MC Meeting Minutes Wednesday April 22, 2009
Meeting opened: 7.30pm

ATTENDANCE
MC: Genevieve Derwent, Teddy Cook, Jo Rose, Sam Byrne, Linda Grknic
Others: Monika Baumann (Groceries Coordinator), Nija Dalal (Coop Coordinator), Renata Field (F+V Coordinator), Amity Lynch (Shop Coordinator), Anika Vinson (Shop Coordinator), Stevie Bee (Info Coordinator)
Apologies: Julia Gray

CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
That the minutes of the previous meeting be accepted as a true and accurate record.
Teddy/Genevieve CARRIED

BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES

Outstanding Actions: The retiring MC Extra Discount (XD) policy to be reviewed at the March MC Meeting.
Action: Nija to email policy to MC mailing list

MEMBERSHIP

NEW MEMBERS
Proposal: That Alfalfa House accept applicants with membership numbers 5366-5397, excluding 5385, as members. Linda/Teddy CARRIED

RESIGNATIONS
Proposal: That Alfalfa House accept the resignations of members with membership numbers 2162, 3122, 3146, 3175, 3204, 3722, 3852, 4186 and 4453.
Teddy/Jo CARRIED

FORFEITURES
Proposal: That Alfalfa House forfeit the memberships of the following members
162, 811, 1601, 1686, 1790, 1992, 2003, 2029, 2050, 2198, 2212, 2213, 2219, 2240, 2256, 2257, 2265, 2267, 2279, 2323, 2336, 2342, 2349, 2356, 2359, 2373, 2385, 2401, 2429, 2494, 2511, 2523, 2527, 2544, 2577, 2594, 2598, 2603, 2608, 2613, 2617, 2637, 2640, 2642, 2646, 2648, 2649, 2654, 2667, 2669, 2686, 2697, 2700, 2709, 2725, 2732, 2739, 2748, 2751, 2753, 2761, 2763, 2790, 2806, 2819, 2824, 2829, 2832, 2845, 2850, 28857, 2860, 2869, 2876, 2890, 2892, 2897, 2907, 2907, 2909, 2919, 2923, 2928, 2929, 2930, 2935, 2936, 2940, 2970, 2976, 2991, 3002, 3023, 3031, 3037, 3039, 3063, 3066, 3072, 3078, 3082, 3083, 3091, 3092, 3110, 3123, 3128, 3133, 3141, 3149, 3158, 3166, 3171, 3178, 3185, 3195, 3216, 3222, 3223, 3224, 3225, 3226, 3227, 3229, 3235, 3242, 3243, 3254, 3263, 3271, 3272, 3275, 3277, 3301, 3305, 3311, 3312, 3315, 3318, 3319, 3324, 3326, 3328, 3329, 3335, 3347, 3363, 3371, 3373, 3383, 3385, 3390, 3391, 3393, 3395, 3397, 3415, 3416, 3423, 3427, 3428, 3430, 3433, 3451, 3457, 3465, 3471, 3473, 3475, 3481, 3485, 3493, 3494, 3499, 3502, 3505, 3516, 3526, 3527, 3533, 3542, 3543, 3556, 3560, 3562, 3565, 3566, 3580, 3595, 3605, 3613, 3625, 3627, 3637, 3649, 3653, 3657, 3658, 3662, 3667, 3673, 3676, 3678, 3687, 3693, 3696, 3709, 3721, 3728, 3732, 3736, 3739, 3749, 3757, 3761, 3769, 3774, 3779, 3787, 3788, 3792, 3793, 3799, 3810, 3812, 3822, 3840, 3843, 3856, 3860, 3863, 3866, 3872, 3878, 3879, 3887, 3891, 3896, 3902, 3903, 3906, 3946, 3955, 3959, 3978, 3982, 3993, 3998, 4000, 4002, 4016, 4020, 4024, 4026, 4028, 4032, 4041, 4042, 4046, 4071, 4082, 4088, 4102, 4107, 4131, 4139, 4142, 4256, 4178, 4183, 4185, 4205, 4220, 4221, 4223, 4248, 4379.
Teddy/Jo CARRIED

STAFFING

• Renata Field has requested six (6) months of unpaid leave.
• Alanna Thorley has given up her Sunday shift and it needs to be filled.
• Amity Lynch has requested one month's leave.
• Anika Vinson has begun the process of finding staff to fill her shifts.
• Nija Dalal requests annual leave for the month of June. Renata Field is interested in filiing some of the Co-op Coordinator’s duties during this period. Further discussion at the staff meeting.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (OH+S)

• New keyboards have been installed at the counter.
• As per Nija’s report, issue raised about the poor ergonomics of the counter set-up. Staff will continue brainstorming to find possible solutions.
Action Nija to look into the cost ramifications.

REPORTS

FINANCE
• It was agreed that the spend limit for Groceries for May be $40,500 and for Produce $19,500.

Proposal: That the Treasurer’s Report be accepted. Genevieve/Jo CARRIED

CO-OP COORDINATOR

• There was discussion about changing the co-op from a non-trading co-op with shares to a non-trading co-op without shares and also to alter the number of directors on the Management Committee from seven to between four and seven.

Action: Nija to provide background information on the proposals. Nija and Sam to draft a timeline and proposed process.

Action: Nija to provide a proposal for performance review process.

Proposal: That the report be accepted. Teddy/Genevieve CARRIED

F & V PRODUCE

Proposal: That the report be accepted. Jo/Linda CARRIED

GROCERIES
• There’ll be a FairTrade afternoon tea on Wednesday May 13 from 1-3pm in the co-op.

Proposal: That the report be accepted. Genevieve/Sam CARRIED

STAFF MEETING
Staff delegate: Aidan

Proposal: That the report be accepted. Sam/Genevieve CARRIED

CORRESPONDENCE

• Jo Hall, the upstairs tenant, is leaving.
Action: Teddy to email Julia re. the upstairs lease.

FOOD GRANTS

Proposal: That food grants as per policy be made to AIDWatch for its Annual fundraiser and to ASEN for a fundraising dinner. Genevieve/Teddy CARRIED

CURRENT MATTERS

OUTSIDE BLITZ UPDATE
• Draft plans from signwriter
• Discussion with students about mural
• Awning – first stage
• Coordinated approach to notice boards
• There was some discussion around whether Alfalfa House should develop a new “brand”/look. Suggestion of opening up the design of a new logo to the membership, with mention to be made in the May eNews.

COOKS RIVER FESTIVAL
• There was little awareness at the festival of ethical and sustainable food. For next year's, AH should engage with the organisers earlier about offering presentations/ workshops on food issues.

STAFF CONTRACTS
Action: Staff to discuss the kinds of improvements they would like to see and the kinds of contract they’d like to see.

NEW PRODUCTS

Proposal: That the Groceries Coordinator use discretion when introducing new products and that tey be within the budget allocation.
Genevieve/Linda CARRIED

Action That a sub-committee on buying principles be formed to revise and update the co-op's buying principles. Sub-committee to be comprised of Genevieve, Monika, Stevie, Amity and Linda and anyone else who might be interested.

BUDGET 09-10
• Budget is still being drafted. Assumption that there will be a 6% growth in income.

Key items
• $7,000 income from fundraising
• $11,000 in member forfeitures
• Increase of $15,000 to wages and salaries
• $8,000 to shop refurbishment.
• At this stage, the assumption is that the co-op will make a reasonably healthy surplus this financial year. And that this will go into shop infrastructure and improvements in staff conditions.
• Further discussion on the 09-10 budget at the next meeting.

Meeting closed at 9.45pm