this is the best time-investment environment for you.

shift, good at following directions, and have an interest in plants. (Other frequencies of time investment may be possible; please email prior to orientation.)

There will be a mandatory 1-hour training session for all Member-Owners, both new and old, who would like to invest time in the Plants Department. You will get Member-Owner time-invested credit for attending this session.

Orientation dates and times are listed below; we suggest you RSVP. Thurs., April 2 • 6–7 pm, Community Room

Tasks may include: lifting and loading straw into vehicles, lifting and carrying 40-lb. bags of soil, unloading the truck on market days, counting and writing plant slips, attending to plant needs, and of course providing excellent customer service.

Please email ShannonFriel@honestweight. coop for more information.

The ideal Member-Owner would be detail-oriented, able to commit to a weekly

Thanks in advance for stepping up to help the Co-op as we help our many gardeners!

attention

all

Employees: Honest Slate Seeks Staff Participation Your community-wide newsletter wants to hear from you.

Sat., April 4 • 10–11 am, Teaching Kitchen Wed., April 8 • 1–2 pm, Community Room

What rocks your department? What experiences or concerns would you like to share?

Email honestslate@honestweight.coop for guidance on submissions or leave a note in the Front End suggestion box with contact information.

What Do You Know?

We can interview & write about you and your role, or we can work with you to describe your experience.

Just reach out—and see you across the aisles.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop

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COMMITTEE C O R N E R HWFC Meeting Summaries Bylaws Panel

(Dec. 2019/Jan. 2020 meetings)

•Discussed and edited slide show for Panel’s proposal on floor nominations (for consideration at Jan. Membership Meeting).

•Discussed Board’s request to review and possibly alter the first sentence of 420.3(a) to address concerns regarding the word “consultant.” Provided the following draft rewrite to Board requesting feedback: “The Employee Manual shall include progressive discipline and grievance procedures applicable to all employees whose status is not temporary or probationary.”

•Discussed co-chair structure and division of responsibilities. For now, Tom takes notes and prepares minutes, Saul writes BOD reports and prepares agendas. Yevette continues to report hours.

Honest Arts Committee (HAC) •Reception for Foster Show had highest attendance of all receptions to date; 27 musicians; and dozens of others present.

•Completed edits on call for Large Art. •Installation of artwork for Winter Show, “I See Me,” scheduled for morning of Feb. 9.

•Committee members will hang artwork in Conference Room on rotating basis.

by Stephanie Conde

•Worked on Sustainability Council proposal, considered amending EC workplan with a quarterly presentation at Department Managers’ Meetings.

•Elaine Chaet-Hills and Meghan Breen now serve as EC Co-Chairs (no longer on interim basis after Tracy Frisch stepped down).

Nutrition and Education Committee (NEC) •Board suggested an alternative to NEC’s glyphosate brochure, which NEC found very acceptable (and perhaps superior) to NEC’s previous suggestions. NEC will assist ordering and distribution if requested.

•EC member Tracy Frisch visited to discuss her concerns: plastic packaging and lack of transparency on milk sources from cheese suppliers. Since plastic packaging initiative is part of EC’s approved workplan, EC will take the lead (including research on plastics currently at Co-op and possibility/availability of better/more eco-friendly alternatives).

Following EC’s research, NEC will ask Board for approval of hours to update the FPM’s packaging standards.

•Waiting to hear from management regarding several items (confirmed to contain genetically modified ingredients) which don’t comply with FPM.

Environment Committee (EC)

Membership Committee (MC)

•Continuing zero waste work. Researched Trex (pallet wrap recycling), One World Center (with clothing collection box in front of HW), and Sweden’s handling of plastics.

•MC agendas now available online 5 days before monthly Committee meetings (to foster transparency and opportunities for MOs to be more informed and engaged).

•Contacted organizations about community solar options, drafted RFP, analyzed and scored options, worked on utility pricing analyses (National Grid v. Direct Energy). Interested staff and members are welcome to attend community solar options presentation Feb. 24, 5:30-8pm, Community Room.

•Jan. tabling sessions on proposed MO Manual changes were productive. Prepared to present Manual Change vote results at Jan. 26 CCO meeting.

•Testing new beginning to Member Orientations highlighting Principles of Coopera-

February 2020 This article provides a summary of preliminary committee reports submitted to the Board of Directors for the Board meeting of February 4, 2020. See Board meeting packet for details. Committee reports are available on the HWFC website upon Board approval.

tion. Initiated search for Central Ave. store’s “seven principles” cloth wall hanging; if not found, may request Board’s permission to ask Arts Committee to create new one.

•Followed up on Jan. 6 workshop in preparation for Jan. 26 MO accountability presentation/discussion. Delineated presentation roles; agreed on slides, talking points; finalized follow-up tabling dates (Mon. Feb. 3, 4-5:30p; Sat. Feb. 8, 11a-12:30p; Wed. Feb. 12, 1-:30p; Wed. Feb. 19, 12:30-2p; Tues.

Feb. 25, 5-6:30p; Sat. Mar. 7, 1-2:30p). Need printout for tabling (if possible, including feedback following CCO’s presentation), and to create 11x17 sign advertising “Membership Committee will be tabling today on topic of MO accountability.” Will contact Honest Slate regarding Board-requested article on MO accountability for Feb. issue.

•Discussed ByLaws Panel appointees; notified Daniel H.; requested regular updates.

•Solidified new process for new/shared notetaker roles.

•Discussion about how MOs can contribute feedback to MC was tabled to February.

Elections and Nominations Committee (ENC) •Compiled 10/27/19 Membership Meeting survey results. Developed tally sheets (three categories each for questions #1 and #2; and four categories for question #3) which Sharon Matthews will use to draft preliminary report delineating MO sentiments on governance participation. Final preliminary report (due to Board before its Feb. meeting) is expected to recommend draft design for second yes/no survey for all voting-eligible MOs (with demographic questions and possible raffle to bolster participation). continued on page 9

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop

February 2020

COMMITTEE C O R N E R

FeBruary 2020 continued from page 8

•Evelyn Wright will lead second Governance Workshop “What Boards Do: the Sequel— Understanding Board Responsibilities, Highlighting Best Practices to Facilitate Resolution and Resolve Conflict” (Mar. 7, 3-4:30p, Community Room). Yevette coordinating workshop PR with Marketing Dept., Georgia Julius and Deanna Beyer. Continuing to explore web conferencing software to preserve meeting details (screen presentation and audio) for future playback by anyone once posted to HWFC website.

•Prepared for Jan. 26 Membership Meeting.

Lieta Washington and Paula McKeough responsible for ballot boxes. Karen Roth will provide election process info to Members (and invite all to second Governance Workshop). Barry Kierstein responsible for ballot counting and delivery of final vote counts to Board. ENC Chair Mollie Lampi will provide final ballots to Yevette for printing.

Honest Slate •Requested Board review and direction on proposal to consolidate sick, personal and holiday time into a single PTO bucket.

Sales and Fiscal Performance (for 6 mos. ending Dec. 31, 2019)

•Ordinary Income decreased $258,477 or 48% to $285,786 vs. $544,263 ($63,418 or 18% under budgeted amount of $349,204).

•Net Income decreased $253,085 or 81% from $312,065 to $58,980 ($109,185 under budgeted $168,165).

•Costs of Goods were up $108,733 or 1.3% at $8,283,990 vs. $8,175,257 last year (under budgeted $8,368,609 by $84,619 or 1%).

•Overall Gross Profit was up $38,876 or 0.7% at $5,772,032 vs. $5,733,156 last year (under budgeted $8,368,609 by

9 $84,619 or 1%). Gross Margin was 41.1% vs. 41.2% last year (on budget).

•Total Expenses were up $297,353 or 5.7% from $5,188,893 to $5,486,245 (under budgeted $5,490,501 by $4,255 or 0.1%).

•Summary report provided to the board for Sales through Dec. 2019 ($152,293 below budget projection). Top three departments in sales: Bulk (+$48,731, Grocery (+$29,500), and Plants (+$24, 613).

Areas of focus for sales: Vitamins and Supplements (-$90,130), In-house Deli (-$66,664), and Produce (-$38,824). Focus areas to improve financial performance: Sales, and Expense Control (Bag Expense +$10,200, Credit Card Service Charges +$11,429, Coupon Expense +$46,186, Legal Fees +$17,500 (including Board +$10,500), and Workers’ Compensation rate decrease beginning Mar. 1 (expected $10,000 savings for remainder of fiscal year).

•Board and GRC recruitment. Considering increasing voting flexibility: (1) early voting at HWFC store and (2) opening all ballot boxes once Membership Meeting quorum is reached (provided presentation materials on proposed Bylaws revisions and items requiring MO consent are made available several days before voting Membership Meeting). Explored Board history by reviewing: (1) service longevity for members first appointed vs. elected; (2) those members submitting a nomination form vs. those nominated from the floor; and (3) how many members resigned before the end of their term. Board and GRC recruitment will continue to be discussed at every ENC meeting.

•Lieta Washington agreed to manage final development of Voting Handbook.

•Delayed work on delivery of draft Nominating and Voting Manual to Board while finishing survey work.

Personnel Committee (PC) •Continues revision of time and attendance policies (and layout) in Employee Manual.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop

10

February 2020

Honest Slate Attend HWFC’s 2020

Board Decisions

Membership Meetings: • April 26

• May 31

• October 25

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Dippers Needed The Produce Department seeks Member-Owners to help prepare chocolate-covered strawberries.

This is a fun way to meet Member-Owner hours.

Dates are Feb. 10, 12, 13, 14, & 15.

See the online sign-up for more details and specific shifts.

HWFC Board Meeting Decisions February 7, 2020 - 6 pm The following decisions were made:

Are you a business owner who supports HWFC’s values? We invite you to join our Community Connections program—a great way to grow connections and goodwill between our businesses.

We seek more local, community-minded independent businesses that are interested in offering perks of their choice to our Owners in trade for us sending people their way by promoting them via our website and Co-op communication channels. Click here to check it out. We have some great participants!

FeBruary 2O20 Submissions Policy: Editors & Contributors: Cara Benson Yevette Buddeau Stephanie Conde Avery Cotton Erin Donahue Shannon Friel Elisa Grimm Justin Hardecker Don Kennison

Mollie Lampi Carol Ostrow Rhoda Pickus Courtney Semoff Janet Sorell Carol Surash Tyler Varese Gregor Wynnyczuk

*

Contact honestslate@honestweight.coop with questions, comments, or suggestions.

We welcome articles & contributions.

• Preferred maximum length is 500 words.

• Material is published at the discretion of the Honest Slate team.

• Only signed work is accepted.

• Items are edited for length, grammar, and style.

We may consider unsolicited material but encourage individuals to submit ideas or outlines first. Letters to the Editors do not require preapproval.

• Gender-specific language in the Employee Manual will be edited to reflect gender neutrality as revisions are incorporated.

• The Board approved proposed revisions to the following sections of the Employee Manual as edited: ○ Performance Improvement Plan ○ Interpersonal Conflict Resolution ○ Progressive Corrective Discipline ○ Employee Grievance Procedure

do we owe you?

The Co-op has money waiting for a number of individuals who we cannot locate. If you or anyone you know appears on the following list, the Finance Department urges you to contact the Co-op at your earliest convenience: finance@honestweight.coop.

Gillian Eastwood Eva Foitzik Timothy J. Cowper Maria Kuhsel Oliver Holecek Stephen Dornbush Hank Adams Alyssa Gallagher Estelle Fach Susan Fuss

Laurel Holden Druis Beasley Mark Pranys Nishi Beharry Lily Ringler Joseph Gietl Kimberly Truitt Elias Saifan Timothy Long

Statement of Purpose: Honest Slate is a platform for HWFC Membership, Staff, Management, and Governance: promoting transparency, reporting news without bias, and sustaining community.

Honest Slate articles are for informational purposes and are not intended to diagnose or treat disease. Opinions expressed in Honest Slate do not necessarily represent the views or policies of Honest Slate or Honest Weight Food Co-op.

All contents ©2020 Honest Weight Food Co-op; no material appearing in Honest Slate may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of HWFC.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop

February 2020

January 2020

MemBership Meeting Recap Meeting & Discussion Highlights

Tom Gillespie, Bulk Manager, is HWFC’s first Staff member to become a committee chair.

floor nominations: Regarding a proposed Bylaws change about nominations from the floor, Tom said: “The question is what to do when a nominated person isn’t there.” Should we cease the use of floor nominations?

Pros: It would be more orderly; MOs would have more complete information; less “surprise-filled.”

Cons: “To preserve…what I’d call the ‘enhanced democracy.’ Occasionally, MO’s are unaware of being nominated (not present at the meeting where they are nominated).

Elsewhere, this is called conscription (laughter).”

What are the possible consequences of nominations in absentia?

• Without that person being there, we remain an ill-informed public.

• That person may have no interest in serving. “While they may be committed to their other duties at the Co-op, we just don’t know.”

• Enhanced democracy allows nomination, but the votes are not information-based. It also dilutes the votes that might otherwise go toward candidates who announced their inten- tions, met deadlines and fully committed.

The proposed language would allow enhanced democracy to continue, but require consent or verification “so that person doesn’t wake up to discover that they have a new status.”

11

Honest Slate

Meeting summary: 01-27-20 • ENC announced a “What Boards Do: The Sequel” workshop.

• Rick M. gave a financial/operations update, then introduced Brendan K from Produce to discuss his participation in a NOFA-NY conference and how it helps as a Manager.

• Jim K. gave a GRC report.

• Bylaws Panel presented a proposed Bylaws Change, the current concern, and what the Bylaws Panel proposes to address it; discussion among Member-Owners followed.

• Membership Committee presented their proposed MO Manual changes; discussion among Member-Owners followed.

• None of the 3 votes occurred due to discrepancies between language in the Meeting notice and corresponding language on each of the ballots.

• Membership Committee led discussion on accountability, identifying some issues.

Membership Committee wants a conversation/suggestions and will hold feedback sessions to develop solutions for the issues of “no call/no show” and “chronic lateness.”

Departments all currently operate independently, many with uniquely different needs.

MemBer-Owner accountaBility suggestions • Set up a structure (no policy yet exists) to address no call/no show/lateness.

• “When we don’t have expectations we penalize those who abide by the structure.”

• Take a pro-active rather than punitive approach. Do not discriminate against those without transportation or child care, for example. Approach them, find out what the issues are, and ask if they need help.

• Give Staff an opportunity to have input because MO lateness/absence affects their ability to function.

• “Strikes are draconian. How about a bulletin board with best practices, issues per each department?”

• Try “a reward system using + (plus) or – (minus) points as incentive.”

• “Use principles of restorative justice for resolving harm.”

“All the department managers amaze me.”—Jim Kaufman, MO

“If there are holes in your bok choy, that’s how you know it’s organic.”

—Brendan Kelly, Produce Manager

reminders: “A number of veteran Members of the Co-op holding various positions in governance have passed the torch during the past several months,” stated the Board of Directors in a Jan. 27 email sent to membership.

“As new Member-Owners step in to fill those roles, the Co-op grows its Member skill base, and we must work harder to capture best practices, and keep relevant policies and procedures up-to-date. Growth is not always without growing pains...

“Despite our change in plans, each item enjoyed lively and productive discussion. One longstanding Member-Owner even said that it was the best Membership Meeting she had ever attended.”

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop

12

February 2020

Honest Slate

Co-opportunities: memBer-owner

by Yevette Buddeau, Member-Owner Coordinator (MOC)

Committee Seeks Announcements Member-Owner Policy Input continued from page 2

Did Mr. Punxsutawney Phil see his shad-

ow early this month? Did his presence break up the winter monotony and put a little folklore into an otherwise chilly day?

Well, the sun did not present a shadow for Phil to see in Pennsylvania and the second question is for you to ponder. For me, the days are getting longer and every chance to feel the impending return of spring is welcome. Thanks, Mr. P!

Another great tradition in February is the

return of the Chocolate Covered Strawberries to the Co-op. Each year we gather Member-Owners and Staff to put these beautiful and tasty treats together and they fly off the shelves in produce. You can help too! Sign up online for a shift to help dip strawberries in chocolate with the Produce Department.

When coming for time-investment shifts

at the Co-op please remember to leave yourself time to park on the street. As we do our usual great job of getting the word out about HWFC and our business increases, it is getting more and more important to leave our parking lot spaces for the customers who essentially fund the good work we are doing. You may park in the lot when you are shopping but not when you are on the clock. Be sure to read the signs for parking restrictions when you park on the street.

Interested in doing more with the Membership Committee at the Co-op? You can view its upcoming meeting agenda on the website’s Committees of the Board tab on the Wednesday before each meeting, as well as visiting for the first 15 minutes of committee meetings at 5:30 at HWFC on the second Monday of every month, or by emailing MembershipComm@honestweight.coop. The Membership Committee is excited to hear feedback from membership!

An additional way to help with member-

ship-related tasks is to be a membership meeting helper. Each time we have one of our four yearly membership meetings, we require a group of trusty helpers who will devote themselves to the successful coordination of all our meeting tasks, including organizing the dessert potluck, holding ballot boxes during the meeting, counting votes after the meeting, and cleaning up after the meeting.

Helpers are most efficient when they invest consistently at the membership meetings and are familiar with the tasks and duties involved. We are looking to increase the number of people in this important group. Contact Yevette at MemberServices@honestweight.coop to get involved.

Keep your eyes out for Spring-specific Member-Owner opportunities right around the corner. For inquiries to the busy Plants Department, contact Shannon at ShannonFriel@honestweight.coop; and to be part of the Garden Party group that maintains the garden beds, contact Yevette at MemberServices@honestweight.coop.

For help on the floor this month, our department of greatest need is Grocery. We have a high-priority need for consistent early-morning and late-night stockers for our grab-n-go refrigerated beverage area.

Times for this opportunity are 6–9 am and 6–10 pm. To sign up for these shifts contact Laura at LauraAngell@honestweight.coop.

Grocery is also looking for a Sunday morning bread stocker. Please contact BreadBuyer@honestweight.coop for this shift. Tasks include checking bread shelves for rotation and expired products, and restocking our frozen breads from the freezer.

Interested in joining Honest Weight Food Co-op’s Team as an Employee?

Check out our Employment Page.

“We realize that there are a lot of opinions on this topic,” Cara said. “Our task is to take them into account in what we propose for vote.”

• What do our questions look like?

What role does the Co-op play in our lives? What does the Co-op mean to us, and What do we mean to the Co-op?

• What matters? “We’re hoping that the giving and receiving at the Co-op be in balance.” MOs invest their time and receive not only the satisfaction of taking part in a cooperative endeavor but an advantageous member discount as well.

• How will the logistics work? “We’re asking people what they think the consequences should be. For example, should repeated absences mean that a shift be given to someone else?”

Our Membership Committee meets on the 2nd Monday of each month, with the next meeting set for Feb. 10.

Every meeting begins with a 15-minute open session for Member-Owners to drop in and: • raise questions • make suggestions • express concerns, or • learn more about what makes our Membership work.

All community members can access what’s happening with Membership Committee tasks at any time by visiting the HWFC website and going to the Membership tab under Governance.

Mem Comm’s agendas are available online on the Wednesday prior to each monthly committee meeting.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop