Phoenix Earth Food Co-op (PEFC)
Minutes, Board Meeting 04/25/2018
Location: Main branch of Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, 325 Michigan St., Toledo, OH 43604; Present: Adrienne Armstrong. Shelly Boraby, Maureen Ciesinski, Claudia Cooper, Hermann von Grafenstein. Absent: Thomas Fine, Anita Levin, Alyx Kendzierski, Mary Sawers, Sean Fitzgerald (General Manager). Resolutions are numbered R1–R2.
The meeting began at 6:42 pm.
- Approval of minutes
The minutes of the 3/28/2018 board meeting were approved (R1, 5/0/0 for/against/abstention).
Review of action items
12/20/18
- Alyx & Maureen – Maureen will get training from Kent Library on Twitter, contact Morgan – Ongoing
- Claudia – Pinterest – Ongoing
1/24/18
- Sean will identify items that could be displayed/offered at a coöp booth at a farmer's market (e.g. bulk items) – Ongoing, Maureen will collect info about how to set up Pinterest
- Sean will send messages to
old regulars
who have not visited the coop for some time – Ongoing
2/28/18
- Outreach Committee– Organize gluten-free, Paleo, raw, etc. meet-ups at Coop Ongoing
- Tom – Contact appraiser Sam Zyndorf 419 249-7070 Ongoing
3/28/18
- Hermann – check to see if Claudia is OK; ask about status of Kahle Center visit. Done
- Sean – identify the requirements for a financial review per NCG email attachment (financial review or full audit?), forward that info to Mary – Ongoing
- Mary – Ask accountant contact about audit vs. financial review – Ongoing
- Mary – ask Mark M how to go about asking a favor of building appraiser Zyndorf – Ongoing
- Tom – convene meeting of the building committee charged with investigating the condition of the building and price range (get city appraisal for property tax as compared to landlord's offer) and make recommendations regarding purchase of the building. – Ongoing
- Everyone – get donations for Don White fundraiser on 5/6/18 (2–4pm) to Sean – Ongoing
- Anita – set date for quarterly potluck – Ongoing
- All – complete general-manager-evaluation sheet – Ongoing
- General Manager's report
- Mary Bilyeu's feature of the Co-op in the online version of the Blade generated a noticeable positive response. Sean wants to use social media more to draw attention to the co-op.
- Sean hopes to take part in a program of the Health Department allowing customers with vouchers to get double the amount of produce. Apparently that program had recently been expended beyond farmer's-markets.
- Financial report
Due to Tom's absence, Hermann presented the financial report. Sales are up from last year's March report. but that could be due to the fact that this year Easter was in March last in April. There was a small loss in March, but this was largely due to higher purchases.
Outreach report
Adrienne presented the committee's report
Past events
- The Co-op had a table at the annual Seed Swap
- The outreach committee had met on Tuesday 4/17 at Hermann's house.
- Adrienne had contacted a representative of Gluten-Free Toledo
- The Co-op had a table at the Party for the Planet on 4/22
Planned participation at future events:
- The Plant Swap will be held on 5/5
- The Don White fundraiser will take place on 5/6
- The Old-West-End Festival will take place on 6/1. Hermann has bought a spot at the Marketplace.
- Adrienne will ask GM Sean about plans to participate in farmer's-markets
- Quarterly Potluck
The date of the Spring potluck was set at May 27 to be held at Hermann's house starting at 3pm.
New action items
All ongoing items listed above plus the following:
- Maureen – get info on line about Pinterest to help Claudia
- Adrienne – organize with GM Sean to start Co-op presence at farmer's-markets
- Claudia, Hermann, and Maureen will have a planning meeting for their presentation at the Kahle Center
- Hermann – send invite out for potluck on Memorial Day 5/27/18
- Hermann – send out GM evaluation sheet per mail
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 7:34pm (R2, 5/0/0).
Date of next meeting: May 23, 2918, if not decided otherwise. Note: the renovation of the main library will not start before September.
Minutes recorded by Adrienne Armstrong, written up by Hermann von Grafenstein, President