MC Meeting Minutes Tuesday December 18, 2007
Meeting opened: 7.05pm

Attendance
MC: Gemma Beall, Lara Daley, Genevieve Derwent, Cecilia Jensen
Others: Warren McLaren, Stevie Bee, Lisa Durante, Gabrielle Nicholson, Dominika Grossy, Vivienne Murray, Elmarie Pareezer (from 7.15pm)
Apologies: Rick Shaw
Chair: Lara Minutes: Vivienne/Gemma

Confirmation of previous minutes
That the October 2007 meeting minutes be accepted. CARRIED by consensus

Election of 2008 Management Committee (MC) Office Bearers
Treasurer: Cecilia Jensen Proposed: Lara Seconded: Genevieve
Chair: Lara Daley Proposed: Cecilia Seconded: Gemma
Secretary: Gemma Beall Proposed: Genevieve Seconded: Lara

Membership
• Current active members: 2430, with 12 pending

NEW MEMBERS. Warren emailed the MC with new memberships for June, July and August (total of 170 new members) ACCEPTED by consensus. There 56 new members in September, 49 in both October and November.

That members #4599–4700 be accepted as members of the cooperative.
ACCEPTED by consensus

RESIGNATIONS: none

FORFEITURES: 584 members have made no purchases in the previous 18 months.
Stevie reiterated the forfeiture policy: If there has been no contact (postal or email address) with a member for 18 months OR there has been no shopping for two years – the member can be forfeited. (Two years year's worth of member fees (2 x $10 + $1 GST/year) cancels the member's share ($20). To be discussed at next staff meeting; 2 options to end membership: shares may be redeemed in monetary value ofr member may donate their shares to the co-op.

Reports

• Staff reports need to be emailed to MC by the Fri before the MC meeting

TREASURER
• No comparisons yet as P&L reports for November 2007 just received by Cecilia.
• Cecilia: October 2007 sales and profit down from September 2007 but up from October 2006. No comparison for November, though it was a loss. Seasonal trend due to annual costs falling due e.g., worker's compensation.
• Gab: it is better if MC meetings are the last week of the month so MC can receive last month's report.
• Warren: can stagger annual costs over the year, is more expensive but improves cash flow; we still have an $8,500 profit to date.
• Average monthly sales
2006: $82,000
2007: $87,000
• Average daily sales so far in December 2007: $2700. Average daily sales In September-November 2007: $2900
Gab: $3000 worth of invoices were paid, petty cash reconciled, expenses have increased. Total operating expenses: $3,500


CO-OP COORDINATOR
• Warren advised that there had been some staff rearranging to accommodate Freya. Dom will take leave in Jan-Feb 08, Lisa will take leave in Feb 08. Dom is training Anika to cover her role, Lisa is training Nat to cover hers. An increase in October 07 staff costs was due to this staff training and Warren covering Gab's position whilst she was on leave.
• $1700 was spent on a new airconditioner as the old one was not able to be fixed with any certainty.
• $350 spent on replacing the broken office window and adding reflective film.
• Rodent problem is under advisement from new firm as our previous pest control firm was too busy to help.

Computer Server. Some discussion as to whether we could afford a new computer server now or in March, when sales will hopefully increase. Other coming expenses include extra staff training (see above).
• Warren made the case that if the current server failed we would be unable to use the database in the shop. Warren has been advised that the current server is 10 years old and its continued performance is tenuous.
• Stevie: have to be very careful regarding expenditure over next three months.
• Warren: defer decision to February or March?
• Gab: can afford to scrape by, it is important we get server as soon as possible. If sales are okay in January will be ok to get the server.
• Warren: server is the most important part of the co-op, Point of Sale goes directly to the server so the whole operation of co-op is at risk.
• Vivienne: what is degree of risk of malfunction? if need to watch expenditure and current system is likely to last another month or two maybe wait until sales increase.

That, considering all these factors, Alfalfa House purchase a new server.
CARRIED by consensus

• Confirmation that staff meeting minutes will now be available online.

STOCK COORDINATOR (F&V)
• Dom asked that the fruit and veg stock loss figures be required monthly not weekly.
• There was some discussion about fruit and veg display methods: having an abundance on display helps to sell the stock but losses are higher this way. It was agreed that AH should promote more proactive shopping by customers (e.g., going to the storeroom to find what isn't on display.)

STOCK COORDINATOR (Groceries)
• Lisa has been preparing for the expected drop in sales over the Xmas break by minimising stock such as dairy.
• Wakame: from Tasmania, very good quality, very salty.

Member feedback on groceries
• Suggestion: Elmarie – new face cream needs a price breakdown next to it to reduce the price shock ($360/kg). Comment that the biodynamic eggs taste great.
• Suggestion: Genevieve – Country Valley milk from Nowra, as we already stock their cheese.

Current Matters

RECORDING OF MINUTES
• Stevie: two methods for recording minutes available: i) record decisions only ii) record a more complete record that reflects the nature of the discussions that lead to subsequent decisions being made.
• Vivienne: Have used option ii) as this gives a fuller account of the goings on of the meetings. Members may be inspired to attend future meetings or be more likely to participate in activities occurring at the co-op.

STAFF WAGES AND REVIEWS
• Genevieve: request for clarification regarding resolution by previous MC, e.g. staff contracts
• Cecilia: 1 year contracts with annual review process.
• Elmarie: 3 monthly reviews have not been occurring.
• Warren: Sarah was to draft review template but is no longer on MC.
• Genevieve: Can draft a template.
• Elmarie: No award covers AH staff tasks. Staff are paid more than what most people get (for similar roles). Contracts were inherited from 2006 MC.
• Warren: not all staff on contracts, as new staff have started at AH since contracts drawn up.
• Elmarie: previous MC agreed that staff be paid on public holidays.
• Lara: Were staff consulted?
• Cecilia: MC decided via email and staff were sent a letter.
• Lisa: staff wages were discussed with staff at October MC meeting with staff members present
• Elmarie: Do casuals get paid public holidays?
• Lisa: no casuals at AH, all staff are permanent part-time.
• Gab: Were comparisons made?
• Cecilia: Compared wages with Macro and Blue Mountains Food Co-op
• Gab: Shop Coodinators are more than check out staff, have to have a lot of knowledge. Was a comparison with naturopaths made?
• Elmarie: staff are not naturopaths.
• Gab: on a scale, are somewhere in between.
• Elmarie: didn't look at Shop Coordinators as already above award.
• Genevieve: staff get $1.50 more than award.
• Elmarie: they get $4 more (than award).
• Gab: AH needs to be a leader in ethical treatment of staff, acknowledgement made of the rights of AH workers, that AH is a workplace for numerous people and their wages and review procedures should reflect that. Also that staff have knowledge and responsibilities that make them more than retail cash register operators. Wages should look at what staff spend at AH, their rent etc. Request: look at Shop Coordinator's, Bookkeeper's and Warren's wages.
• Vivienne: everyone should remember that AH is a food co-op and the staff reap the benefits and knowledge from working there, paid staff are doing the work that volunteers would have done historically and volunteers should be seen as a greater resource in the future.
• Stevie: important to ensure staff positions are commensurate with co-op objectives:
i) 3 monthly review for new staff ii) 12 month review for staff and iii) 12 month review of positions.
• Elmarie: greater assistance from people who have been at AH longer; that wages could reflect experience. Other MC members have suggested AH be a training ground and then move on. Serves AH better if people have being there longer. Vast difference between staff who have worked at AH for longer period
• Dom: Some people will not give more than they do on their first day, others such as Natalie was giving advice on first day as a volunteer.
• Lisa: AH is not a place to get stuck in, some people will not grow within themselves, AH will spit you out when finished with you
• Vivienne: in the context of a co-op, it is healthy to have turnover as other members get to have a go (at working at AH).

Actions
1. MC must establish a mechanism to adjust wages annually for CPI
2. New Shop Coordinator documents must be amended to include decision to pay staff for public holidays.
3. MC investigate staff pay, reviews and holidays. Genevieve to source a template for reviews. Lara to establish an MC/Staff liaison list.

POLICIES
• Genevieve: How do we change policies?
• Elmarie: Process is: MC communicates amongst itself, then places the item on the meeting agenda. All approved items go in the meeting minutes; if a matter is raised, it needs to be resolved and then any newly formed policy is recorded in the minutes.

HOLIDAY STAFF TRAINING
• Staff wages cost to increase due to holiday staff training will appear in January financial statements

VITALITY OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Elmarie: Experience as a shopper, weekend F&V is uninspiring; feel nervous about going out back but, should feel comfortable to do so. Suggestion: Sign to indicate members are able to go to storeroom Suggestion: Can we put a sign at top to indicate F&V can be replenished from storeroom?
Gab: increase directives to staff to put fewer F&V out due to wilting factor
Lisa: Farmer Direct (FD) lettuces only good for one day
Dom: have ceased ordering some items from FD as not good quality
Genevieve: friends reflect that F&V quality not good
Stevie: reported that a friend was refused a discount for a wilted item by Shop Coordinator
Dom: need to educate staff as to have the confidence to stock loss F&V

WATER FILTER
• Need parameters for someone to search within. Proposal from Gab from AH staff for a Wellness filter: $1000 to buy (one-off payment) and replacement carbon filter cartridges ($155/4000L). The filter would sit in the storeroom for staff, volunteers and shopper use, no filling of containers for removal from AH. The filter is needed because there is no water for sale any more and the staff have very few amenities.
• Vivienne: discussion seems to be in terms of a decision being made regarding purchasing a water filter but, at the AGM no such decision was made, we need to consider first whether our primary aim is to keep prices down for members, also AH is a co-op so consider issue of what to spend profit on.
• Genevieve: separate issues of i) OH&S i.e. staff wellbeing and ii) what to spend profit on.

SURVEY
• Members of Survey Sub-Committee are Dom, Cecilia, Lisa D and Elmarie. The previous MC will send the survey results to the new MC.
• Elmari: Sub-committees for i) Survey and ii) Mark-up + discounts are connected
• Lara: Sub-committee to set parameters for survey results

VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
• Members of sub-committee are Vivienne, Rick, Nick Penty. Warren is a constant, onsite contact for volunteers. People not doing 8 hours/month are contacted by email, then either do the hours or agree to let go of PXD.
• Vivienne: can make that one of the priorities to being proactive volunteer - need to record hours so people don't have to follow up/complete volunteer task
Dom - sometimes volunteers have to be reminded to fill in hours

MC MEETINGS FOR 2008
• MC meeting schedule 2008: proposed day is now 4th week of each month, Tuesday preferred over Monday or Wednesday.
Venue: TBA. Options:
- Glebe Café Church?
- Newtown Neighbourhood Centre (NNC), $15/night - not available
- Enmore Buddhist Centre, $35/night
- Is RSL an option? Warren - AGM only is free
- Marrickville Council have free spaces but, have to apply each meeting
• Elmarie: need permanent space, Petersham Town Hall?

FINANCIAL STRATEGY
Members are Rick, Warren, Cecilia and Gab.

MARKUPS
• Elmarie wonders what benefits can be given to members from adjusting mark-ups. Potential to increase discounts?

FOOD MILES
• Elmari: From Survey results, 83% agreed to paying more for items that come from further away.
• Genevieve: no blanket rejection of products with greater food miles as other issues need to be considered such as Fair Trade, e.g., Rice shouldn't grow rice in Australia as it requires too much water for an arid country. Fair Trade Thai-grown rice is good to support; increase member discount.
• Elmarie: weigh up various issues, to be discussed by Mark-up Sub-committee

MEDIA COVERAGE
• Elmarie: tabled Sydney Magazine (SMH); mention of AH by Emma's on Liberty restaurant.
Agreed to link all media mentions to website.
• Vivienne: have article also from SMH regarding how the big supermarket chains have monopolised food production, e.g., farmers are being pressured to accept low prices by Woolworths. Article cites food co-ops as good option for countering this, will bring into co-op.

EVENTS
• Organic Food Expo 2008: hold off discussion until February MC meeting.
• Cecilia: have a schedule for upcoming events in 2008 so Dom and Lisa are given sufficient notice to organise stock to be sold. Need to look at individual events to ensure objectives are commensurate with co-op principles
• Vivienne: Volunteer program will be operational so can supply volunteers to assist with events. Will work with Warren to organise volunteers.

ATO REGISTRATION
• Gab: new MC need to be registered directors for ATO.
• Elmarie: Insurance needs to have new MC's signatures.

FOOD GRANTS
• Lara: note approval of Aid/Watch food grant in Dec 2007.

Correspondence
Nil

Elmarie: suggestion for new MC to read 2006-7 meeting minutes.

Meeting closed: 9.25pm

Next meeting: date and venue TBA