May 6, 2025, Board Meeting Recap
May flowers and college graduations!
The Moscow Food Co-op Board of Directors held their May Board meeting on Tuesday the 6 at the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center from 6 - 8 p.m. Present were seven of eight Board members, our General Manager and Board Administrative Assistant, and two Co-op owners who presented packets listing concerns to the Board (See below).
The General Manager presented her monitoring reports for the Global B3 Asset Protections policy and the B5 Treatment of Customers policy. The B3 monitoring report covers insurance, liability, asset risk protections, property and asset security, owner information protection, contract risk protection, and public image protection. Derek Bruce and Mike Cunningham from Troy Insurance were on hand to explain insurance details and answer questions. Data and explanations were presented by the General Manager to show how the Co-op is protected in each of these areas. The Board found the monitoring report very detailed and unanimously accepted the monitoring report showing compliance with the policy.
The monitoring report for B5 policy provided data and explanations of the systems in place to hear customer opinions, preferences, product requests, complaints, and suggestions. In addition, there were explanations of how the Co-op provides a safe and nondiscriminatory environment. The Board unanimously approved the B5 monitoring report showing compliance with the policy.
There were no Board policy monitoring reports available for review.
For our Board education work, we are reading and discussing “US History in 15 Foods.” Erin Tomlin, our meeting facilitator, led a discussion on the green bean casserole chapter and highlighted how it tied into a very gendered consumer ideology as well as a showpiece for American food industry. Joseph Charles led the discussion on the Spam chapter, which described the success of the American food industry and how Spam, Shoulder of Pork and Ham or Specialty Process Army Meat, or Super Pink Artificial Meat, was an important food for US and Allied Troops during WWII because protein was often lacking in their diets. We are reading this book as a Board to help educate ourselves on how we can best serve our community as described in our Ends policy (see below).
For our Study and Engagement Series, the Board heard from members of the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club, Jesse Spohnholz, Heather Pettit, David Lin, and Elise Stacy. Through volunteer efforts, the club has been very active in maintaining and promoting roughly 22 miles of snow skiing trails at the Palouse Divide, formerly known as the North South Ski Bowl. Maintenance includes removal of fallen trees and trail grooming. The group has instructors, group lessons, and offers a free ski day where equipment rentals are at no cost. The group also conducts one-day ski trips, such as one near Bald Mountain Lookout, which consists of a ski trek nine miles out with a stop for hot cocoa at the turn around point before returning. The Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club is a nonprofit group that provides a wonderful opportunity for people to get out in the winter and enjoy the snow. More information can be found on their webpage at https://palousedividenordic.org/.
Our Study and Engagement Series helps Board and staff members become better informed about issues and activities that affect our community. One of the Seven Cooperative Principles states that we have “Concern for Community,” and listening to people describe issues of concern in our community is directly tied to our Ends.
If you have questions or comments regarding these recaps, please email me your thoughts at mthorne@moscowfood.coop. It would be good to know that they are reaching our owners.
The next Board meeting is scheduled for June 3, 2025, at the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center (411 S Main St, Moscow, ID). The meeting will run from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Current Co-op owners can attend in person or via Zoom. To attend via Zoom, contact the Board’s Administrative Assistant at boardadmin@moscowfood.coop for more information and to RSVP.
Further information about our Board meetings is at https://www.moscowfood.coop/board- meetings.
Sincerely,
Mark Thorne, Board President
Moscow Food Co-op Ends Policy
The Moscow Food Co-op is at the heart of a thriving, healthy, and inclusive community where:
1. We embody and embrace cooperative principles and values.
2. All community members have local access to environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and
healthful choices.