from the general manager
from the board
Greetings Co-op Member-Owners!
As I sit to write this letter it’s mid-November. I have just experienced my first Skagit River flood event. I want to put a big thanks out there to all who were responsible for the planning, construction, and maintenance of the flood wall. It was very impressive to see the efficiency in which the city workers erected the wall and how amazingly effective the wall was. I had heard stories from some long-term employees about previous floods and the physical labor required to fill sandbags in order to protect downtown businesses. After witnessing firsthand the raw power of the river and seeing the destruction so many others endured, I feel so very fortunate that our Co-op came away unscathed. Believe it or not, I have just hit my two-year anniversary as the General Manager of our Co-op. For me, it is hard to imagine that two years have already gone by. It has been such an eventful period of time.
Call For Candidates Support the mission and vision of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op as a Board Member Candidate! Ever thought about running for a position on the Board? Curious what credentials are needed? Read through some frequently asked questions and consider putting your name in the hat… (there are actually a few more steps involved.) Why does the Skagit Valley Food Co-op have a board? The Board of Trustees provides the governance necessary to allow the Co-op to broaden our offerings of high quality, healthy food, support our environment, support our community with relevant education, and support local farmers, international fair trade, and other co-ops. To provide a base for growth, a cushion for harder times, and support to members of our community in need, financial oversight is essential. What are some of the desired attributes of potential candidates? We have embarked on a more active mission to identify individuals who will be our future board members. We are especially interested in bringing in owner-members with skill sets that will enhance our role, and who will more accurately represent the diversity of our community and increase our impact in communities we feel are underserved and underrepresented in our ownermembership. I’m ready to apply! What do I need to do? If you are interested in sitting on the Board, we ask that you fill out the Notice of Intent available on the Co-op website and submit it (with the attachments described) to board@skagitfoodcoop.com. We ask that interested owner-members also attend at least one board meeting and meet with current Board members to go over what the Board does and what you could expect if you joined. The deadline for the next Board election is fast approaching. If you are interested in being on the ballot, you’ll need to submit paperwork by February 4 and complete the meetings prior to February 18 in order to have your name and information included in the Notice of Election in the Natural Enquirer and online. (We’d also like a photo for the publication.)
In the past, I’ve shared with you some of the accomplishments, goals, and business decisions of the past two years. I would like to give you a little bit of an update on where things stand today and what our focus will be over the next few months. First, let me say that our Co-op remains healthy and has had a strong and profitable 2021. Final results will be shared with you all as soon as we have wrapped up our financial reporting. We accomplished much in 2021. We committed to a “livable wage” structure for our staff, which resulted in significant pay increases for 2021 and the expectations of annual ongoing adjustments in the future. I am committed to paying our staff a fair wage, one that allows them to continue to work and raise a family in the area. This will require us to continually make adjustments in our business to ensure adequate revenue to fulfill this goal. We made significant equipment and refrigeration upgrades in our store in 2021, and we will continue to do so in 2022. However, most of the investments planned for this year will be in systems like electrical and HVAC, areas not visible to a shopper. We permanently closed Third Street Cafe. We are in the process of repurposing the space to allow for increased food production and storage that will better serve our store. Due to the significant supply chain delays on equipment and supplies, the conversion process is taking longer than anticipated. I am hopeful that the process will be complete by the middle of 2022. In January, we will be conducting a thorough Staff Satisfaction Survey. We have hired an outside consulting company to conduct the survey for us. This company has successfully conducted accurate and confidential surveys for dozens of co-ops across the country. Because so many other co-ops utilize the same survey, we will be able to benchmark our results against other coops. The survey will allow us the opportunity to identify areas we do well in and areas that could use improvement. The results from the survey will be used as a tool to help us strategize ways to increase the overall staff satisfaction at our Co-op.
When will elections take place?
Elections typically take place in April leading up to the Board of Directors Annual Meeting in May, and we anticipate introducing online voting in 2022, to facilitate participation. Please watch for more details in the store, on the website, and in the next Natural Enquirer.
Skagit Valley Food Co-op Mission Statement The Skagit Valley Food Co-op is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide good food at a fair price. As stated in the Co-op Bylaws: The Co-op shall promote member welfare by utilizing their united funds and their united efforts for the purchase and distribution of commodities in accordance with the following criteria: A. Maintaining the not-for-profit status of the Co-op;
B. Offering high quality products which contribute to good nutrition;
C. Supporting a low impact, non-harmful approach to the environment; D. Supporting local suppliers and producers; E. A commitment to building a cooperative economy and supporting others who share that commitment;
F. A commitment to educational programs relevant to members and non-members in the community. The Skagit Valley Food Co-op Natural Enquirer is a quarterly publication of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and may not reflect Co-op policy. No articles are meant to be used for diagnosis or treatment of illness. The Co-op does not endorse the products or services of advertisers. Editor: Nicole Vander Meulen | Layout & Design: Megan Feichtinger Staff Contributors: Contributors: nancylee bouscher, Ben Goe, Leigha Staffenhagen & Tony White Board of Trustees: Brad Claypool, Kristen Ekstran, Britta Eschete, Casey Schoenberger, Rob Smith, Wayne Rushing, Tim Penninger & Tom Theisen Copyright 2022: Reprints with permission
2 skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022
Other Thoughts
The pandemic has brought about so much change. We have unprecedented supply chain issues that continue to affect availability of foods, equipment, and supplies. We are constantly dealing with labor issues due to a shortage of workers, as well as our existing staff needing time off to deal with COVIDrelated issues like quarantines, school closures, and ill family members. All of the new challenges we now face at the Co-op have added complexity to our jobs, which increases the stress level all around. Our resiliency and patience have grown due to the changes we have faced these past couple years. I am proud of the success we have shown in spite of the many new facets of today’s work environment and world. The ways we are required to interact with each other over the past two years has been far from ideal. It has been so challenging for staff, members, shoppers, and vendors to communicate with each other while having to wear a facial covering. So often our daily in-store personal communications can be misconstrued as a result of wearing a mask. It can be difficult to hear and/or recognize facial expressions which often leads to misunderstanding and sometimes even confrontation. I am concerned that our Co-op may not feel like the joyful and fun place we intend it to be. Your Co-op shopping experience is built upon sharing the joy and gratitude of multiple personal interactions with our staff on a daily basis. We yearn to exchange smiles with you and nourish our spirits in the process. As you are reading this letter from me now, I have no idea what the current facial covering practice is, but I suspect it is still a requirement. We will get through this most difficult time. But I look forward to the time where we will all be able to reintroduce ourselves, share a smile, have a laugh or two and embrace the joy and energy of our Co-op community. Until that happens, please believe that we are smiling behind that mask and are happy to be here to serve you. It has been a fun and rewarding two years. I truly appreciate the opportunity to lead such an amazing Co-op. I am fortunate to have landed in such a wonderful place with an incredible group of employees and a dedicated and engaged group of owners. I look forward to and dream of a more normal year.
Cheers, Tony White
