Your co-op, November 2006

Board meeting report

At its September 26 meeting, the board heard a progress report from PCC Farmland Trust Executive Directors Kathryn Gardow and Alicia Guy. Gardow and Guy, who were named to their posts in August, reported that they have begun working on a campaign to raise funds to help pay for the Trust’s latest acquisition, Ames Creek Farm.

Part of that campaign will include a mailing this month to the PCC membership to inform them of the fundraising effort. Gardow and Guy thanked the board for its vote late last year to approve this mailing to our members.

The board reviewed the results of the recently completed staff survey. Sixty-one percent of the staff responded. The responses indicated high levels of satisfaction in key areas. Results will be reported to the staff this month.

All of the task forces (Board Development-pment, CEO, Finance, Linkage, Staff Relations and Sustainability) submitted and received approval of the charters outlining their goals for the year. The Nominating Committee reported on its recruiting efforts. (See Board Candidate Application deadline below) The Linkage Task Force presented the agenda for the fall member meeting for board approval.

Next board meeting
The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be Tuesday, November 28, at 5 p.m. at the co-op office. Member comment period is at 6 p.m.

Talk to the board

These events have become a staple of the board’s linkage agenda. Linkage Task Force Chair Linnea Noreen reports, “Our task force has decided to continue these outreach events and, in an effort to help focus our discussions, we’ll develop conversation — stimulating questions to make the most of these informal encounters with members.”

The question for next month’s Talk to the board event is: “Why do you shop at PCC over a conventional grocery store, and why over another natural foods store?”

Upcoming “Talk to the Board” dates:

• Saturday, November 18, 12 to 2 p.m.PCC Seward Park
• Sunday, December 10, 2 to 4 p.m.PCC Fremont

Board candidate application deadline next month

December 5 is the deadline to submit board applications. The nominating committee will review applications in December with plans to interview in early to mid-January. The slate should be finalized by mid-February. There’s one more board meeting on November 28 before the board application deadline.

Nominating Committee Chair Kim Norton notes, “It can be very illuminating to attend a board meeting as you consider whether to apply for board candidacy. You’ll see first-hand the kind of work the board does and have a chance to meet and talk with board members and management.”

If you’re interested in getting a board application packet, please call 206-547-1222 or email nominatingcommittee@pccmarkets.com

Public policy work

• PCC Nutrition Education Manager Goldie Caughlan toured three local farms with the Small Dairy Workgroup for the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
• Caughlan taught a class for seniors at Shoreline Community College on organic standards and practices.
• PCC Public Affairs Manager/Editor Trudy Bialic continued work with the Seattle/King County Acting Food Policy Council, helping with an Op Ed and strategizing on the community relations committee.
• Bialic testified in Olympia before two Washington state legislative committees, the House Technology and Economic Development Committee and the Agriculture and Trade Committee, on the poor economics of genetically engineered crops.
• Bialic was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Washington Toxics Coalition for advocating a healthier environment.
• PCC’s Seward Park store donated $2,312.79, 5 percent of store sales from Sunday, October 8, to the Seward Park Environmental and Audubon Center’s Explore and Soar capital campaign. Funds will help renovate the center for a summer 2007 opening.