November 2019 Honest Slate by Honest Weight Food Co-op

NOVEMiber 2019

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

MO “10 in 10” Incentive Slated Nov. 18-27 With the Co-op’s busy season

upon us and high sales volume expected over the next two months, we’re rolling out an incentive for Member-Owners to help fill the store’s needs, promote a fun atmosphere in the departments, and help MOs meet time commitments. We’re calling it our “10 in 10” incentive and here’s how it works: Any MOs who invest 10 hours in the 10 days leading up to Thanksgiving will be entered into a drawing for a $50 Co-op gift card. There will be three winners—that’s three chances to win a $50 gift card to the Co-op! The days covered in this incentive are Nov. 18-Nov. 27. We’ll run the report, tally hours, and draw winners in the first week of December. Who is eligible? Anyone who does Member-Owner hours. The idea is to provide maximum help for departments during our busiest times of the year. Where can MOs do their shifts? Since this is an incentive for helping the Coop to run smoothly during the holiday rush, we ask you to pick up shifts in departments with which you are familiar. Some tasks are quickly picked up and prove super helpful. Contact Yevette at memberservices@honestweight.coop with questions. How can I sign up for a 10-in-10 shift? Reach out to the manager of the department you usually do hours in to set up your schedule. Don’t wait! If you need help to do so, please contact Yevette. Find Department contact info on our website or stop by the department in person.

honestslate@honestweight.coop

What if my chosen department has no

shifts at the times I’m available? Shifts are open in many departments and we hope to get as much coverage as possible; but if you need to seek hours outside of your department or lack a “home department” please contact Yevette in Member Services and we’ll look for a place for you to contribute and be of value while having fun.

Suggestions include:

• Courtesy Clerk (Front End) • Fronting (Grocery) • Parking Lot or Café Attendant & Greeter (Member Services) • Turkey Orders and truck unloading (fast-paced tech skills and heavy lifting required for Meat). We want to make this our best season yet—and YOU are a big part of that! Sign up for shifts now and join the wonderful camaraderie and good spirit that keeps us all invested in our cooperative; see page 12 for more information. —Yevette Buddeau, MOC (Member-Owner Coordinator)

CONTENTS Membership Meeting Recap..... 2 EV Car Charging......................... 3 Turkey Time + Saucy Sides......... 4 Compostable Containers............ 4 MO Remembrances................... 5 Q&A/Suggestion Box.................. 6 HWFC’s New Generator............. 7 Governance News: BLP • Quorum • Elections........ 8 Board Decisions & Info............ 10 Do We Owe You?..................... 10 Committee Corner................... 11 MO Co-Opportunities!............. 12

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Help Wanted:

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SLATE

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

Honest

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

Staff Meals: Nov. 26, 27 Cookie Challenge: Dec. 4-6

Quarterly Meeting Supports Elections, Shares Experience Honest Weight’s quarterly Regular Membership Meeting was held at 6 p.m. Oct. 27, 2019 at the Ramada Inn. In review, CCO Rick Mausert presented on five years of history: reporting on yearly sales, net income, and EBITDA figures from fiscal years 2015-2019. It was reported that the Co-op had an overall successful financial year; HWFC Employees Alex Mytelka and Justin Hardecker shared Staff Development training experiences as part of the Financial and Operational Update.

The GRC elected three new members: Carolynn Presser, nominated from the floor by Member-Owner Alan McClintock; Saul Rigberg, nominated from the floor by Member-Owner Gene Reilly; and John van Bladel, the sole declared GRC candidate. Member-Owners discussed Bylaws revisions and voted to remove old policy language from the Member-Owner Manual. The Board thanks all those in attendance. —Olivia Pettit See page 2 for more details.

https://www.honestweight.coop/

Honest Slate

November 2019

HWFC Fall Membership Meeting Highlights GRC Elections, Staff Presentations Our well-attended Oct. 27, 2019 Membership Meeting opened with a welcome to all, including new attendees. The agenda continued with a Financial & Operational Update from CCO Rick Mausert, who stated that we had over $28 million in sales in fiscal 2019 and “made the budget. We paid down our debt and had a successful year.” CFO Erin Martin added that all balloon payments have now been remitted following a refinancing from several years ago. “We know exactly where we are and exactly where we are going,” she said. How we obtain our goods Rick introduced Alex Mytelka, Center Store & Wellness Manager; and Justin Hardecker, Assistant Bulk Manager, to talk about Staff development and the important role which NCG (National Cooperative Grocers) plays in our Co-op. NCG is quite literally a cooperative of co-ops, and Alex noted that, as co-ops, we can be said to own NCG. He also identified the other main player in our supply chain, UNFI (United Natural Foods Inc.), currently NCG’s main supplier. UNFI is not related to NCG organizationally; they are two separate entities. NCG negotiates with UNFI on our behalf in order to obtain the best products/prices for us. Co-ops convene from all corners Describing a recent major NCG-sponsored conference which he and Justin attended called Convergence, Alex related that the annual event strives to connect people from about 150 co-ops nationwide—all of which share similar missions, products and a desire to help each other improve. Each member co-op sends 2-5 staffers to this four-day conference, yielding hundreds of attendees. Convergence was held in Minnesota, where Alex learned that the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area has 9 (nine!) food co-ops. This year’s theme advocated cause-based promotions involving matching funds, wherein NCG matches donations obtained from individual in-store promotions. (For example, HWFC’s end caps promote Fair Trade products from companies like Equal Exchange and Dr. Bronner’s.)

Competitive Outcomes? On a pragmatic note, our Center Store/ Wellness manager spoke of industry trends that could potentially impact U.S. co-ops. Honest Weight accounts for 6% of total sales for UNFI. However, Whole Foods— which accounts for 30%—is now owned by Amazon. When a Member-Owner queried whether supply could be handled locally in order to diversify our sources, Alex clarified that NCG manages the national supply chain specifically so that we in turn can work with local vendors. Building an Inter-Co-op Community On a positive note, the subject of CBD drew cheers when Alex shared that Honest Weight is attracting national attention for its record-breaking CDB sales. Among all NCG members, HWFC had the highest single-location store CBD sales nationally from May 2018-May 2019. Alex found himself engaging with, and encouraging, wellness managers from across the U.S. at Convergence—a fine moment for HWFC indeed. Noting that buyers are effectively investing MOs’ money when they make purchases, Justin outlined his buyer training experience at Convergence. “It’s more complex than just filling orders,” he said, referring to costs, profits, and margins—not to mention category management, optimizing product selection, and industry trends. Next time you reach for an item on one of our shelves, remember that it comes with a story representing much hard work behind the scenes!

“All of a sudden, Vitamin D ‘matters’ more than Vitamin A.” —Justin Hardecker Justin also clarified the surprising intricacy of product identification. Whenever nutrition labeling standards change, the Bulk Department must keep abreast of modifications—not unlike our Board of Directors staying informed to remain in compliance with changing State laws. Such changes, no matter how small, must show visibly, requiring awareness and upkeep.

Guest speakers at the 2019 Convergence included environmentalist Winona LaDuke, Stonyfield Organic co-founder Gary Hirshberg, Justin’s founder Justin Gold, and Klean Kanteen CEO Jim Osgood. How GRC Matters: Our new GRC members Now elected to the GRC, Member-Owner Carolynn Presser addressed the importance of that evening’s GRC elections and the group’s role at HWFC. A trained mediator, Carolynn was previously President of the Board of the Directors for 3 ½ years and is familiar with the tenets of compassionate communication. This season’s Meet the Candidates sessions, she said, reinforced for her the importance of adding her own voice to the conversation—hence her acceptance of nomination from the floor that evening. The GRC, Carolynn stated, is an important body. It can monitor every aspect of the Coop and provide a voice for Member-Owners if they can’t go directly to the Board or other parties about concerns. The GRC has the ability to provide recommendations, advocate, and make findings public.

“It’s more imperative than ever for Member-Owners to become involved.” —Carolynn Presser Carolynn stressed raising our level of cooperativeness and focusing on our mission. She referenced a major structural change in 2015 that ultimately involved balancing our “dual nature.” Despite a shift towards corporate structure while growing the business, she stated, “We must never lose our cooperative nature.” Next, newly elected GRC member Saul Rigberg greeted attendees, citing 33 years of membership and involvement with the Bylaws Panel as well as previous Board experience. As a current member of the Arts Committee, he expressed the hope of recreating a “commons” atmosphere in the store. continued on page 3

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

November 2019

Takeaways:

Fall Membership Meeting continued from page 2

“It could even be fun.” Finally, John van Bladel spoke of Honest Weight’s identity. “I’d like to see us get more invested in who we are as a Co-op,” he told the group, advocating involvement. Emphasizing the collegial atmosphere, he said: “It could even be fun.” In his candidate statement, John referred to his approach to the Board of Directors earlier in 2019 about considering alternative management styles. “I [offered] a Compassionate management approach that is consistent with the Mission of the Co-op and recognizes the dignity and inherent worth of all members… [The Co-op is a] refuge for so many good hearts and minds….”

n October 4, 2019 our beloved 0 Co-op took an extra step to help shoppers

Honest Slate “Time is not something you can be tangible about, but you do have to have it.” —a Member-Owner

Several attendees offered suggestions on alternative ways to invest time without having to travel to the store. After elections, the meeting focused on discussion and voting regarding Bylaws Revisions and MO Manual Changes. For voting results, see page 8. —Carol Ostrow

GRC’s purpose is to:

• Promote good governance • Advocate & recommend • Share information • Heed concerns • The GRC exists to provide advice, support and analysis; it is not inherently designed to find fault or wrongdoing. • Sharing common values keeps the Co-op running smoothly. • Don’t perceive people as different once elected; remember they are regular Member-Owners.

Don’t Blow a Gasket! Plug it In!

By Courtney Semoff

reduce their carbon footprint by adding two new EV charging stations to HWFC’s parking lot—creating a total of 6 charging ports now available to EV consumers! A big thank-you goes to National Grid for providing substantial financial incentive to make this small leap in environmental progress not only possible but affordable.

One small planning issue was lack of avail-

able wiring at slated installation areas. The original choice (to run a new line from the store) would have involved significant construction. Thankfully, National Grid was able to install another pole closer to station placement. A small roadblock was not going to stop this project!

“Our mission is to promote more equitable, participatory and ecologically sustainable ways of living,” CCO Rick Mausert stated. “We have had high usage of the two stations...installed over 18 months ago. The demand from our customers was there and the Co-op supports EV.” Rick shared details on obtaining stations, applying for National Grid’s incentive program and cost documentation, including impressive savings which we obtained. Some readers may remember one EV charging station being out of order in early summer. Now with multiple backups, this problem

photo by Rick Mausert

should be resolved. (However, if you do notice one not working, please alert the front desk. Staff do not use them and therefore may not know right away if maintenance is needed.) Of note, the two new stations are not identical to the first one. The original unit, provided by a company called Clipper Creek, is actually owned by the Co-op. However, the two new stations are provided and maintained by ChargePoint. Unlike the Clipper

Creek station, ChargePoint station recharging is free only for the first two hours, after which a fee is withdrawn to continue charging. Please visit ChargePoint’s website at chargepoint.com/ to find out more and create an account. This project, in the works since April 2019, has tripled our number of charging stations 6 months later. Those seeing this to fruition made short work of an initiative sure to see long-lasting effects for HWFC and our world.

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

Honest Slate

Turkey Talk with Mo Durr

In this month’s department Q&A, Honest Weight’s busy Meat Department Manager Mo Durr took time to answer a few holiday-themed questions for our readers. Q: Do you bring extra Staff in for the holiday rush? A: The Meat Department does raise staffing levels and also seeks out as much Member-Owner help as possible. Q: Turkey is the traditional meat option for Thanksgiving, but is there any other meat that gets a sales spike during the Thanksgiving season, or is it turkey, turkey, turkey? A: For the most part it’s turkey, turkey, turkey but we do see a rise in ham sales as well as some beef roast. Q: What brands are most popular? A: Misty Knoll is the most popular and Plainville is a close second. Q: Any new turkey vendors this year? A: Not this year, but Slingerland Family Farm is offering a heritage bird [a traditional breed of turkey that has not been “industrialized” for factory efficiency—ed.].

Q: What sells more: organic (antibiotic-free, etc.) or conventional? A: In years past we’ve sold more natural turkeys than organic [organic foods—sustainable, nonsynthetic, anti-herbicidal, etc.— are certifiably defined and labeled as such, and while “natural” products are minimally processed they are not bound like organics by the stringent standards of certification bodies—ed.] but last year we saw a significant rise in organic turkey sales. We anticipate organic turkey sales to trend upward this year as well. Q: Can shoppers pre-order or is it first come, first served? A: Shoppers can pre-order turkeys and of course turkeys will also be available on a first come, first served basis. Q: What about fresh versus frozen? Which sells more? A: Fresh is the best option in my opinion but frozen is still quite delicious. Both fresh and frozen sales are good but fresh seems to be the preferred option of HWFC shoppers.

BUDGETING

So when I walked into the refrigerated deli section to pick up some lunch, I was surprised to see entirely new packaging that included an HWFC-branded design. Flipping it over to see what material it was, I was pleased to see World Centric’s name on the bottom. They also make the compostable cutlery used in the cafe.

Sauce on the Side:

Lingonberry sauce is served with many meat dishes in Norway, like Swedish meatballs. (Yes, Norwegians like Swedish meatballs. My daughter lived seven years in Norway.) It is like cranberry sauce, and my husband and I serve it with roast turkey at Thanksgiving. It is sold in the Cheese Department on the shelves with jellies and jams; the jar top says, “Wild Preiselbeeren”. —Annette Kramer

Simmerin’ Tzimmes

Tzimmes is a root vegetable stew made with autumn’s harvest bounty: carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes and turnips; apples; and dried fruit like raisins, apricots or prunes, all baked or simmered in a sauce with orange juice or chicken broth. Sweet and hearty, especially flavored with warm spices: cinnamon, cardamom, and dashes of nutmeg and cloves. —Carol Ostrow earlier this year. Marketing, Operations, and managers of departments which a packaging change would affect—Food Service, Cheese & Specialty, and Bulk—unanimously agreed it would be a beneficial step.

The Beauty of Many budgeting discussions have come forward through suggestions, Board meetings and word of mouth since HWFC’s current fiscal year began. Due to power outages from storms over the summer, the need for a generator became imminent as well as the financial requirement to stagger the living wage increases allotted to existing employees.

November 2019

“They sure are cool!”—Marketing Department Management reports that our yearly budget allots an amount to purchase stock of these containers. Since packaging is part of what the customer is purchasing, a small surcharge is added to the cost of goods to balance the container budget. (It is unknown whether the added design cost more or raised these prices.) Our packaging supplier (Bunzi) informed HWFC of the possibility of adding a logo

In addition to boasting a beautiful new design, the containers are compostable. However, they (and the compostable cutlery) require commercial equipment to heat up sufficiently to process. Luckily, HWFC works with Natural Upcycling to provide a resource to members and customers to be able to compost items like these. This means that those composting at home cannot throw these containers in their own compost piles. However, you can save any that you acquire, bring them back to the store, and put them in the cafe’s compost bin. Natural Upcycling regularly removes the contents of this bin from our environmentally forward-thinking Co-op! —Courtney Semoff

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

November 2019

Honest Slate

Remembering Ed Miller

While poring through archives of Honest Weight’s past newsletters, a Slate writer discovered a recipe—printed 40 years ago this month—contributed by longtime MO Ed Miller, who passed away in recent years. The Coop Scoop (now our marketing magazine) in which this recipe appeared, illustrated at right, was the Co-op’s original membership newsletter.* We take this opportunity to share some memories of Ed (as well as a look back at early typewritten copy). Enjoy! Nate Horwitz recalled: “Ed’s history with the Co-op goes back to the buying club days. He joined in the mid-70s and was a Board member for many years, and I believe that he was instrumental in the creation of the shares program in the late 80s. He was also behind a plan, that ultimately didn’t happen, to purchase the old post office building. “There was a movement years ago to put all Co-op member workers on teams, and Ed was strongly behind this project. We actually had a referendum on this topic in the early 90s called the WAP (Worker Accountability Project.) The vote failed, but we did have teams here at the Co-op for quite a few years, and Ed was one of the team leaders. I believe that the team he led was the last team to keep going. *https://www.dropbox.com/s/j16okbm5lbee2z4/CoopScoop-1979-11.pdf?dl=0

My Friend Pat

by Margaret Bernstein

I first met Pat Burke in fall 2000; he was bagging my groceries at HWFC. We talked about music; soon he was buying my CDs, attending my shows and volunteering as a roadie for my band. In the 19 years that I knew Pat, he accompanied me to over two dozen venues. I could always count on Pat to be there for me. Pat was the kind of friend who’d make sure my car was parked properly; turn up with food at the ER when I’d been bitten by a dog; and set his alarm early to bring my son to school. He came to my parents’ memorials; was there to listen at any time of day or night; and sent valentines every year from his own trademark “haulmark” collection. I will always remember Pat’s sense of humor; his jeans that never seemed to fit properly, and our crazy adventures together. In spring 2006, Pat, Julian, our friend Patrick and I all drove to Myrtle Beach. Our memorable trip included getting lost in tobacco fields; a boating expedition in which Pat fell into Gator Lake; and cooking nightly internationally themed vegetarian cuisine. Driving to my son’s violin lesson in Wright, we came up with as many uses of the word “right” as possible, cracking ourselves up as we turned right, right in time, on the road to Wright, which was all right. We shared trivia nights, lake gatherings, and parties. He rarely missed my birthday. One year, we ate flourless chocolate cake and played checkers, at which he beat me seven times in a row. Once, four of us went to First Night in Albany, rode on the horse-drawn carriage, watched a planetarium show, saw concerts, and ate ice cream outside while it was snowing.

“One thing that Ed was not, was a good cook. As far as I can remember, most of his recipes were things he made up himself, some more successfully than others [so] I’d think twice about actually following the recipe —Nate Horwitz “Ed was on the Board before the Co-op and I met. He was doing his hours in the refrigerated grocery section when I was first hired in 2009, and since refrigerated was specifically what I was first hired for, I saw Ed often for some time in the beginning of my employment. I remember him as someone who would advocate for others, be willing to pensively consider whatever I brought up, and publicly quick to smile and have some comment or joke. –Yevette Buddeau

Happy Thanksgiving Pat was involved with my nonprofit organization, attending school concerts. He helped with equipment, delivered handbooks from the printer for our programs and even served on our board of directors. Of course, there were also some not so good times—like when Pat accidentally managed to have my car towed; and the time that we ended up on the North Shore of Long Island an hour before my plane was to take off at JFK. We all worried whenever he “disappeared” for a while, but he always reemerged—so it was a total shock to hear that Pat was gone for good this time. However, I refuse to believe that Pat is really gone. I believe that he is here with all of us, so proud of each of us, so happy to be associated with all of us, his true friends and family who loved him wholeheartedly for who he was and always wanted the best for him. I am so honored to have been Pat’s best friend in this lifetime. It was not always easy but it was a great privilege. I hope he still wears the scarf I knitted for him in heaven. He motivated me to get back to singing and performing. I know he will be there in spirit at every event to come. Only this time we won’t have to worry about his pants falling down while helping to set up the gear. Pat’s usual opening sentence to me was “As I was saying,” to which I would always promptly reply: “Pat, you were not saying anything yet.” At the end of an outing, I would tell him it was great to see him and give him a big hug to which he would reply, “Always a pleasure.” So Pat, as I was saying, we will all miss you but we know that you are here with us in our hearts. Thank you for being our dear friend and brother. It has been a great pleasure and honor knowing and loving you.

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

Honest Slate

Q&A

From the Suggestion Box Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see your comment here? Check the bulletin board in the cafĂŠ. Q: [Please carry] lowfat/fat-free yogurts that are organic. A: We carry a few varieties of low-fat and fat-free organic yogurts. We carry Stonyfield plain and vanilla low-fat and fat-free in large containers. We also carry 7 Stars low-fat plain in a large container. We also carry Green Valley lactose free low-fat organic yogurt in plain and vanilla in a 24-oz. container as well as strawberry 6-oz. Please let us know if there is a specific brand you seek. Q: Dear Board of Directors and Management of the Honest Weight Food Co-op, please install an automatic door opener for the first restroom: â&#x20AC;˘The heavy door makes access to the restroom unsafe for those of us with disabilities. â&#x20AC;˘The ADA requires accessibilityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the right thing to do. Many thanks. A: Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve forwarded your suggestion to the board and management. Thank you for your input. Q: Ellie in the Deli is amazing! Such friendly service! A: Thank you for taking the time to let us know. We also appreciate Ellieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friendly service. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll pass this along. Q: We need visible â&#x20AC;&#x153;No smoking within 50'â&#x20AC;? signs that I can point out when people smoke near the building and leave their butts on the ground. Where did the signs go? And another polite sign not to leave trash in the lot or grounds or carts may help the garbage in the lot. Thank you to people who pack it out. đ&#x;&#x2DC;&#x160; A: We agree & will get No Smoking signs up. Q: I thoroughly enjoyed the Indian and Sri Lankan food in the hot bar! A: Thank you so much! We will pass this along to our chefs. We hope you find our other recipes to be equally satisfying.

Q: Thrilled you got Paleo waffles! Low carb and yummy! A: Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re happy to help. Thanks for taking the time to let us know that you like them.

November 2019 Q: I lost the â&#x20AC;&#x153;cupâ&#x20AC;? to our water bottle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; do we have any extra ones? Can we order extras from the company? A: We may have a replacement cup for you. We stock replacements for some Life Factory and Klean Kanteen bottles.

Q: Non-cilantro options in the to-go display. A: Please speak with a deli worker who will Q: Can we order the New York State Conserpoint out our cilantro-free options. vationist for Kids? You will get 6 issues each Q: Please stop selling products with Palm year of the Conservationist plus ConservaOil! Especially non fair trade & sustainable tionist for Kids in October, February + April. Palm Oil! It is hypocritical to what you stand Call 1-800-678-6399 or write NYSDEC for for when you have so many Palm Oil prod- Kids/625 Broadway 4th Fl., Albany NY 122334502. ucts! A: We sell products made with â&#x20AC;&#x153;goodâ&#x20AC;? palm oil is the short answer. Please see informa- A: We would love to carry it but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not praction on RSPO at onceagainnutbutter.com for tical to add another title to our magazine system. Perhaps you could contact One Source further info. at 800-541-5542 to see about adding it to its Q: Please label which breads have been pre- selection. That would make it available for us viously frozen. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to customers! and also a lot of other stores to carry. A: Our â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bread Delivery Scheduleâ&#x20AC;? on the top shelf of the bread display lists Alvarado, Canyon, Food for Life, Ezekiel, and Rudiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as our previously frozen breads.

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Turkey Tracks Trace Trail

Q: Hello. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t eat flour and the deli wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t offer actual flourless options or allow me to buy a brand new bag of Ezekiel buns to make me a sandwich. Could there be a middle ground? A: We cannot take any food from the sales floor to be prepared in the deli, as that would be a health code violation. We will happily â&#x20AC;&#x153;makeâ&#x20AC;? a sandwich with no bread for you to be used as you wish. Q: Heyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;whoever invented + made this scrambled egg/cider donut/cranberry/etc. dish Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m tasting wolfing right nowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Awesome!! A: Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re glad you enjoy our donut-bread pudding! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll keep making it. Thanks for letting us know! Q: Please carry Hominy (for making posole+ other favorites). A: We carry white corn posole on a â&#x20AC;&#x153;clip treeâ&#x20AC;? with other Los Chileros products in our Specialty Foods dept. and also at the end of the bulk herbs and spices aisle. Q: Customer was extremely impressed w/ Dave Sicklersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; assistance in bulk: â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was really great, is he a manager?â&#x20AC;? A: We are also impressed with Dave Sicklersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attitude and ability to help throughout our store.

Talons Point Pathway to Poultry Do these prints pinpoint the path of pterodactyls in our midst? Are they vestiges of velociraptors? Or...possiblyâ&#x20AC;Śone giant leap for sales? Member-Owners: please tell your children not to be afraid. THESE ARE NOT REAL. They are pretend turkey tracks! The tridents traipse a direct route showing customers the way to our Meat Department, currently busy gearing up for heightened holiday sales (see related article, page 4). Let the kids make it a game: see who can count the most decals! Even better, make it educational by teaching them a new word: Tridactylous, meaning three-toed. (Did you know that there is another animal with three toes and that it is called a three-toed sloth? But that we do not eat sloths?)

------------Honest Slate

Happy Holidays from

Honest Weight Food Co-op â&#x20AC;˘ 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 â&#x20AC;˘ 518-482-2667 â&#x20AC;˘ https://www.honestweight.coop/ honestslate@honestweight.coop

November 2019

Honest Slate

HWFC has Generated a Generator! During 2019, multiple HWFC power outages caused over $130,000 in product loss, added labor hours and reduced operational hours. HWFC’s insurance covered losses, but the claims did not come without penalty: our rates increased, and management was informed that unless the store obtained a generator by the onset of the next policy year, premiums would rise further. Luckily, CCO Rick Mausert had been researching this since Oct. 2018. For the first 3 years at our current location a generator wasn’t possible; profit was not sufficient to afford one. However, Honest Weight’s profit margin increased exponentially in recent years, allowing us to consider this purchase. His choice of a diesel generator raised legitimate concerns with Environment Committee (EC) members. The generator purchase was discussed at the April 2 Board meeting; at May 7’s Board meeting, the Board requested that Rick meet with EC experts prior to a decision. The Governance Review Council (GRC) also weighed in: “The GRC requests the Board and Management seek membership input on plans for a backup generator.” Our Bylaws require Membership approval only for unbudgeted expenses that are 1% or more of our annual budget. By May, multiple product spoilage incidents had motivated Management to prevent recurrence during the summer, when storms increase outage odds. Rick agreed with the EC, GRC and Board that if an alternative solution to fossil fuel could be found, that would be the best mission-aligned option. The matter was still pending at the June 11 Board meeting, when Rick reported that management had gathered price quotes and was prepared to make this a reality for HWFC. The GRC had previously suggested that “policy should be made regarding monetary and process” issues. The EC concurred and offered to conduct a storewide energy assessment. Management reminded attendees that the issue was about the method for generating power and had obtained bids rather than actually placing an order. The EC discussed their research in progress on alternatives potentially involving some

By Courtney Semoff

payback (via programs such as Community Solar), sharing more about renewable energy. They suggested using the phrase “backup power system” rather than “generator” due to the possibility of having battery backup charged by extra power generated via solar energy, a wholly sustainable option. Rick offered access to resources necessary to complete an accurate energy assessment. By unanimous vote the Board allowed the EC to amend their work plan to “include an energy assessment exploring backup power systems with a proposal to include pricing.” The Board agreed to an Aug. 26 deadline. While the Board instructed the EC to perform the energy assessment—and while the Board, EC and Management all agreed on researching further mission-supportive options—the final decision was in fact made in compliance within our existing structure. To clarify how the Co-op functions, HWFC Bylaws charge the Board with developing policy, while Management is currently assigned sole responsibility for capital expenditures and store operations. Therefore, in accordance with our Bylaws, the final decision was Rick’s in this instance. Reconsideration of that process, a position advocated by the EC and GRC, is a separate discussion from the generator purchase itself. By the July 2 Board meeting, HWFC had once again experienced outages and significant product loss. While the generator would not yet have been in place for these outages had Management ordered in April—as there is a 5-month turnaround—the transfer switch would have been installed in time, according to Management. This switch allows the store’s power to be turned off and redirected to the generator or to a mobile generator. Management reiterated the necessity of purchasing a generator sooner rather than later. The Environmental Committee offered to add generator research to their work plan with committee experts providing their professional skills as Member-Owners. At the Aug. 6 Board meeting, the EC reported that Dan Spilman completed “the data collection portion of the energy conservation audit” and would write it up for the

7 Aug. 26 deadline. Additionally, Co-op customer Brad Leach, who works for NYSERDA, reached out with interest in helping with this project even though he was not yet a member—he is now! The EC’s completed report was distributed to the Board and Management on Aug. 27, before Sept. 16’s Board Meeting presentation. Unfortunately, quorum was not met so it was not an official Board meeting; but it was agreed that the EC would present their findings as all involved parties were in attendance and the report contained important information. Although the meeting lacked formal minutes: 1. The EC presented their proposal based on their compiled 139-page report and targeted the following areas for improvement: • The possibility of a battery storage system; but due to the cost, and the lack of needed space for such a system, it was not pursued in detail. • Benefits of electrical load balancing: 10kW/month reduction yielding electrical cost savings of ~$1200 per year. • Energy Star Program Rating: HWFC received an 87% rating for the year ending in May 2018 due to adjustments and power reduction upgrades. • Entrance vestibule’s faulty design: Both sets of entrance doors normally open with one person in the space, letting large amounts of outside air enter, as RTU-8 is not able to keep up with this load. • HWFC’s light usage: interior lighting is left on 24/7; exterior lights come on 45-60 minutes before needed. • Plug loads: modest, primarily comprising computers, registers, and office equipment. Only commercial kitchen equipment and cooler significantly impact energy consumption. •Refrigeration load: ~50% of full building load. • Humidity Controls: would allow economizer controls to resume operation for RTU1-7, and bring fresh air into the building to lower the mechanical cooling required while reducing interior CO2 levels. ○ Energy Conservation Suggestions • Evaluation energy supplier: The budget for this measure is estimated at $200 or less, the cost to terminate a contract; no energy savings; financial savings $11,200 per year; payback under one month. 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

8 Honest Weight Food Co-op 10-27-19 Membership Meeting

Voting Results We were happy to see 137 Mem-

ber-Owners in attendance at Oct. 27’s Membership Meeting. Thank you all for joining us! Final tallies reflected strong attendance, with 137 MOs present. •Election of three (3) Members to the GRC (Governance Review Council): Expanding from one to three, the number of candidates running for three open seats on the Governance Review Council (GRC) immediately tripled as Carolynn Presser and Saul Rigberg were nominated from the floor, joining candidate John van Bladel. All three were elected (of several write-ins, none received the required 25% to be elected). With 128 Ballots submitted, 111 votes were cast for John; 105 votes for Carolynn; and 97 for Saul. Congratulations! Revisions to two (2) Bylaws: •Bylaws Revision 410.3(c): Resolve that section 410.3(c) of the Bylaws which states: “A Member-Owner who is or becomes a supervisory employee at HWFC may not simultaneously serve on the Board” be amended to state: “A Member-Owner who is or becomes a supervisory employee may not simultaneously serve on the Board. A supervisory employee at HWFC is one to whom other HWFC staff directly report.” Of 115 Ballots cast, 94 MOs voted yes: to amend Section 410.3(c); and 21 voted no: to not amend Section 410.3(c). This Bylaw revision passed with 81.7% of all votes cast. •Bylaws Revision 440.3: Resolve that section 440.3 of the Bylaws which states: “Five Directors shall constitute a quorum.” be amended to state: “A simple majority of sitting Directors shall constitute a quorum.” Of 95 Ballots cast, 71 MOs voted yes: to amend Section 440.3; 24 voted no: to not amend Section 440.3 This Bylaws revision passed with 74.7% of all votes cast.

Honest Slate Revision to the Member-Owner Manual: •Member-Owner Manual Change: Resolve to remove Harassment Policy in Member-Owner Manual due to creation of separate Anti-Harassment Policy to conform with current New York State law. Of 67 Ballots cast, 64 MOs voted yes: to amend the Member-Owner Manual; 3 voted no: to not amend the Member-Owner Manual. This change to the Member-Owner Manual passed with 95.5% of all votes cast. Thank you to all who were in attendance. —The Board of Directors

Quorum Bylaw: Is there a problem?

At the 10/27 Membership Meeting, a concern was raised about compatibility between the Board’s proposed Bylaws change in quorum requirements and the Business Corporation Law (BCL), particularly Section 707. BCL 707 states: 707. Quorum of directors. Unless a greater proportion is required by the certificate of incorporation, a majority of the entire board [9 directors at HWFC] shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or of any specified item of business, except that the certificate of incorporation or the bylaws may fix the quorum at less than a majority of the entire board but not less than one-third thereof. The Membership approved the Bylaws change of quorum from “five Directors” to “a majority of sitting Directors.” The Board has been advised by counsel that, because our Certificate of Incorporation requires us to have a minimum of only five Directors (in contrast with the later Bylaw requirement of nine), and a simple majority for a Board with five sitting directors would be three, our newly-approved Bylaw is in compliance with BCL requirements. We will always have at least five Directors, which means that our quorum will be at least three. Because three is one-third of nine, we meet the requirement of BCL 707.

November 2019

BLP news :

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The Bylaws Panel (BLP) invites Member-Owners to comment on the proposed Bylaw change [shown at right] before final language is brought for a vote at the Jan. 26, 2020 Membership Meeting. Members may submit comments to BLP@Honestweight.coop until Nov. 25.

Current: 330.4 Member-Owners have the right to run as candidates for election to the Board and to the Governance Review Council, except as noted in Section 410.3. A Member-Owner may not serve on both the Board and the GRC concurrently, except in the case of a Board member serving as the Board liaison to the GRC. AND 461.2 No decision of the Elections and Nominations Committee shall preclude the right of any MO to be nominated or self nominated at a membership meeting. PROPOSED BYLAW CHANGE (We propose to eliminate 461.2 from the Bylaws since everything is being consolidated in 330.): 330.4 (a) Member-Owners have the right to run as candidates for election to the Board and to the Governance Review Council, except as noted in Section 410.3. MOs must declare their intent to run for an elected position by completing a Nomination Form prior to the Membership Meeting or by being nominated or self-nominating from the floor at the time allotted for floor nominations. 330.4 (b) Nominees who are not present at the Membership Meeting have the responsibility to confirm their intent to accept their nomination before the end of time allotted for floor nominations. 330.4 (c) No decision of any governing body shall preclude the right of any MO in good standing to be nominated or self nominate at a membership meeting. 330.4 (d) A Member-Owner may not serve on both the Board and the GRC concurrently, except in the case of a Board member serving as the Board liaison to the GRC.

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

November 2019

Generator continued from page 7 • Adjust DHW (Domestic Hot Water) Recirc Pump Control: No cost; work can be performed in-house. Electrical savings $61 per year; payback instantaneous. • Door Weatherstripping: Cost estimated at $116 for material, work to be performed in-house. Energy savings $37 per year; payback ~ 3.1 years. • Adjust Existing Lighting Controls: Necessary field work not completed to calculate energy and financial savings. ○ Energy Conservation Measures: require capital expenditures • Lighting Upgrades: Project budget estimated $20,695. Electrical savings estimated $1,817 annually; payback ~11.4 years. • HVAC Control Upgrades: Project budget estimated $11,282. Projected annual savings $5,463; payback ~2.1 years. • Refrigeration System Control Upgrades: (reducing peak electricity draw for each compressor by eliminating the inrush power, lowering the overall building demand.) Project budget est. $18,417. Projected annual savings $11,339; payback ~1.6 years before incentives are credited. • Renewable Energy Electrical Systems: (long-term priority upgrade to be undertaken as finances allow. The measure will look at both a photovoltaic (PV) electrical generating system being installed and economics of signing up for the commercial solar program now available in NY, no upfront investment.) Project budget estimated $833,500. Projected annual savings $30,570. NYSERDA rebate incentive estimated $123,000; payback ~27 years before incentives. • Main Entrance Modifications (modifying the entrance vestibule space and RTU-8 operation to reduce outside air infiltration, and provide better climate control for the front deck office area by lowering the ceiling to ~9'8"): Project budget estimated $7,926. Projected annual savings $1,498; payback ~5.3 years. • Back-up Generator & Demand Response (compare potential savings of using natural gas while enrolling in demand and emergency response programs available to NY commercial customers): Project budget estimate $200,000. Projected annual savings $688; payback ~145 years based on estimated $100,000 cost increase for a gas generator.

Honest Slate • Insulate Polycarbonate Panels (insulation for polycarbonate wall panels in storage room and loading dock upper wall area, in store’s northwest corner): Project budget estimated at $7,169. Projected annual savings $688; payback ~10.4 years. *There is no market norm in deciding the size of a generator. Generally, a 20-25% margin over either the average power throughout the year or the peak month is used. In HWFC’s case the peak energy usage was in June 2018 at just over 250kW. ** These estimates do not include “factors for design, construction management, contingency, interest during construction and bonds.”

2. While the EC’s Energy Audit made no specific generator size recommendation, EC recommended a 300-350kW diesel generator at Sept. 16’s unofficial Board meeting after weighing all power options, store energy consumption, and affordability. 3. The CCO reportedly informed attendees on Sept. 16 that he would proceed with the order of a 450kW generator. No request for Management to delay the order was made that might have allowed the EC to present their report officially at the next Board meeting; nor was any intention of a Board vote to intercede mentioned. All parties had the EC’s energy audit a couple weeks prior to Sept. 16’s meeting, giving Management the opportunity to evaluate the cost of the Energy Conservation Measures, which they reviewed. Management concluded that if conservation measures were implemented to accommodate a 300kW generator, the budget would not allow for a generator until the 2020-21 fiscal year. Ultimately, Management decided to purchase the larger generator now to prevent further product waste during future outages. Therefore on Sept. 17 Rick ordered a 450kW Milton-Cat generator, expected onsite by February—with the transfer switch in place by December. Management made this decision in line with the Co-op’s standard business practices and procedures for the following reasons: 1. The 450kW will serve the store’s current energy needs and allow for expansion. While no plans of expansion are on record, a generator will last 10+ years before a rebuild is necessary. If the Co-op decides to expand before that we would need to “stack” generators—order an entirely additional unit.

2. While Milton-Cat was more expensive than Generac the unit’s superior quality justified the negligible amount—at this level of purchase—of a $4,000 difference. 3. Power will spike when the generator is initially engaged—but will ramp back to the kW necessary to run the store. Without a margin for that spike of 20-25% over max kW, a 300kW generator would not even start. 4. Milton-Cat provides remote online maintenance monthly and free servicing for the first year, after which the intention is to provide maintenance in-house. The EC believes a 350kW generator would offer ample room for expansion; our usage peaked at 255kW during the audit. EC members and Management continue to collaborate on moving forward with Energy Conservation Measures and ensure that upcoming budgets allow for incremental adjustments. Recent years’ modifications to the building’s original design have included changes to outside air control of several RTU (Rooftop Units) and replacing nearly all interior and exterior lighting with LED lights. By the time a generator rebuild is needed, the store may be able to run on a much smaller unit. Another possibility is that in the next decade, as the EC pointed out, “future penalties for using diesel fuel generators based on changing regulations/rules” will occur, hopefully helping to reverse damage done by “dirty” energy over the last century. Those committed to environmental stewardship continue to develop and improve technology so that populations can still access conveniences to which they’ve become accustomed, and also make it more attainable to those who lack it. The EC comprises people passionate about our planet who also possess the knowledge and skill to help HWFC make these monumental changes. On Oct. 30, the CCO and EC representatives met again to discuss continued energy conservation plans in further detail. It will take all of us working together to achieve HWFC’s Triple Bottom Line—People, Planet, Profit. Read the Environment Committee’s full Energy Audit Report here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/cup3qgyxtc0htwf/ HWFC%20Energy%20Audit%20Report%20August%20 27%202019.pdf?dl=0

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

Honest Slate

Board Decisions Oct. 15, 2019 - 6:00 pm •Permanently established the MemberOwner Eco Commuter Program. •Adopted updated Employee Bereavement Policy. •Approved inclusion of Elections & Nominations Committee survey in Oct. 27 General Membership Meeting ballot packet. •Revised job description for HR Recruitment & Retention Specialist. •Affirmed policy allowing Staff option to provide self-evaluation during annual performance review process. •Scheduled General Membership Meetings for Sun. Jan. 26 & Sun. April 26, 2020.

November 2019

do we owe you? The Co-op has money waiting for a number of individuals who we cannot find. 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

Nov. 12, 2019 - 6:00 pm •Appointed Ursula Abrams to the Board of Directors. •Approved the establishment of temporary subcommittee on the employee experience. •Approved the distribution of a gift card valued at $24.99 to all Staff members employed at HWFC as of Dec. 1, 2019. •Scheduled General Membership Meetings for Sun. May 31 & Sun. Oct. 25, 2020.

Mark your calendar for HWFC’s 2020 Membership Meetings: • January 26 • April 26 • May 31 • October 25

NovemIber 2o19 Submissions Policy:

Editors & Contributors: Ursula Abrams Margaret Bernstein Yevette Buddeau Stephanie Conde Erin Donahue Elisa Grimm Don Kennison Annette Kramer

Rick Mausert Carol Ostrow Olivia Pettit Courtney Semoff Janet Sorell Tyler Varese with special thanks to the Environment Committee

We welcome articles & contributions; desired maximum length is 500 words. Material is published at the discretion of the Honest Slate team; only signed work is accepted; and 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 pre-approval. Contact honestslate@honestweight. coop with questions, comments or suggestions.

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 ©2019 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

November 2019

Honest Slate

COMMITTEE C O R N E R HWFC Meeting Summaries

by Stephanie Conde

HWFC Ownership Statistics (as of 09-30-19) •12,665 Owners (37 new Owners; 7 redemptions, largely due to geographical relocation). •742 MOs contributed 6,433 hours: floor, office, governance, outreach and community room/education. •Board and Committee hours: 213 (likely underreported). •129 Owner and 64 Non-Owner Staff employed.

•CFO Erin Martin planned to attend The Neighboring Food Coop Assoc.-sponsored conference Sept. 30 - Oct. 4.

Sales and Fiscal Performance (for the 2 months ending 08-31-19) •Ordinary Income increased $13,094 or 12.3% to $119,270 vs. $106,176 ($82,475 over budgeted amount of $36,796). •Net Income increased $7,855 or 23.4% from $33,507 to $41,362 ($66,712 over budgeted $25,350). •Costs of Goods up $7,754 or 0.3% at $2,652,013 vs. $2,644,258 (under budgeted $2,673,728 by $21,716 or 0.8%). •Overall Gross Profit up $4,433 or 2.3% at $1,837,572 vs. $1,797,139 last year (under budgeted $1,863,082 by $25,510 or 1.4%). Gross Margin was 40.9% vs. 40.5% last year (under budgeted 41% by .10%). •Total Expenses up $27,339 or 1.6% from $1,690,963 to $1,718,302 (under budgeted $1,826,287 by $107,985 or 6%).

Communications Committee (CC) •Will deliver Annual Report at 10/27 Membership Meeting. •Copy for Slate’s Nov. issue due 10-25.

Finance Committee (FC) •Noted that Board acknowledged that generator purchase was within CCO’s purview without Board approval. •City of Albany increased property and school taxes by 8% more than budgeted. Current assessment is $6.2 million: 70% of full value. Cost savings being explored; most notably CDPHP health insurance, to rise 26% in 2020. •Finance 101 designed to provide Board and MOs with finance and Co-op business structure training; separate budget discussions held each May. •Board needs to engage in new strategic planning process. •Annual audit completed Sept. 10; no issues or problems noted. Printed copies available at next Membership Meeting.

Governance Review Council (GRC) •Requesting attorney’s guidance on custody / storage of files deemed confidential. •Met with Board on MO complaint •Exploring a shared Google drive with password protection for HWFC historical documents.

Nutrition and Education Committee (NEC) •Requested Board approve recommendations and allow brochure on glyphosate to be distributed at the Co-op without HWFC branding. Comments from brochure author Louise Maher-Johnson were provided as well as information on how European countries are addressing glyphosate use and pending class-action lawsuits against Home Depot and Lowes over “lack of warnings” to consumers. •At management’s request, researched ingredients in the Impossible Burger. The product would be out of compliance with “What HWFC Does Not Knowingly Stock” and with our GMO policy. •Our first Food and Product Manual [FPM] tabling Sept. 14 was well received. This practice will continue approximately monthly, depending on NEC member availability. •Work on Meat and Poultry Standards continues in preparation for management review. Environment Committee (EC) •Continued work on zero waste, including reading on microplastics and attending Green America- and Island Press-sponsored webinar on how business can end plastic pollution. •Information shared on development of a whitepaper on Co-op’s use of compostable tableware and packaging. •Fall electronics waste collection event tabled due to inadequate lead time.

11 This article provides a summary of preliminary committee reports submitted to the Board of Directors for the October 15, 2019 Board meeting. See the Board meeting packet for details. November Committee reports will appear in December’s edition. Committee reports are available on the HWFC website upon Board approval. •Communication with UNFI on pallet wrap recycling continues. •Continued work on HWFC energy issues, including attendance at Sept. Board meeting to present energy conservation assessment and recommendations on backup power systems and other upgrades. Attended HWFC managers’ meeting to answer questions and discuss report recommendations. •After researching electricity pricing and reviewing documents, EC’s energy professionals concluded that HWFC overpays approximately $11,200 per year. •Honest Slate to contain article on EC’s energy study, findings and recommendations. •An Integrated Pest Management specialist from Cornell will meet with Co-op Staff to consult about insect pests such as fruit flies. Elections and Nominations Committee (ENC) •Changed nominations closing date to Oct. 17, allowing more time for Members to consider running for office. •Scheduled Meet the Candidates sessions for Oct. 23 (5:30-7:30pm) and Oct. 27 (4:005:15pm) in the Community Room. Seating will be determined at next ENC meeting. •GRC Elections will be advertised on posters, through Constant Contact, and with postings on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Content will be created and submitted for the Elections tab of HWFC’s website. •Discussed graphics and content for posters, cash register displays, and Constant Contact for GRC Election’s Call for Candidates. Submitted articles for Aug. and Sept. Honest Slate. •Microsoft Project continues to be useful; updated to track election-related tasks. Personnel Committee (PC) •Finalized (and submitted to Board) portions of Employee Manual on Conflict, Discipline & Grievance Policies and Bereavement Policy. •Attendance / Time Away from Work policy review continues.

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

Co-opportunities:

Honest Slate MEMBER-

OW N E R

Brrr… cold weather is happening in the Capital District … and so is the Co-op! This is our busiest time of year and we have so much to be grateful for at HWFC. Come be part of the good cheer and collaboration that help us maintain the best customer service in the area. Here are a few ways you can help in the coming weeks. The Deli and Meat Departments have the greatest need right now. Deli is seeking food service–trained people who want to be part of the team that makes food come together at the Co-op. Food is a huge part of what we do here—it is a food cooperative, after all—and helping to touch the lives of those who stop by for good eats is a rewarding way to get your hours in. If you’re trained in food service and want to give it a try reach out to Dan at DanH@ honestweight.coop or Ashley at AshleyP@ honestweight.coop. The Meat Department needs people leading up to Thanksgiving. Taking turkey orders involves some computer savvy, and handing out turkeys will involve some repetitive lifting, but it’s all fun customer service. The Meat Department has space for people to stay on after the holidays, so this could become a nice Member-Owner home for some of you. We need attendants to keep the café neat and tidy during lunch and dinner rushes, refilling supplies and helping direct customers to discard in appropriate bins (recycling, compost). We also need greeters for the front door area and parking lot attendants to help customers unload shopping carts into their cars and then round up those carts from outside. These positions become super important when our business demands are high in order to keep our customer flow moving smoothly. We’ll have staff meals to help out with, too; 10am-6pm shifts on Nov. 26 and 27 will include keeping things tidy and positive as those contributing in the store on these days take breaks and grab a bite to eat. Staff meal helpers will also assist in maintaining our environmental values by washing reusable plates and silverware

November 2019

Announcements

to keep our waste stream to a minimum. Contact Yevette for these opportunities at MemberServices@honestweight.coop. The Front End seeks Courtesy Clerks on Fridays and weekends to bag groceries at checkout and sometimes help people to their car. We also need trained cashiers to work during periods of increased business over the next couple of months. Cashiers and Courtesy Clerks are the last part of the Co-op that people see, so we strive for an extra high level of customer service at this point in shoppers’ experience, sending them home feeling great about their choice to shop at the Co-op. Reach out to Katie at Katie@honestweight.coop or Morgaen at MorgaenHansen@honestweight.coop to help fill in at the Front End. Don’t forget the “10 in 10” incentive in the ten days leading up to Thanksgiving! For the Owners and Member-Owners who already love to pick up extra shifts when the need is greatest, and for all of you who have asked about how to make the most positive impact at the Co-op—this is for you! Build up ten hours Nov. 18–27 and you’ll be entered into a drawing for one of three $50 Co-op gift cards. Plus, you’ll have the personal pride of knowing that you make a huge difference in our cooperative success. Sign up for shifts now! For December, we need bakers to help with our Holiday Cookie Challenge. Save the dates of Dec. 4, 5, and 6 for baking cookies. Member-Owners will be follow a recipe, mixing and baking in the Co-op’s teaching kitchen. Ideally, each MO takes one recipe and a 3-hour time block to make about 250 cookies. This event is a lot of fun! We also need MOs to help portion all the cookies into sample cups and to direct foot traffic at the tasting event on Dec. 7. Contact Yevette at MemberServices@ honestweight.coop to get involved in this challenge. There is much opportunity at the Co-op this season. It’s so easy to find a place to fit in and help, and we can’t wait to see you! —Yevette Buddeau

Interested in joining Honest Weight Food Co-op’s Team as an Employee? Check out our Employment Page.

To everyone who participated in our membership survey: we encountered a couple of glitches so an extra special thanks to all who toughed it out and completed it anyway! We received a wide range of answers and will tabulate results in the near future. Congrats to gift card winners Erin Fox and Melanie Pores. Yay! A friendly message from the Safety Committee: Just Go Around! We ask MOs and Staff to walk through the store (on the sales floor rather than via the back room) when they see someone in the warehouse actively loading a cart, on a ladder, or otherwise requiring passersby to sidle, scoot, dodge, tiptoe, hopscotch, duck, etc. High five for safety.

COMMITTEE C O R N E R continued from page 11

Honest Arts Committee (HAC) •Call for large pieces set for mid-October. •Requested Board discuss with management increasing shopper awareness of the gallery (announcements about the gallery and its location every 30-40 mins., greeters and cashiers sharing the same information). •Requested General Membership Meeting facilitator mention the gallery (including location) at the start of each meeting. Membership Committee (MC) •Requested Board’s input on difference between “coordinating” and “conducting” General Membership Meetings (Bylaws 463.2 and 342.1 respectively). Is it MC’s charge to assign a moderator to run the entire General Membership Meeting? •Findings of investigation into Coffee House amplification issue were reported to CCO Mausert. The vast majority of HWFC Staff and patrons had favorable reactions to Coffee House. MC hopes the one Deli staffer reporting ongoing issue with amplification will be able to work with the situation for the 2 hours it occurs monthly, as the event fosters community, draws people to HWFC, and aligns with our founding cooperative values. •Discussed manual revisions, NEC visit, management’s response to MC poll; potential moderating workshop; class with Environmental Committee and Homegrown Happening.

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