Annual General Meeting Minutes 2007
Tuesday November 20, 2007
Function Room, Newtown RSL, Enmore Road, Newtown
Meeting Opened: 7:05 pm
Attendance and apologies
Present: Elmarie Pareezer (chair), Vivienne Murray (secretary), Cecilia Jensen (treasurer), Sarah Cook (MC), Gemma Beall, Gab Nicholson, Monika Baumann, Lara Daley, Sieglinde Leferink, Annie Werner, Genevieve Derwent, Jacqueline Jensen, Sasha Freeman, Warren McLaren, Stevie Bee, Rebecca Gouldhurst, Lisa Durante, Dominika Grossy, Jason Bush, Jann French, Amity Lynch, Natalie Jurdeczka, David Harris
Apologies: Rick Shaw (MC), Sam Byrne, Oliver Granger, Roy Bishop
Appointment of facilitator, minute taker
Facilitator: Elmarie
Minute taker: Vivienne
Acceptance of Minutes from previous AGM
That the minutes of the 2006 AGM be accepted.
Moved: Sarah Cook Seconded: Lisa Durante CARRIED
Staff Reports
MANAGER/CO-OP COORDINATOR
Co-op Manager Sarah see Annual Newsletter View
Co-op Coordinator Warren see Annual Newsletter View
DIRECTORS' REPORT
see Annual Newsletter View
Proposal: That the Directors' Report be accepted
Moved Lara Daley Seconded Lisa Durante
FINANCE REPORT
• Auditor’s Report signed off by Elmarie and Cecilia only in last week, hence no report in newsletter.
• Comparison of years 2005/06 and 2006/07 (Presented by Cecilia)
In the year 2006/07, income increased by 15%, cost of goods increased by 6.9%, gross profit increased by 34%.
In 2005/06, AH recorded a loss of approximately $31,000. In 2006/07, AH recorded a profit of $32,000. Net result: $709 in the black.
Balance Sheet (approximate amounts)
2005/06: $6,000
2006/07: $46,000
Equity: $7,000 (2006/07)
Cecilia expressed her gratitude to Gab and the Shop Coordinators for their assistance.
• Financial Strategy
Requires ongoing development by MC to obtain continued growth.
Proposal: That the Finance Report be accepted
Moved Elmarie Pareezer Seconded Natalie Jurdeczka
STOCK COORDINATORS
Groceries (Lisa Durante) see Annual Newsletter View
F&V (Dominika Grossy) see Annual Newsletter View
Discussion concerning Stock Coordinators' Reports
• Elmarie: Great to have Farmer Direct produce. Great options such as biodynamic eggs vs organic eggs. AH is a different to shopping experience to regular stores and that is one of its appeals. Staff are approachable and are able to answer people’s questions.
• Jacqueline: Include information on f+v in newsletter and website
• Sarah: listening to members; at 2006 AGM, query raised about how members could be more effectively heard. More detailed responses to Suggestion Box enquiries and included in newsletter.
• Jacqueline - Are members' questions manageable?
Lisa (Groceries Coordinator): Approximately 20 email enquiries per week; more thorough research to provide more detailed responses to members' questions. Monthly staff meetings have great content with productive ideas and discussion.
• Dom (F+V Coordinator): questions primarily from members when in the shop, receive less phone/email. Ensuring Shop Coordinators are informed is important to differentiate Alfalfa House from supermarket shopping experience.
• Jacqueline - feedback - database of information, via newsletter and website is becoming a fantastic resource.
• Stevie: F+V will be on website in 3-4 weeks. No. 1 search on website: ‘cockroach remedies’
• Dom: new season brings new products
• Elmarie: emphasis on eating f+v in season
Proposal: That the Stock Coordinators' Reports be accepted
Moved Sarah Cook Seconded Monika Baumann
Call for Nominations for the Management Committee
Election of Returning Officer
Proposal: That Warren McLaren be elected as Returning Officer. CARRIED
Warren declares current MC dissolved and calls for noominations for the Management Committee.
• MC requirements/feedback: Minimum of four MC members to make quorum
Maximum of seven (preferable to minimise overworking individual MC members)
Commitment by individual MC members minimum of one year, maximum of three years.
• Elmarie: In 2006/07, we only had a quorum (4) on the MC and at times only 2 MC members were active. It is preferable to have a full committee. Additionally, losing the Manager made the 2006/07 year onerous. Main responsibility of MC members is to maintain email communication with each other regarding current tasks to be completed.
Notes on the nominees for the MC
Sarah Cook: Ex-Alfalfa House Manager therefore, have grassroots understanding of how the co-op runs. Vocational background in sales/management. Focus is on sales, re-vamping and ensuring people feel heard/counted. Currently works 4 days per week therefore, have sufficient time to commit to being on MC. Would like the opportunity to maintain link with Alfalfa House.
Moved Jann French Seconded Lisa Durante
Cecilia Jensen: Committed to Cooperative Principles + Ethical Food production. Experienced in community involvement/development. In capacity as a teacher have experience with community projects. 10 years of travel. After working with people at the co-op belief in cooperative movement re-affirmed.
Moved Elmarie Pareezer Seconded Dominika Grossy
Elmarie Pareezer: declined nomination due to work commitments being too great to be effective MC member.
Rick Shaw Vocation: Actuary. Is great at maintaining MC communication and has a long term history with the co-op.
Moved Cecilia Jensen Seconded Natalie Jurdeczka
Lara Daley: UTS Food Co-op. Previous Alfalfa House Staff Member so have understanding of how co-op works. Believe MC and staff can work effectively together not just reacting – evolving and creating. Food co-op beautiful way to create change, process is important. Focus is on grassroots initiatives. Food is great, beautiful way for people to start
Moved Stevie Bee Seconded Gab Nicholson
Gemma Beall: New member, volunteering for 4–6 months. Initially found co-op a bit intimidating but now feels welcomed. Believes being on MC is eminently doable; doesn’t have to be a hard slog. People often think things will be too hard so don’t ‘give it a try’. An organising nerd. Energetic and will be thoroughly committed to completing tasks assigned. Teacher in Japan 3 years ago (Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL)). Current Vocation: i) Actor ii) Casual Teacher at Marrickville High School. Checks email several times per day.
Moved Gab Nicholson Seconded Lisa Durante
Genevieve Derwent: Alfalfa House member for 4 years through Annie. Volunteering for 2 years. Activist in various progressive capacities while a student. Believes can engage in social change without attending rallies. Excited about ethical food production/Fairtrade. Have a vegetable garden. Believes a co-op is transformative. Vocation: Filmmaker (Media and Entertainment Arts Alliance). Believes organising workers is effective, e.g., ACTU: top-down change that empowers members is applicable to the co-op and is achieved via effective listening by management and synchronicity.
Moved Dominika Grossy Seconded Amity Lynch
Vivienne Murray: Would like to be on MC but was unsure about whether it was appropriate to do so due to current workload and subsequent capacity for effectiveness as MC member. Acknowledged undue pressure on active MC members due to minimal input by two of only four MC members during 2006/07.
Significant concern was raised by several co-op members as to Vivienne’s capacity for completing MC tasks assigned considering her university and work commitments external to co-op and based on 2006/07 MC participation level.
Nomination declined based on lack of time availability
Sieglinde (Herbalist) wanted to be able to contribute perhaps as a Herbalist Corner in newsletter and was interested in working with Vivienne in a way that both could contribute to the co-op. Warren suggested Sieglinde could contribute herbal information to the co-op's product database.
Gab suggested we could go through member database to look for people to fill any remaining positions on the MC.
Nominations’ Objections
Warren called for any objections to the nominees. There were none.
Report from Returning Officer: There being no objections and no more nominations than the maximum number of members nominating for the management Committee,I declare Sarah Cook, Cecilia Jensen, Rick Shaw, Lara Daley, Gemma Beall and Genevieve Derwent elected.
• Sign off 2006/07 MC, sign on of 2007/08 MC
Action: Warren to sign off 2006/07 MC and sign on 2007/08 MC
MC Meeting Day and Location
Elmarie recommended ascertaining (initially) i) day ii) week and iii) location for December MC meeting, then establishing a regular venue, day and week for 2008 at December meeting.
Confirmation of the Auditor
That Auditor Andrew Savas be confirmed as the co-op’s auditor.
Moved: Wareen McLaren Seconded Sarah
General Business
SHOPPING BAGS
• Elmarie reported that Wendy Dyson facilitated Alfalfa House’s contribution to a project whereby 600–800 calico shopping bags were screen printed with the logos of three community, environmental organisations (AH, The Bower and Reverse Garbage). The calico bags contained an educational pamphlet designed for a target audience of primary school students and included the contact details of the three organisations. There was to be a small surplus that would be available to be sold through the co-op.
Concern was raised regarding whether sufficient research was undertaken with respect to where the calico bags were made (i.e., concerns regarding ethical work standards in developing countries) and so whether it is appropriate for AH to be associated with projects where issues regarding the exploitation of workers have not been adequately addressed.
• Vivienne expressed concerned that direct consultation with Wendy had evidently not been undertaken. Further she believed Wendy, being virtually a founding member of AH, would surely be mindful of ethical issues when sourcing products to be associated with AH. Recommended checking with Wendy regarding origin of calico bags prior to drawing conclusions about the ethical nature of the bags.
WATER FILTER
• Dave Harris (based on a suggestion by Dave Tilley) expressed a desire to have filtered water available in the co-op, attached to the tap and that this facility be free of charge. Suggestion supported by Gab.
• Sarah questioned necessity and cost of such an initiative.
• Natalie raised issue of water being a scarce resource
• Suggested Options:
– Wellness Filter: Cost: $1,000. Operation cost of $150 per 4000 litres. User-friendly – nozzle attached to tap. Filters water using volcanic rocks and carbon filters.
– Reverse Osmosis (Sieglinde): Filters out bugs, lots of waste
– Nikon Filters: Ceramic stone, several layers of stone, magnets which result in water that is ‘full of life’.
• Gab: is a matter of providing adequate work conditions for staff members who work up to 30 hours per week at AH therefore, provision of filtered water valid.
Action: Gab to research and work with new MC to draft a proposal to go to MC. CARRIED
SURVEY RESULTS
• Survey was a great success. Information still needs to be provided to the membership who are keen to see the results
• Sub-committee to be formed
• Lara: AH principles filtered through survey results
• Monika: requests that member discounts be proportional to work shifts completed
Stevie suggested that part of any profits be distributed through an increase in benefits to co-op members, ie, through increasing the discount for members.
ORGANIC FARMER CERTIFICATION
• Gab and Dom: For example, avocado farmer hasn’t used agricultural pesticides for approximately 10 years. Sole reason for not previously obtaining organic certification is due to only having one other buyer. Production rate is expected to increase (with the return of the farmer’s son) and they have the intention of becoming a certified organic producer.
• Lisa: with good communication, AH’s relationship with farmers will be based on trust.
FOOD MILES
• Food Miles vs supporting organic produce, the ethical debate;
• Warren: local and organic sourcing of produce
• Annie: preferences local and non-organic over organic and long-distance
• Jacqueline: expressed concern that there had been an increase in imported, exotic yummy foods i.e. that product selection was seeing an increase in food miles notwithstanding their tastiness.
• Lisa: such as cacao, cashews, etc
• Jacqueline then enquired as to the decision-making process of product selection
• Lisa: Decision is made by Groceries Coordinator
• Elmarie: educate members about ethical production of food, e.g., decreasing food miles through a ‘Recipe of the Month’ (in the newsletter) whereby can substitute ingredients with high food miles for an alternative that has lower food miles attributed to its production. Change from rice (high water demand for growing rice) to grain that requires less water.
• Jacqueline: What decision-making process is in place around provision of education for members, i.e., what is the priority of the co-op? Prefers organic
• Dom: guided by objectives and principles of the co-op, i.e., sustainable agriculture, what does that mean in Australia? People interpret sustainable agriculture differently.
• Jaqueline suggests AH hold forums to discuss such philosophical issues. Australian products are over imported.
• Lisa: we have changed paper bags to post-consumer product
• Dominika suggests AH hold multiple forums
• Elmarie suggests discussing potential for developing product forums at next MC meeting.
Meeting closed: 9.20pm
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