Committee Corner

A summary of preliminary committee reports submitted to the Board of Directors for their 6 pm Nov. 10, 2020, Board meeting. See Board meeting packet for details. Full Board-approved committee reports are posted on HWFC’s website.

NovemBer 2O2O by Stephanie Conde

Elections and Nominations Committee (ENC)

•Discussed Board meeting date change; GRC to ask Board about handling MO questions during virtual June Membership Meeting (MM). All GRC election nominees (including from floor) may be asked to respond to MO questions. If none, suggested asking floor nominees questions appearing on nomination form to align with earlier nominee responses; or have them address questions in opening statements. •Confirmed GRC election paper ballots finalized, shared with BLP, NEC, and MOC. Suggested improvements for next election: sending final, official documents (e.g., ballots) from ElectionsComm@honestweight. coop (not personal email) to impacted committees, MOC, and Board Administrator. •Electronic ballot prep can be completed closer to MM; unneeded ahead of time. ENC to encourage MOs to ask candidates questions at scheduled Meet the Candidates (MTC) sessions. If questions do not fill designated hour, moderator will ask questions. •Floor nominations: If no questions posed (and GRC doesn’t ask questions), ENC will be prepared to ask floor candidates questions from nomination form.

Nutrition and Education Committee (NEC)

• Finalized Meat and Poultry language with minor changes Oct. 5. Obtained valuable feedback; more discussion planned. Hosted informational sessions on new updates Oct. 20, 21; Honest Slate published article explaining reasons behind changes in October. •Food for Thought column: November Honest Slate will publish article comparing two books (Forks over Knives, promoting whole food, plant-based diet; and The Primal Blueprint, advocating ancestral type nutrition and lifestyle as most beneficial to health). •Cooperation with Environment Committee (EC). EC suggested committees cooperate on overlapping issues (e.g., packaging concerns and guidelines). Requested Board’s permission to add to NEC work plan.

Personnel Committee (PC)

•Approved Employee Manual legal updates. •Requested BOD advise on how PC should implement changes to Employee Manual once Board approves policy? Include process explanation?

Antiracism Committee

•Set goal to ready work plan by Dec. 2020.

Environment Committee (EC)

•EC’s Community Solar initiative is in full swing! HWFC Marketing (working with EC) began informing Co-op membership of solar developments, providing signup opportunity. EC member shared photos of construction underway at Castleton worksite. Grateful to EC members dedicated to bringing this opportunity to the fore. •Developed framework for Zero Waste educational presentation (to be offered to membership and Staff via live Zoom call and prepared PowerPoint). Hope to have by Jan. 2021. •Discussed Food and Product Manual (FPM) packaging guidelines with NEC; NEC interested in collaboration. •EC member wrote Honest Slate article on plastic recycling (or lack thereof) as highlighted in NPR investigation. •Working with (CCO) Rick and (CFO) Erin on utility bill analysis and termination (or expiration) of Direct Energy contract and subsequent plans. •Providing feedback and information on store HVAC systems; offer continuing support on air filtration issues, best practices.

Communications Committee (CC)

•Welcomed new writers/members. •QA suggestion box feature: Due to many repeated requests and comments, now include statement re pandemic interrupting supply chain, affecting some delivery. •December calendar places publishing very early in the month so all regular contributors are asked to submit articles early (by Nov. 21 instead of the usual 25th date).

Sharpen your pencils! Honest Slate copy for December is due November 21.

Sales and Fiscal Performance

(for 3 mos. ending Sept. 30, 2020) •Ordinary Income increased $84,924 or 57% to $233,723 vs. $148,799 last year ($170,010 over budgeted amount of $63,914). •Net Income increased $95,864 from $31,007 to $126,871 ($139,561 over budgeted loss of $12,690). •Costs of Goods were up $184,229 or 4.6% at $4,157,421 vs. $3,973,192 last year (under budgeted $4,189,396 by $31,975 or 0.7%). •Overall Gross Profit was down $18,329 or 0.65% at $2,786,846 vs. $2,802,175 last year (under budgeted $2,799,693 by $15,848 or 0.6%). Gross Margin was 40.11% vs. 41% last year (over budgeted 40%). •Total Expenses were down $103,254 or 3.89% from $2,653,376 to $2,550,122 (under budgeted $2,735,980 by $185,860 or 7%). •EBITDA increased by $22,475 to $320,610 v. $298,135 last year (over budgeted $149,134 by $171,475).

Membership Committee (MC)

•Orientations: Online platform continues to work well. Researching cooperative service model to replace previous customer service video. •Membership Engagement via Book Discussion: Bi-monthly Zoom pilot program to begin January 2021. First book: Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants. Initial article to get word out in November Honest Slate. [see page 4]. Open to entire Co-op community. Ordering six copies to loan to participants. •Phone MO Outreach. Calling MOs who invested time in-store between September and March but not since COVID. MOs encouraged, needed in-store (if able and comfortable). Inform of COVID protocol, current 1.5 hour policy, departments in greatest need. 200 calls completed or in the works. •MO Manual Revision—Accountability. Included proposed revision for January MM vote in Board report. Article done for Nov. Honest Slate with proposed revision and continued on page 12