April 1, 2025, Board Meeting Recap
April is here, no foolin’!
The Moscow Food Co-op Board of Directors held their April Board meeting on Tuesday the 1 st at the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Present were seven of nine Board members, our General Manager and Board Administrative Assistant, and one Co-op owner present on Zoom.
The General Manager presented her monitoring reports for the Global A Ends policy (See policy language below) and the Global B policy regarding Executive Constraint. The monitoring report for the Ends contained extensive data on how the Co-op is responding to each element in the Ends policy. Being “at the heart of a thriving, healthy, and inclusive community” was reflected in a consistent number of new owners each year, contributions from the Change for Good Program to many local nonprofits, and many other activities that support our local communities. The report further described how the Co-op is a strong supporter of local food systems through purchases of local products and by selling wholesale to local businesses, and how the Co-op works to reduce food insecurity on the Palouse. The Co-op also continues to embrace cooperative principles and values and to be a place where everyone is welcome and has access to healthy food. The Board found the Global Ends monitoring report very well done and unanimously approved the report showing compliance with the policy.
The monitoring report for Global B policy included explanations and data on how the General Manager operated the Co-op without using practices that are unlawful, violate accepted business practices, or violate Cooperative Principles. The report included reports on how the Co-op addressed and met all seven Cooperative Principles. The Board unanimously approved the Global B monitoring report showing compliance with the policy. The Board approved its monitoring report for the Global C and the C1 Board Process policies. The Global C policy instructs the Board to ensure success of the Co-op by working together, empowering and holding accountable the General Manager, providing strategic leadership, and perpetuating our democratic organization. The C1 policy outlines how the Board will govern using the Four Pillars of Cooperative Governance. The Board approved the monitoring reports showing compliance with the policies and further discussed the concept of strategic leadership and voted to send the C1 policy to the Policy and Bylaw committee for clarifying language.
In other business, the Board accepted the results of the 2025 Board of Director election and voted to reseat Candis Claiborn and Kelsey Manning to the Board for another three-year term. The Board also voted that the Communications and Elections committee begin a search for people interested and qualified to be appointed to fill the empty seat left following the election. The Board reviewed and filled Board committees for the new year, as well as Board officers. Board President will be Mark Thorne, Vice President will be Stephen Barbuto, Secretary will be Candis Claiborn, and Treasurer will be Priscilla Schmidt.
For our Board education work, we are reading and discussing “US History in 15 Foods.” Stephen Barbuto led a discussion of Chapter 7 titled Spaghetti: Immigration and Consumerism in the 1910s and 1920s. Priscilla Schmidt led a discussion of Chapter 8 titled Oranges: Food and Agriculture in the Great Depression. We all learned some very interesting history and insights into the origins of the food we consume today. 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 Summer Merrick, representing Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse (ATVP), which was started in 1980. The ATVP has been supporting survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking for 45 years and is a nonprofit organization overseen by a local Board of Directors. The ATVP provides services free of charge, and without discrimination, including 24-hour telephone or in-person crisis intervention; emergency, confidential shelter; legal and medical advocacy; individual and group support; information and referral; and community education. There are offices in both Moscow and Pullman with 24-hour free and confidential hotline numbers of 509-332-HELP, and 208- 883-Help. The program is funded by state and federal monies, and by private donations. People can volunteer to help and will go through a 40-hour training period and shadow other volunteers for a month to learn processes and procedures. Also, donations of clothes are gladly accepted, especially for students wanting to attend high school proms. More information can be found on their webpage at https://atvp.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 May 6, 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.