Your co-op, February 2008

Board meeting report

There was no board meeting in December. The January 29 meeting report will be published in March.

Several of the board’s committees and task forces, however, are hard at work on various projects. The Policy and Bylaws Task Force is reviewing all the board’s policies, as well as PCC’s bylaws. It’s expected that the group may propose several changes in the bylaws to the full board at its January meeting. Should the board approve the proposal, it will be put on the spring ballot for member approval.

The Board Development Committee is working to develop continuing education opportunities for the board, including a board retreat later this year.

The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be Tuesday, March 25 at 5 p.m. at the co-op office. Members are welcome at all public sessions of the board meeting. The member comment period is now at 7 p.m.

Board member Stephen Tan talks with members at a recent Talk to the Board event at Fremont.

Talk to the Board

Members are encouraged to ask questions and share ideas or concerns with board members during monthly Talk to the Board visits. These events have become a regular venue for the board and members to interact on a one-on-one basis. Again this year, we’ll have a discussion question for each board visit to elicit more input from members.

Here are the dates and discussion questions for February and March:

• Saturday, February 23, 12 to 2 p.m.
  PCC West Seattle
• Saturday, March 15, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  PCC Issaquah

Q: Would you approve having your PCC purchase information being used to alert you about product safety recalls?

Q: What might encourage you to participate in the board elections in the spring?

Should you wish to give the board some feedback on these questions or any issue, you may contact the board at
board@pccmarkets.com

Elections coming

The 2008 board election dates are April 29 through May 23 with four candidates vying for three open seats:

• Carol Binder, executive director, Pike Place Market
• Buzz Hofford, general manager, Seattle University dining program
• Julianne Lamsek, manager, technology director, KCTS-TV
• Amy Pennington, owner, Go Green Garden

To better acquaint our members with the candidates, we’ll make use of our Web site as much as possible. Beginning on March 26, you’ll be able to view short video conversations with each board candidate. They’ll give you some information about their backgrounds and why they want to serve you in this key role. These video interviews and other election-related material will remain posted on our Web site throughout the election.

To further encourage members to know the candidates, we’ll host four informal candidate forums: two at east side stores and two on the west side. All the candidates will participate, along with several of the current board members. We’ll announce the dates and times of the forums in the March Sound Consumer, so members may plan to attend.

Members who attend our annual meeting on April 29 also will have a chance to meet and talk with the candidates.

Public policy work and outreach

In the past quarter, PCC has engaged in the following to advocate sustainable public policies and build community:

• Representatives from the Laurel Rubin Farmworker Justice Project presented a summary of recent work before the PCC Board of Trustees. The Sound Consumer will have a cover story soon.
• PCC was a major sponsor of the Washington Toxics Coalition annual benefit dinner auction. Ten PCC staff and board members attended.
• PCC staff attended the annual Washington Tilth Producers conference in Yakima.
• As part of the Food Trade Sustainability Leadership Team, PCC helped refine the Declaration of Sustainability in the organic food trade, particularly criteria for becoming a signatory, and standards for distribution, energy and climate change.
• PCC offered a presentation on diabetes before low-income seniors in the Rainier Valley.
• PCC participated in a Washington State Small Farms/Direct Marketing Advisory Board meeting in Ellensburg.
• PCC staff offered a presentation at West Seattle about PCC policies and industrial practices revealed by the book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.”
• PCC participated in a Cascade Harvest Board meeting to develop strategic plans.