Honest Slate is published by HWFC’s Communica ons Commi ee (aka Comm Comm). Our second issue brings you recent Board decisions, commi ee ac ons, news from the store and more.
20 people in our Co-op community contributed content and skills this month and a special thank-you goes to Georgia Julius for helping us launch “live” online. Who do you know on our team? See page 8 to find out.
We open October 2018 with an eye-opening report from HWFC’s Environment Commi ee; weighted wisdom from Bulk Manager Tom (aka “Garbanzo”) Gillespie; reflec ons from Marke ng Director John Akots; gree ngs from Board member Warren Hamilton; and a second look inside the sugges on box. We also debut a new feature called “Among the Aisles,” repor ng on what’s in store on the floor. This month, find out where the boƩled water went by turning to page 2. Welcome back! —HWFC Communica ons Commi ee
• All HWFC community members receive links to online issues each month via Constant Contact or SMS emails. Print copies will be made available in the store as needed.
• Repor ng news without bias • Sustaining community
wanted: r u o Y # Voting e t o
th Oct. 28~
in this issue:
get CARDED+ ONLY IN get in FREE ! OCTOBER!
see page 2
Where the Water Went
Make A
Visit with the Honest Slate team at Comm Comm’s commi ee fair table on Sunday, Oct. 28. Find out what we do and what you can accomplish for the Co-op. It’s your first of many chances to share our brand-new pla orm.
Honest Weight Food Co-op 100 Watervliet Avenue Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667
• honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop h ps://www.honestweight.coop/
Coming Soon: 4 HWFC Events in 1:
Committee Fair PLUS
Dessert Potluck Membership Meeting & GRC Election See page 5 for details
Email honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop with le ers or ar cle ideas; see page 8 for submissions guidelines.
slate date:
octoBer 2018
Presence & Participation Meet the Candidates
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SLATE
• Promo ng transparency
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honest
A pla orm for communica on among HWFC Membership, Staff, Management, and Governance:
see page 2
Recycling Revelations see page 4
•CONTENTS• Among the Aisles ....................... 2 Albany Shindig ........................... 2 Weighing in with Bulk ................ 3 Connec ng with Community ...... 3 Recycling Facility Tour ................ 4 Mee ng & Elec on Info.............. 5 Sustainable Living Fair ................ 5 Why Homegrown Happening Makes ‘Senses’ .......................... 6 Board Decisions ......................... 6
q&a page 9
h ps://www.honestweight.coop/
Commi ee Corner ..................... 7 From the Board .......................... 8 Q&A/Sugges on Box ................. 9 Co-op Connec ons .................. 10
Honest Slate
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October 2018
among the aisles... Where Has the Water Gone? Story and photos by Courtney Semoff Many of you may have no ced by now that a staple in our Co-op is not where it once was. The water once found in aisle 3 toward the front of the store on the right-hand side of the aisle is now in aisle 5 — s ll toward the front of the store but on the le -hand side. And customers are asking why. Well, last week I had the opportunity to speak with Grocery and Wellness Manager Alex Mytelka, who explained that this reset was discussed for quite a while, with a planned move scheduled one month ahead of me. Alex monitors store product sales by type and brand with so ware connected to the front registers. Through this process he had found that the raw food items in aisle 5 were not as popular as they once were. About 5 years ago raw food was an up-andcoming trend which necessitated an en re aisle dedicated to products falling into that category. Slowly, the demand for raw food dropped and that aisle sec on grew small-
Albany Shindig 2018-19 Dates:
er and less frequented. However, sales of water remains constant regardless of its placement. In light of these facts, Alex, David Aube (Grocery Buyer) and John Van Bladel (Grocery Associate) discussed moving water to aisle 5 and reintegra ng aisle 5’s raw food snacks back into the snack aisle where they would once again be more visible. During one of Alex’s weekly mee ngs with CCO Rick Mausert and Opera ons Manager Stephen Quickenton, he bounced the idea off them; but overall, this was the Grocery Department’s independent decision made for the benefit of customers. Signs were placed in aisle 3 (where water used to be) direc ng people to aisle 5 at the start of the aisle reset; and there is an overhead sign above the water in aisle 5 indica ng its new placement. The stock of water has not been reduced; the same brands and types are available as before (though some may be slightly hidden behind the pole in aisle 5). The good news is: the wonderful raw snacks that have been re-homed are selling much be er and offering the Co-op’s customers even more choices than before!
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get CARDED+ get in FREE!!!
• October 19. 2018 • January 18, 2019 • February 22, 2019 • March 15, 2019 • April 26, 2019 During October only, Albany Shindig (a “community dance”) is offering FREE admission for Honest Weight Member-Owners to its monthly dance event at the First Congrega onal Church at 405 Quail Street--slated for 7:15-9:30 p.m. on Oct. 19. Just bring your HWFC Owner card and show it at the door to participate in this longstanding tradition attracting many Coop community members.
Free admission applies to October’s date only, but if sufficient numbers of Owners a end, Co-op Owners and Staff may be eligible for a reduced entry rate of $5 (instead of $8) for the rest of the 2018-2019 season. The typical community dance emphasizes moving to great live fiddle music as a community. The connec on to the en re room of dancers and to the musicians drives the community dance. Everyone is welcome,
Alex did give me a preview of an addi onal upcoming reset to share with you all: the tea aisle will be the next sec on to receive a major face li . Surprisingly, although our tea aisle provides a vast array of teas to choose from, those making up over half of sales only take up less than a sixth of the tea aisle’s en re space. Therefore, Grocery will order a greater variety of flavors among brands that have proven to be so popular and will limit those teas which haven’t. The tea reset will proceed throughout October (tea season!) so keep an eye out for some new and exci ng teas to add to your favorites this fall! no ma er how fast or slow moving they might be, and no ma er what their age. The emphasis at these dances is crea ng community, not on becoming expert dancers. The dances can be learned very quickly, because they are generally simple. The best examples of community dances are “roots” contras, circles and squares such as Virginia Reel, Duck for the Oyster and Spiral. These are the dances that have been passed down through the genera ons, and are probably danced with as much joy and as cherished as 200 years ago! For more informa on contact paul-AT-homespun.biz or call 518-4829255. HWFC member owner Paul Rosenberg began organizing dances for us in 1986, when we had 150 - 200 par cipants a night, and he is organizing these “Shindigs” now!
Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • h ps://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop
Honest Slate
October 2018
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weighing in With the Bulk Department: Tom is Full of Beans By Tom Gillespie, Bulk Manager Some me ago someone asked us, “Bulk Foods? What is that?” The more we thought about it, the more difficult it became to answer it, at least in a quick, o anded way. The most obvious answer would explain that it is simply the retail sale of dry goods by weight. As straigh orward and accurate as that explana on is, it lacks considera on for the reali es that make Bulk Foods more than just a ra onalized means for the conveyance of food. It’s more than that because effec ve par cipa on in this means drama c impacts—both on how one consciously shops and on the environment. In short, Bulk Foods is nothing less than a lifestyle! Let’s take a brief tour of just what kind of environmental impacts are made by shopping in Bulk. To illustrate the reduc on of consumer cost and packaging, we need a significant example. Look no further than the wonderfully versa le, protein-rich and fibrous garbanzo bean. Since US consump on of these legumes has nearly doubled in the past five years, how we consume them is terribly important!
For the purposes of comparison, let’s start with the familiar: a can of beans. A can of beans typically yields 1.5 cups. On the other hand, a pound of dried beans, once prepared, yields 7 cups. Thus, it takes 4.6 cans to make the equivalent of 1 lb. of dried beans.
Bulk Foods is more than just conveyance of food... [it’s] nothing less than a lifestyle! Next, consider that dried beans are packed in bags weighing 25 lb. (plus the weight of the paper bag, .38 lb.) Canned beans, for their part, are shipped 12 per case, with each case made of cardboard and heavy plas c shrink wrap. Using the facts above we can say a bag will yield 175 cups of beans. So how many cans would it take to equal one bag of beans? 116 cans, or nearly 9.75 cases!
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A 15-ounce can of beans typically yields 1.5 cups; [but] a pound of dried beans, once prepared, yields 7 cups.
So now we know how many, what about packaging? Bulk beans = .38 lb. of paper. Canned beans = 1.1 lb. of cardboard + .27 lb. shrink wrap + 15.2 lb. steel. Now, much of that can be recycled, but the impact of our consump on is not felt only in our landfills. It took energy to produce all this packaging, so let’s have a look. The approximate minimal energy used to make 1 lb. of paper is 3,153 wa -hours; 1 lb. of plas c is 7,803 wa -hours; 1 lb. of steel is 2,518 wa -hours. While our brown paper bag consumed 1,198 wa s of energy, the energy to manufacture all the other packaging took 43,848.7 wa hours. That means it took 36 mes less energy to manufacture the packaging for the bulk beans! Where energy is saved, we might also expect to find lower costs. Once again, the garbanzo beans prove it pays to shop in bulk. If we pay $2.49/lb. for BPA-free dried garbanzo beans, we find that we pay as much for a single can of comparable beans. In terms of our full bag-to-case example, the 116.66 cans would cost $291.33, whereas the full bag of beans costs $62.25—a savings of around 79%! These are just two reasons why HWFC is so commi ed to le ng people make Bulk food part of their lifestyle; it is part of our Bylaws!
Connecting with Community • Fun Workshops at HWFC On the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 pm the Co-op community (Yes, that’s you as Staff, Member-Owner and/or Owner) is invited to have fun, share space and get to know each other through interac ve ac vi es and group games. Through playful engagement and coopera ve ac vi es, we will build trust, deepen respect for each other and learn to support each other’s strengths.
Please join us on October 23 from 7 unƟl 8:30 pm in the Community Room.
This event is facilitated by Karen Beetle, LMHC. Karen joined the Co-op as a high school student in 1979. She began her career as a community organizer and peace and social jus ce ac vist. This work led her to interna onal human rights work, violence preven on educa on, training in mindfulness and creden aling as a therapist. Karen is commi ed to crea ng an inclusive and welcoming space to foster connec on and build community. Contact Yeve e Buddeau at MemberServices-AT-HonestWeight.coop to reserve a space in October’s workshop. Drop-ins will be welcome at the door as space allows.
Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • h ps://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop
Honest Slate
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Where Does Single Stream Recycling Go? An eye-opening tour of Sierra Processing In August, eight Honest Weight Managers and Member-Owners took a field trip organized by the Co-op’s Environment Commi ee to discover what happens to the store’s single stream recycling. We carpooled to Sierra Processing at the Port of Albany for a tour of the private facility, where the Capital District’s mixed recyclables are sorted, baled, and then shipped all over the world for recycling. Like virtually all the region’s waste haulers and municipali es that collect mixed recyclables, Honest Weight’s contractor of choice— Republic Services, the na on’s #2 solid waste company—takes its loads to Sierra. Here are some of the key things I learned: • Single stream recycling is by nature highly contaminated, requiring costly equipment and grueling human labor to clean up. • Reuse is far superior to recycling. While it’s be er to recycle materials than to put them in the trash, recycling does have a significant environmental footprint. Sierra does no actual recycling. It only prepares materials for transport to be recycled.
by Tracy Frisch
blesome contaminants in the sor ng process. Sierra recently invested $4 million in equipment to pull out plas c bags and other materials. • Rinse out containers before pu ng them in recycling! Most of our recyclables are sent by container ship to Asia and other parts of the world. In effect, we’re dumping our waste on these poorer na ons. A er months in transit the stench of these loads is unspeakable. • Sierra excels enough at sor ng recyclables to sell all its bales, although certainly not free of contamina on. Workers called ‘dressers’ pull out obvious contaminants from bale exteriors. • Due to recycling stream contamina on, Sierra sends many truckloads of trash to the landfill. In addi on, it currently has no market for glass, so crushed glass goes to build landfill roadways. We saw a mountain of glass that was brightly colored from all the plas cs mixed in.
• Par cipa ng in a system where we sort our own recyclables saves energy and labor and results in less contamina on of recyclables. (Honest Weight may be able to return to such a system.) • Sierra uses temp workers to do the dangerous and mind-numbing manual labor of sor ng recyclables. (Interes ngly our tour guide praised Sierra as a great employer that treats its own workers well.) LeadPointUSA, a temp agency with an office located behind the facility, employs these low-wage temps. We were told that temp workers don’t receive benefits un l they’re on the job for some me, possibly for one year. We wonder about the rela onship between Sierra and LeadPointUSA. • Many inappropriate, problema c items end up in single stream recycling such as cell phones (the ba eries start fires at the plant); ammuni on and weapons (a rocket launcher was on display), and plas c bags (they jam up machinery, causing costly problems). People put in many other things they wish they could recycle as well as just garbage. • Do not put plas c bags or film in single stream recycling! They become highly trou-
photo by Elaine Hills Report from the tour: Sierra’s vast metal building contains three lines that sort waste around the clock. According to our tour guide, maintenance manager David Chris e, about 70 Sierra employees work at this plant with responsibili es from driving forkli s to selling bales of recyclables. An unknown number of line workers employed by a temp agency also keep the opera on going. A er Chris e gave us an orienta on and paently took our many ques ons, our group donned the required garb—hardhats, safety goggles, and fluorescent green vests—and
October 2018 followed him inside the cavernous building. (Luckily none of us had worn sandals or open toe shoes.) A er moun ng a couple flights of metal stairs, we entered a maze of narrow walkways to experience the opera on up close. The plant assaulted our senses with its incessant noise and background stench. Everything from the floor up seemed to be bathed in grease and grey dirt and dust. It was hot. (The plant is heated in the winter, but doesn’t have fans or air condi oning.) The opera on commences with a metering drum sending out an even layer of materials on conveyers. Next, polishing screens and other devices separate plas c, cardboard, cans and paper into different streams. From there, line workers in perpetual mo on further sort the materials by type. We stopped momentarily in front of four workers standing on the sor ng line. Each one endlessly carried out a par cular task, like tossing different types of plas c into designated barrels or pulling out items that gum up the works (and don’t get recycled at Sierra) such as plas c bags and tarps. Ever vigilant to the constantly moving line, these workers didn’t slow down while we observed them. Almost everyone that we saw working on the line (all temp workers) was a person of color. Six days a week, a caravan of recycling trucks streams into the facility to dump cargo onto the building’s pping floor. We peered down at the impressive mountains of wastage, an ephemeral memorial to our addic on to single-use items. Every day, workers in the par ally automated plant are charged with ge ng through these humongous piles in order to clear out space for the next day’s deliveries. When machinery malfunc ons, mechanics do their best to fix it on the spot. If equipment goes down for too long, it creates a crisis. There’d be nowhere to take recyclables; the line workers would have no work, and thus wouldn’t get paid. In a pinch, they bale par ally sorted materials, later break open the bale, and run it through again. The plant provides a vital service to the region. But it’s also a frightening reminder of the consequences of our society’s “here today, gone tomorrow” a tude. Is this is the best we can do at Honest Weight? Shouldn’t we take more responsibility for our consump on and the waste our habits generate? Let’s seriously consider how our Co-op can elevate reuse and reduce waste. While we’re at it, let’s look for collec on op ons where we could sort our recyclables in house when we discard them, like we used to.
Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • h ps://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop
Greetings from the GRC It has been less than a year since I was elected to the Governance Review Council, and another elec on is upon us. I sincerely urge all Member-Owners to consider this opportunity. 3 out of 5 seats are open: 2 for terms of 3 years each; and 1 for a one-year term.
Announcing 4 Events in 1:
e t o
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Honest Slate
October 2018
th
Oct. 28~
5
Committee Fair “PLUS” 4:30 – 5:30
General Membership Mee ng October 28, 6:00 p.m.
I have learned in my nearly 19 years with the HWFC that our Membership is abundant with talented, intelligent and dedicated people. We have had such people serve on the GRC. Two current GRC Members whose terms are up— Janis Adams and Ursula Abrams—will be running again; another will not. So there will be at least one new face among us. The GRC will miss outgoing member Gene Reilly who served well not only as a Bylaws advocate but as a mentor to me, the new kid. But as life is no more than a connected series of changes, I look forward to the new GRC.
GOVERNANCE REVIEW COUNCIL ELECTION 3 Open Seats For more informa on, go to the HWFC website page of the Elec ons & Nomina ons Commi ee
Meet the Candidates [Last chance!] 4:45- 5:45
Dessert Potluck 5:30 – 6
Membership Meeting
& GRC Election 6 p.m.
Good luck to all of the candidates. See you at the Oct. 28 General Membership Mee ng. —Jim Kaufman, GRC Chair
CASE presents 2018 Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Fair Oct. 20 Community Advocates for Sustainable Energy (CASE) invites you to its third annual free Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair at Doane Stuart School, 199 Washington Ave, Rensselaer from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sat. Oct. 20. The public is invited to enjoy informa onal displays and examine products geared towards living a more sustainable life with food, children’s ac vi es and workshops at the largest event of its kind in the Capital District area. Space remains available for more exhibitors. Register at www.stopnypipeline.org. Call Becky Meier or Bob Connors at 518-781-4686 or email: beckyjmeier-AT-gmail. com for more informa on. CASE is a non-profit, grassroots group and does not charge admission to a end the fair.
•Refreshments •Kids’ ac vi es •Green energy op ons •Eco-friendly investment •Sustainable displays & products •Doane Stuart’s green roof tours •Clean energy & audit informa on •Environmental jus ce & soil care •Solar, geothermal u lity choices •Environmental informa on •Aquifer assistance •Electric vehicles •Recycling & much more!
Keynote speaker: Geothermal expert Jay Egg focuses on geothermal u li es potenal, solar/geothermal exchange, aquifer-related environmental issues; permi ng, feasibility & variances.
Meet the GRC Candidates on the following dates in the Co-op’s Community Room/Teaching Kitchen: Sunday, October 21, 1-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 24, 6-7:30 p.m. Friday, October 26, 3-4:30 p.m. “Meet the Candidates” sessions are moderated conversa ons between candidates running for open seats and the Member-Owners who wish to get to know the candidates in order to help inform their decisions in the upcoming vote. The GRC and the Board are the two HWFC governance bodies that have elected Member-Owners serving terms who have been elected at membership mee ngs, and this coming elec on is for the GRC. These conversa ons are great opportuni es to hear ques ons and answers among our coopera ve peers while there’s s ll me to deeply consider the implicaons of these choices. We hope that you will a end!
Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • h ps://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop
Honest Slate
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Why Homegrown Happening Totally Makes Senses
What are you more apt to share with a friend? So o en it’s more about the experience than the transac on. Experien al marke ng like Homegrown Happening allows us to share who we ARE and to bring it to life through the five senses. If you have been to either of our first two Homegrown Happenings, then I bet you can attach a palpable memory to taste, smell, sight, touch, and sound.
Over me. Working on the weekend. Radio, newspaper ads, digital and social media posts, scheduling tons of demos and sampling, coordina ng extra MemberMember-O Owner me investment hours, extra work on the sales flyers, figuring out special offers & signage, handling crowded aisles and long lines at the registers, and the list goes on.
Yes, extra sales happen, and are of course important to keep our doors open, but strong sales are o en ed to the quality of one’s experience. Repea ng sales (ongoing loyalty) and word of mouth recommendaons are very connected to how folks are treated and what they otherwise experience at a business.
Our Homegrown Happening event sure is a lot of hard work, for all of us… but it’s so worth it. Why? Let’s look at “experien al marke ng.”
Great experiences create las ng memo-
“People do not buy goods and services. They buy rela ons, stories, and magic.” –Seth Godin
Experien al marke ng, also known as engagement marke ng, invites the audience to par cipate in a business, using tangible on-brand experiences. It serves to show what a business stands for in addi on to what products it offers. For a simpler way of understanding it, ask yourself which you would remember more: The beep of an item going across a scanner as you search for your wallet? Or the smell of a warm apple cider donut handed to you by a smiling face—and the knowledge that they’re made right around the corner—as the sun shines and laughter and folk music so ly bubble up all around you?
October 2018
“In a big box world, how cool is it that we can hold an event that is so warm, so local, and so uniquely ours?” —John Akots
ries, and they are much more likely to be shared with people you care about! In a big box world, how cool is it that we can hold an event that is so warm, so local, and so uniquely ours?
photo by Barry Koblenz
With almost everything available to be shipped right to your front door, isn’t it amazing that we can deliver a feeling, an emo on, or an experience that can’t be shoved into a box?
board meeting decisions
How lucky are we to be able to help cre-
HWFC’s Board of Directors approved the following at the 6 p.m. Board Mee ng Oct. 2, 2018:
ate and be a part of these memories, to develop and deepen rela onships with our fans, to help local businesses and their families survive and thrive! We’re able to sell wholesome foods and honest products as we share our “why”: our mission, the sense of community, a neighborhood coming together, and enjoying the harvest season.
I hope to see you at our 3rd Homegrown Happening Oct. 20…tell your friends! And forgive me if I have to finish my Cider Belly donut before I say “hi!” —John Akots, Director of Marke ng
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• Educa on Coordinator Job Descrip on. • Appointment of Gregor Wynnyczuk as one of the Member-Owner Representaves on the Personnel Commi ee. • Increase of the Communica ons Commi ee budget to facilitate the prin ng of 500 copies of the Annual Report. • Removal of Ice Cream Social & Cabin Fever event from the Membership Commi ee work plan. • No ce for the October 28 Membership Mee ng to be sent to the GRC. • Use of the Staff Input Form for Finance/ HR/ Marke ng.
Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • h ps://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop
Honest Slate
October 2018
committee corner: Monthly HWFC MeeƟng Summaries
by Stephanie Conde
This is a summary of preliminary commi ee reports submi ed to the Board of Directors for the Oct. 2 Board mee ng. Commi ee reports are available on the HWFC website upon Board approval. CommiƩee Fair The upcoming October 28 General Membership Mee ng will include a Commi ee Fair. Commi ees will share informa on on their roles and projects to educate the Membership and recruit new members. (To save space, we’ve eliminated Committee Fair prepara on informa on within the commi ee summaries below.) Finance CommiƩee Sales, cost of goods, and gross profits each rose approximately 3%; however, net income decreased due largely to oneme and tax-related expenses: Personnel (Member-Owner Time Commitment expenses rose as new ownership investments con nue); Occupancy (increased property taxes due to expira on of the PILOT program and a subsequent tax rate increase); Administra on (a one- me administra ve fee for transferring HWFC 401k accounts to a different company); Data Processing and Computer Contract Services (so ware and SMS upgrades); and Marke ng (increased adver sing and coupons). All expenses were within budget es mates, other than the 401k Administra on expense. On a posi ve note, the decrease in our principal loan balances resulted in reduced interest rates and a decrease in Interest Expense (down 16.6% from the same period last year). CommunicaƟons CommiƩee (CC) The CC requested Board approval for: (1) Annual Report dra ; and (2) distribu on of the Annual Report at certain events, increasing quan ty (to 500 copies) and prin ng costs (from $3,000 to $3,250). This month, the CC published its first edion of Honest Slate on the HWFC website. The CC is pleased with the publica on’s progress and the workgroup dedicated to crea ng Honest Slate.
The CC will con nue to collaborate with Management and Marke ng on its HWFC nomenclature project to integrate organiza on-wide standards for terminology across all Co-op pla orms. Membership CommiƩee (MC) The Nutri on and Educa on Commi ee (NEC) requested MC support to: review of Food and Product Manual [FPM] during orienta ons; ask Member-Owners to report items that do not comply with FPM; create an abridged FPM; increase font size for printed versions of FPMs; move the website link for FPM to the home page instead of the drop-down menu, “the banned list.” The MC unanimously expressed support for NEC’s recommenda ons and suggested Membership use exis ng sugges on slips (available at the Customer Service Desk) to report product concerns to NEC. Further, the MC suggested NEC communicate directly with the Board of Directors to receive direc on on these issues (and, if appropriate, direc on to the MC to assist NEC). The MC unanimously agreed, and requested Board ac on, to end the Ice Cream and Cabin Fever Socials due to poor a endance. The MC will review the results of a recent GMM survey to determine which events, if any, the MC will sponsor. Beginning in October, MC members will review the Member-Owner Manual for poten al conflicts with HWFC Bylaws. ElecƟons and NominaƟons CommiƩee (ENC) The ENC will organize/oversee the GRC elec on on Oct 28 (updated nomina on form, form availability on our website, current GRC member terms and seats open; and proposed dates and moderators for “Meet the Candidates”). The ENC dra ed a “Call for Candidates and Nomina on Form” which should be available in early October via the website.
7 NutriƟon and EducaƟon CommiƩee (NEC) The NEC con nues to promote the FPM. The NEC requested the Board approve 12 workplan hours to make the FPM ADA-compliant without increasing its number of pages. The NEC wants the FPM to be available on the HWFC home page; the FPM showcases the Co-op’s uniqueness and is a good marke ng tool. The NEC will finalize its use of Survey Monkey and begin their three-ques on NEC survey in Honest Slate as of November. The NEC con nues GMO research and will forward its findings to HWFC Management. An NEC commi ee member will table at the HWFC’s Homegrown Happening on Saturday, October 20. Personnel CommiƩee (PC) The PC con nues Employee Manual revisions of disciplinary process and is soliciting readers. The PC an cipates welcoming two new members soon—one vacancy to be filled by staff elec on, the other by Board appointment. Environment CommiƩee (EC) The EC con nues developing zero waste and recycling recommenda ons for the Board. Suppor ng documents, including department “waste audits,” (including the recently-completed Plants Department audit); will be included in a report by the November Board mee ng. The EC addressed its challenges scheduling commi ee mee ngs. The EC currently has only two ac ve members; one member recently resigned because her commute made on-site commi ee mee ngs “logically imprac cal.” CommiƩee Reports Not Included Reports for the following commi ees missed the deadline for this edi on: Bylaws Panel, Honest Arts Commi ee and Governance Review Council (GRC). These reports will be posted on the HWFC website once approved by the Board.
Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • h ps://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop
Honest Slate
8 From the Board
It is altogether fi ng and proper that I do this, but in a larger sense, it is my responsibility to be an ac ve and involved HWFC member. The Bylaws make it clear that Members/Owners are supposed to be acve. But more to the point, many have sacrificed to lay the groundwork on which we stand. Therefore, I am proud to help take the reins in a leadership posi on as a Board member.
Hello, my name is Warren E. Hamilton, and I joined the HWFC Board in July 2018. The intent of this message is to communicate with Membership and help to widen the communica on between Management, Staff, and Owners. We have all heard that “it takes all kinds.” At the Co-op, it takes all kinds of people both to join as Owners and to par cipate as Member-Owners. Diversity is something we experience every day as par cipants in this experiment that we call HWFC. I moved to Albany in 1991, and it took me a while before I finally stepped into the store. It did not take many visits before I decided to join, and seeing the different discount levels, it did not take me long to decide to be a working Member.
Submissions Policy We welcome contribu ons to Honest Slate at HonestSlate-AT- honestweight.coop observing the following policy:
• Word limit for ar cles shall be 500 words unless otherwise requested. Material is published at the discre on of the Honest Slate team; only signed ar cles will be accepted, and all ar cles are subject to edi ng for length, grammar, style and cita ons. Any ar cles deemed controversial in nature shall be reviewed before publishing. Writers must substan ate claims with facts and avoid inflammatory language. Ar cles regarded as a acks or otherwise harmful to
Board of Directors member Warren Hamilton; photo by Drea Leanza
Now I am engaged in a more serious effort at our Co-op because I decided to take my turn at governance by joining the Board. The term governance means a lot to me, as I am in my last semester in a Marist College Master’s of Public Administra on (MPA) program specializing in nonprofit management. I have worked in NYS Government for the past 27 years, so I have been involved in governance for quite a long me.
Tom Gillespie Tracy Frisch Elisa Grimm Warren Hamilton Elaine Hills
Ar cles referring to HWFC policies and pracces will be referred to the appropriate individual or body prior to publica on. We may consider unsolicited material but encourage individuals to first submit ar cle ideas. Spontaneously submi ed work is not guaranteed to earn me investment or acceptance for publica on and is subject to the same edi ng and proofing policies as assigned work.
Jim Kaufman Barry Koblenz Joan LaChappelle Drea Leanza Mollie Lampi
The going is tough and the road is long, but the rewards are personal and also extend to the larger community. I accept my responsibility and the hard work it entails. Those who accept this level of leadership do it neither for financial gain nor public acclaim; we do it because it must be done—not only for the Co-op to survive, but for it to thrive. While I have unique knowledge, skills, and abili es enabling me to contribute, we need many more to help make a posi ve difference locally and globally—competent people to help with commi ee and Board work. In the days of old, “Rosie the Riveter” and Uncle Sam extolled us to join the cause and get involved. Now I’ll say to you, “If not you, who? If not now, when?” —Warren Hamilton, Board of Directors
Statement of Purpose:
individuals will be returned to the writer for non-personal rephrasing.
The following HWFC community members contributed to this issue: John Akots Yeve e Buddeau Stephanie Conde Erin Donahue Olivia Dunn
October 2018
Carol Ostrow Paul Rosenberg Courtney Semoff Janet Sorell Tyler Varese
Honest Slate is a pla orm for communica on among HWFC Membership, Staff, Management, and Governance: promo ng transparency, repor ng news without bias, and sustaining community. Ar cles in Honest Slate are for informa onal 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 staff or Honest Weight Food Co-op. All contents ©2018 Honest Weight Food Co-op; any material appearing in Honest Slate may not be reproduced in any form without the express wri en consent of HWFC.
Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • h ps://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop
October 2018
Q &A from the Suggestion Box Q: I am missing the great sales in the bulk dept. Please bring them back! A: Please celebrate with us! We have many sales planned for “BULKTOBER”!!! Q: Please mark as “spicy” for hot bar items. Even for mild spiced dishes. A: We use our “spicy” s ckers for a medium level of spice. Please feel free to ask our kitchen staff ques ons about the level of spiciness for any specific item.
Q: Are any items in the deli low sodium? A: We do have a number of items that are either low or no sodium. Please speak with a manager or supervisor if you have any ques ons.
Q: I would like to see lamb in the meat dept. Why not? (It was very good.) A: We are down to only one farmer who provides lamb for our meat department. We cannot receive lamb as o en as we would like and we only get as much as that farmer can supply. We’re working on getng a more steady supply of lamb.
Q: Can you mark the charging spaces with paint like the handicap spaces? A: We have signs on the parking spots. We’ll check to see if there are conven ons for marking hybrid charging sta ons that we may add.
Q: Just wanted to compliment the Food/ Deli Dept. The food is delicious, fresh, and made with care for gluten free and special dietary needs as well. Keep up the Great Work!!! A: Thanks we will! We appreciate the fact that you took the me to let us know!
Honest Slate Q: Please add a sushi bar and sushi (fresh) “to go.” Great asset! A: We currently lack adequate facili es in our store to produce sushi. We’ve discussed obtaining sushi but have been unable to find poten al vendors who will meet our sourcing guidelines. Offering sushi is a long-term goal in our plans for the future. Q: Install high-level speed bumps in the parking lot to discourage through traffic which is high speed and dangerous to our patrons. A: We have no plans to install speed bumps as they create difficulty in removing snow.
Q: More changing sta ons, please! A: We are currently looking at changing sta on usage as we plan to expand the changing sta ons in the future.
Q: I am so thankful that I can buy so many unpackaged, especially plas c-free fruits + vegetables at the Co-op! I hope you increase the amount of plas c free produce you offer especially spinach!! ♥ A: Thank you for no cing! We also want to decrease our plas c usage. We’re looking to carry bunched spinach more consistently. Please bear in mind that for most of the season, local farms can only offer spinach in clam shell containers.
Q: In my humble opinion: Baggers should ask, Can I bag for you?” not Do you want me to bag or do you want to bag yourself?” The last one implies they should do it themselves. Just sayin’…. A: We’re reluctant to script our worker’s statements. Q: Loving the extra spinach in the wraps ♥. A: We’re glad that you are enjoying our wraps.
Q: HWFC logo t-shirts + sweatshirts: please carry again. A: We’re very glad that you are interested in our HWFC T-shirts and sweatshirts. We’re working on bringing them back.
9 Didn’t see your comment here? Check the bulle n board in the café. • Q: Your shoppers helper, Barbara C., just spent a half hour with me and introduced me to food I wasn’t familiar with but am very excited to try — just wanted to let the store know that I’m very apprecia ve + grateful (especially because I currently am in need of probio cs). A: We’re grateful to have Barbara as a shopper’s helper. She’s very knowledgeable about dietary needs and has been a part of our Co-op for many years. We’re happy to hear about your pleasant HWFC shopping experience and thanks for taking the me to let us know!
Q: I’d love if we carried Mad Hippie Beauty products. (Wellness said someone just asked about them earlier this week!) A: Surprise! We plan on bringing in Mad Hippie products by the end of the year.
Q: Are rubber duckies for sale? People want to buy them! How much do they cost? A: We plan on receiving some natural rubber duckies shortly.
This month’s sugges on box also included comments about security guards at the store. If you missed September’s issue of Honest Slate, please go to the HWFC website and read the ar cle or email honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop to share your concerns.
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Submit comments and ques ons for the suggestion box any me on store-provided forms at the Front End service desk.
Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • h ps://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop
Honest Slate
10
CO-OP CONNECTIONS Here we are in October already and we have some updates and announcements to send out to you all.
Member-Owner Announcements and Opportunities: by Yeve e Buddeau, Member-Owner Coordinator
Please take off aprons when going into the bathroom. This applies to all Member-Owners and all aprons.
Come to the Shindig this month! Last month’s announcements outlined how important Member-Owners are to the Co-op for a variety of reasons, including how important it is to be reliable and commi ed in our approach to helping out in the HWFC store.
This month’s reminder about the importance of Member-Owners is a word to the wise that a healthy and vibrant coopera ve is one where the membership parcipates in all aspects of the coopera ve.
The opportunity to involve ourselves in the democra c processes of our governance is just as integral as the help we offer on the sales floor. Collec vely the Member-Owners have the privilege of helping to shape the culture of our coopera ve by being involved and lending our experiences and voices to the governing bodies and processes. Is this making you want to rekindle your commitment to helping shape the Co-op that you own? It just so happens that we will have a Membership Mee ng on October 28. This mee ng will be preceded by a commi ee fair where Member-Owners will be able to see presenta ons by each of our commi ees and have conversa ons with commi ee members. This could be a great opportunity to connect and see if a commi ee me investment may be right for you! For those who invest me on the sales floor, there are a couple of announcements that we hope you will consider and remember.
Please wear nametags while on shi . This is very important to great customer service as it announces to the public that you are a Member-Owner who is on the sales floor with a purpose.
October 2018
The date is October 19 from 7-9 pm. The loca on is the First Congrega onal Church at 405 Quail St in Albany. You can get in free to this event if you show your owner card, so stop by and check it out! Interested in other events that get people together? Come to the Coffeehouse Open Mic at 7 pm on October 20 and the Connec ng with Community Event at 7 pm on October 23. Get to know your community!
Looking for something to do as a me investment?
OCTOBER Opportunities
Here are a couple of October-specific opportuni es which we’d love to see you at. Sign-ups are in advance of these events for planning purposes.
Homegrown Happening on October 20 from 12 – 4 pm: We are looking for people to help with set-up as early as 9 a.m. and break-down from 4 – 6 p.m. We are looking for event help as well during 124; this could mean helping outside in the parking lot with direc ng traffic, si ng at an informa onal table or assis ng with the community room ac vi es (just to name a few). This is an ac ve rain or shine event in Autumn, so plan on layering clothes just in case.
Membership MeeƟng on October 28 from 6 – 8 p.m. We always love to see as many people as possible for this, and there are always ways to contribute to get some extra hours and that warm-and-fuzzy feeling that comes from working together. Did you know that we always have a dessert potluck from 5:30 - 6 before the mee ng? Make a li le something and come chat!
Just a thought—we could use an organized individual to be the potluck coordinator on this. There are four Membership Mee ngs per year; one person could do one or all. Halloween is fast approaching! Each year the Co-op hands out candy and creates a safe and friendly space for kids and families to stop by on their way to whatever else they may be planning. We will need some extra people to help out with community room ac vi es and departmental needs on this day. This is an ultra-family-friendly day at the Co-op; please be mindful of this if you are thinking of wearing a costume.
Ongoing needs for Ɵmeinvestment opportuniƟes: Outreach is expanding their team and needs Member-Owners commi ed to community outreach. Our Outreach team is ge ng out into the Albany community and promo ng the Co-op and good health at some great events and loca ons, and you could be part of this! Day me, evening and weekend programming is available. Opportuni es include tabling at fes vals, fairs and events as well as hands-on food prep with children at schools, libraries and community-based organiza ons. If you are flexible, have great customer service, and enjoy talking to others then this could be a good fit! Our Grocery Department could use help during the early morning hours on Fridays and Saturdays; and all day on Sundays. Wellness has space on Saturdays all day for members with specific background or interest in the products of the Wellness D epartment The Bakery hopes to find an early-riser on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to help with cleaning and stocking the bakery case from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. each morning. If you have other departments that you are interested in then please reach out to them or to Yeve e at memberservices-AT-HonestWeight.coop.
Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • h ps://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate-AT-honestweight.coop