GM Meeting Notes 9.28.16

General Meeting AGENDA Wed., September 28, 7.30 - 9.30 pm The Co-op: 18 Putnam Ave, Brooklyn

Facilitator: Jeannie Note-taker: Elizabeth Note-takers - please see link to secretary responsibilities. Timekeeper: DK

Directors Present: Jeannie & Chirstina Directors Absent: Renee & Keith Others in attendance: Alec, DK, Cecile, Elizbeth, Angelica

Any person attending may participate equally in discussions, but only Co-op members/owners may vote on any issues. Member/owners may receive work credit if they attend (allotted 1 time a year).

Next General Meeting is December 21 at the store. Want to be a facilitator, secretary, timekeeper or to propose items for a future GM agenda? Please email board@greenehillfood.coop.

Welcome/Orientation 7:30-7:40 (10 min) (Jeannie)

  • Welcome and introductions. Brief explanation of the purpose of the General Meeting.
  • Questions welcomed!
  • Christina - Board member & GHFC 5 years
  • DK - Long time member, works on the newsletter
  • Cecile - French & works at the store as a shift leader
  • Elizabeth - Works the Friday morning shift by herself
  • Angelica - Store Coordinator

Consent Agenda: 7:40-7:45 (5 mins) (Jeannie)

  • A collective vote on decisions that have already been made or that don’t generally require/solicit discussion. Attendees can pull out any item they would like more discussion on, and this item will be moved to discussion at the end of the meeting.
  • Information on all consent agenda item votes will be circulated in advance of the meeting.
  • Ratify minutes from previous Board meeting - Ratified!
  • This agenda does not match website agenda

Membership and Finance Reports 7:45 - 7:55 (10 min) (Membership; Finance)

  • Monthly membership report (here)
  • Current number of working members: 400! (first time we’ve been at 400 since March 2015)
  • Number of new members and deactivated in August: 4 new members, 1 reactivated member, 60 trial members
  • Number of exiting members waiting for investment returns: under 50

Monthly finance report:

Link to Profit & Loss Summary: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0sBFqsPR1yTeTZhRTV4Vk1tbGs/view?usp=sharing

JULY 2016 SALES (31 days) TOTAL BASKETS 1,260 AVERAGE BASKET TOTAL SALES $36.03 TOTAL SALES $48,570.57 GROSS MARGIN* $11,394.29 Average daily total sales = $1,566.79

AUGUST 2016 (31 days) TOTAL BASKETS 1,212 AVERAGE BASKET TOTAL SALES $35.95 GROSS SALES $45,060.30 GROSS MARGIN* $10,644.43 Average daily total sales $1,453.56

SEPTEMBER 2016 (25 days) TOTAL BASKETS 1050 AVERAGE BASKET TOTAL SALES $38.38 GROSS SALES $41,510.08 GROSS MARGIN* $9,744.96 Average daily total sales $1,660.40

*Note: Gross Margin is Sales minus Cost of Goods Sold. Does not include spoilage. Figures are from Revel.

Liaison Updates 7:55-8:05 (10 mins) (Board:Committee Liaisons)

  • Finance = working on organizing financials. back taxes, tracking private loans
  • Merch = they are continually working to add new products & keeping spoilage down to a minimum
  • Marketing = Newsletter is a full team effort

Committee Asks and Gives 8:05-8:25 (20 mins) (Committee Chairs)

  • Committees asks for help or support / others give
  • Marketing = needs graphic designers (Olivia is a designer)
  • Finance = offers each committee to create a budget for the year

Store Coordinator Updates 8:25-8:35 (10 mins) (Store Coordinators)

  • Composting is active again.
    • This would be a good article for the Newsletter
    • Brooklyn Botanic Garden checked the compost and gave their okay.
  • Store Coordinators are looking for a third coordinator
    • The Board would like to know what the process is for hiring a coordinator
    • The Board did not agree to the hiring of another coordinator per the last GM
    • Better communication needed on both sides

Institutional Membership Proposal 8:35-8:55 (20 mins) (Angelica)

  • Overview
    • Create a Greene Hill Institutional Membership for small businesses & community organizations. This Membership Category would be non-voting and non-working.
    • Institutional Members have the same purchasing options as individual members (can place special orders & shop in store) for their organization’s uses.
    • Goals Build community relationships & support other local/mission aligned businesses; marketing & building membership
  • Details
    • The Greene Hill Member Organization will have a shared Key Fob for use by designated representatives from the organization.
    • The organization will -pay an annual fee of $50. -mutually agree upon shared marketing plans (e.g. highlight in respective newsletters, co-sponsor events)
    • This agreement will be reviewed on an annual basis when organizational membership is renewed.
  • Notes
    • Example from another cooperative: “Weavers Way offers an “institutional account” to local businesses. It is a non-voting membership with a $45 annual fee.
    • It allows businesses to charge purchases to their account and pay from a monthly invoice…& gives them the privilege of pre-ordering (a member-only benefit).”Susan G. Beetle; Finance Manager
    • RENEE: Votes YES!
    • NOT LEGAL: Per the NY Tax laws, our coop is not allowed to have an organization or business buy from the coop otherwise we will be shut down by the government.
    • Our tax is specific to for the coop.

Contingency Team: 8:55 - 9:05 (10 mins) (Keith should give update)

  • PSFC loan committee suggests we still have team looking for new locations should our lease be terminated early.
  • Keith is out sick. Will move topic to the next board meeting

Bike Rack 9:05 - 9:15 (10 mins) (Notetaker)

  • Nominees for the Board : Elizabeth, Morgan & Cecile
  • Open House: Need to update signage with new hours , Flyers have been passed out
  • Community: Would like to have store more presence in the community
  • In store visual merchandising: the spoiling and moldy bananas are not very nice to have at the front of the store / maybe it would be better to have these items on a shelf in the back storage

Closing 9:15 - 9:25 (5 min) (Notetaker)

  • Board review/approval: Board reviews votes at the end of each GM

Agenda Items for Next Month Contingency Team: 8:55 - 9:05 (10 mins) (Keith should give update) PSFC loan committee suggests we still have team looking for new locations should our lease be terminated early.

Meeting NotesBoardComment