PLEASE NOTE THAT THE GENERAL MANAGER SEARCH IS NOW CLOSED, AS WE HAVE CHOSEN A NEW GM!!
Save the Date!! Meet and Greet with New General Manager Ann Walsh
SUNDAY JUNE 24TH FROM 10-12 NOON AT THE COOP!!
The Leverett Coop Board has been operating in emergency mode in May and June, in order to respond to the retirement of Paul Rosenberg and the transition to a new General Manager. We have had two Board meetings in executive session in May (May 14 & 31). At these meetings we met together with the Search Committee to interview top candidates for the position. Five applicants were invited to interviews, and four accepted.
At the May 31 meeting after the interviews, the Board voted to offer the position to Ann Walsh, pending further negotiations, including Meet and Greet sessions with Coop staff. Ann Walsh is a long time resident of the Lake Wyola community in Shutesbury, and has worked as Store Manager in the Mill Valley Milk Co. Store Farm, as well as for a number of years as Marketing Team Leader at Whole Foods in Hadley. She has also been one of the organizers of the annual Jazz and Roots festival in Springfield and President of Connected Marketing, a consulting company involved in event management.
We are planning a Coffee and Pastry Meet and Greet with Ann Walsh and the Coop community, open to the general public. This will take place at the Leverett Coop on 180 Rattlesnake Gutter Rd., Leverett on Sunday, June 24 from 10-12 noon. We are excited to welcome Ann and her creative visions for improving the Coop, and hope many of you will attend!
Our next Board meeting will be on Thursday, June 21 at the Leverett Town Hall from 7-9 pm. We will post the agenda at the Coop, which will include reports from the new volunteer committees on events/fundraising/member outreach, strategic visions, and finances. Please feel free to join us!!!
News from the Leverett Coop Board of Directors
May 30, 2018
From Ann Ferguson, President
As many of you know, we have begun the hiring process to find a new General Manager to replace Paul Rosenberg. The Board has been meeting in executive session for the last two meetings discussing and interviewing candidates, and we have another meeting of interviews scheduled this Thursday May 31. We hope to have a candidate meet with the staff sometime within the next week or so. We will be letting you know as soon as possible some tentative dates and times for that meeting. When a new manager is hired, we plan to announce a Meet and Greet event at the Coop for the community.
Compiled by Ann Ferguson, President and Pat Fiero, Clerk
1. Process and Agreements: The Board had preliminary discussions on communication process rules and member agreements. They will be discussed and decided on in more detail at a subsequent meeting where we will also discuss the adoption of a Board manual.
2. Search Committee for New General Manager: The deadline for the search is now extended to July 15. Please spread the word and have any interested candidates send their resumes and cover letters to LVCoopboard@Leverettnet.net.
3. New Board Committees as of 5/14/18: We discussed the list of the committees people had volunteered for at the Special Member’s Meeting. After discussion, the following is the revised list of committees and members.
• Events, Fundraising, Membership and Community Outreach
Chair: Julio Mendez <jamendez@artandremedy.com>
Members: Ruth West, Peter d’Errico, Peggy Wolff, Jeff Lacy, Carole King, Cheryl Howland
• Finance Committee
Chair: Susan Mareneck <susan.mareneck@gmail.com>
Members: Ken Brownell, Apple Ahearn
• Strategic Vision and Marketing
Chair: Susan Lynton <slynton@att.net>
Members: Tom Wolff, Susan Mareneck, Hank Berry, Burt Ames, Pat Fiero, Jono Nieger
Special Member Meeting Agenda
Leverett Village Coop
May 2 5-7pm Leverett Town Hall
Welcome! Thank you for coming. 10mins
Communication Guidelines: 5mins
• Respectful Speaking, Stay concise,
• Attentive Listening, Please don’t interrupt others
• Raise Your hands to speak,
The Purpose of today’s meeting is 1. Adjust the bylaws to expand the BOD, and to clarify the wording referencing when the board can fill vacancies. 2. The current Board of Directors will vote additional members on to the BOD to fill vacancies until the next annual meeting when Co-op members will vote to approve the nominated board members to a full term. We currently have 6 applicants to the BOD. 2mins
Bylaw Change with Membership Vote: 20mins
• Section 1. The administration of the cooperative corporation shall be delegated to a Board of
Directors consisting of no more than seven members.
• Membership Vote:
Please raise your hand- 9 (count votes) 11 (count votes)
• Section 5. In case of vacancy other than expiration of a term when there are two or fewer months until the Annual Meeting, the remaining members of the Board of Directors may at their discretion fill the vacancy.
• Membership Vote:
The board proposes to change “when there are two or fewer months” to “when there are two or more months.”
Member Engagement: 15mins
• members tell us about their vision for the future of the Coop
Voting by Board of Directors: 30mins
Candidates come forward introduction & why they would like to join the Village Cooperative Board of Directors.
The Vote:
Board Applicants
Jono Neiger Paula Green
Pat Fiero Susan Mareneck
Apple Ahearn Ann Ferguson
Welcome on Board! There’s so much to do going forward. Thank you in advance for your time and willingness to bring your talents to help the Village Cooperative.
Board of Director Vote for executive board positions: 15mins
President:
Treasurer:
Secretary:
Hello Everyone! We wanted to give you another update on our progress as we seek candidates to fill the General Manager position at the Village Co-op. 4/17/18
Please Help us Spread the Word by directing people to Leverettma.net for more information. Thanks!
We have received 15 applications and we have finalized the interview questions for our potential applicants. We will be contacting 6 of our top chosen candidates shortly.
Please get involved by attending the April 29th (1-2:30pm) meeting at the Co-op, filling out an application to be considered to join the board, and voting for new board members at the special member meeting May 2nd (5-7pm Town hall).
Thanks for your continued support of the Village Cooperative as we Grow our Community Together!
Sincerely,
Jono Neiger, Apple Ahearn, Pat Fiero, Ruth West, Carol King, Raymond Bradley, Rich Nathhorst, Ken Brownell, Heather Hutchinson
We will be holding our monthly Board of Directors meeting on April 29th at the Village Co-op, from 1-2:30. We are working on expanding the board. Applications are available at the Co-op or contact Heather if you'd like to apply.
The Board of Directors will be expanding to 9 or 11 members at the General Membership meeting scheduled on May 2, 2018 from 5-7 pm at the Leverett Town Hall.
We will be voting to change the Bylaws, and fill Board seats.
The expanded Board of Directors will elect new Executive Officers - President, Treasurer, Clerk (Secretary) - at this meeting. Heather, Richard and Ken will remain Board Members but will not continue to serve as Executive Board Officers.
If you are a Co-op member and would like to join the Board, please attend the April 29, 2018 Board of Directors public meeting from 1pm - 2:30 pm at the Village Co-op and submit an application for Board Membership. An application can be found on the Leverett Village Co-op website: www.leverettma.net. Any member who has previously attended a Board of Directors public meeting and already submitted an application need not reapply.
Hello Everyone! We wanted to give you an update on our progress as we seek candidates to fill the General Manager position at the Co-op.
Please Help us Spread the Word by directing people to Leverettma.net for more information. Thanks!
We have listed our announcement on Leverettma.net, Cooperative Grocer Network, Western MA Craigslist and fliers have been posted locally. We are placing ads in the Recorder, Hampshire Gazette and the Montague Reporter this week and will continue to update the listing on Craigslist bi-weekly. We will consider other listing platforms early April.
We have received one application and are working on drafting interview questions for our potential applicants.
We look forward to having the community engaged in the process as we build a pool of potential candidates for you to meet. Thanks for your continued support of the Village Cooperative as we Grow our Community Together!
Sincerely,
Jono Neiger, Apple Ahearn, Pat Fiero, Ruth West, Carol King, Raymond Bradley, Rich Nathhorst, Ken Brownell, Heather Hutchinson
Village Cooperative Corporation: Start-up Once Again!
A Start-up you may ask? Yes! Even though we have been around for over 30 years, in order for us to prepare for the future, we must address a number of things today. After all, a start-up requires effort and collaboration, membership investment and capitalization, development of the Board of Directors policies and governance, seeking a General Manager, investment in the facility, systems and necessary equipment, membership drives and matching the needs of today’s community with those services that the Co-op can provide. Exciting!
WE are looking future-forward to position the Village Co-op for new days ahead. WE will still be challenged by economic realities and our rural location, but we will be doing so with a stronger sense of collaboration, an improved infrastructure and a vision to increase our membership, sales and innovation. We are pursuing hiring a General Manager with the help of community members, and we will continue our efforts to build a stronger organization and sense of common ownership in this invaluable community resource- TOGETHER we can Grow The Village Cooperative Corporation.
BACKGROUND:
The Village Cooperative (Co-op) started 30+ years ago when North Leverett residents decided they could
purchase grocery items more cheaply by bringing the community together and forming a cooperative.
They had become increasingly discouraged by the high food prices at nearby stores. With financing from
a local bank, hundreds of contributing member-owners and dozens of member lenders, the Co-op
renovated and expanded the existing store. Community engagement remains an integral part of the Co-op
operation and it continues to be a valuable community asset.
GENERAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
The General Manager (GM) is responsible for conducting the affairs of the Co-op in such a manner as to
safeguard the interests of the members in accordance with the bylaws and policies of the corporation as
well as local, state and federal law. The GM is responsible for Co-op operations in all areas including but
not limited to, customer/community service, membership, staff oversight, health, safety & regulation
matters, facility operations, marketing/sales, and financial accounting. The GM has the authority to hire,
direct, and evaluate all other staff, and works to ensure the Co-op meets all financial, quality and
operational goals set jointly with the board of directors. Working closely with member-owners, the board
of directors, and store personnel, the General Manager will work toward short and long term goals,
monitor progress against these goals, identify and execute needed improvements, and lead innovation and
growth. The GM reports to the board of directors, which is elected by the Co-op’s member-owners.
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BY MANAGEMENT AREA:
Operations:
- Oversee day-to-day operations of the Co-op.
- Supervise scheduling of staff for maximum productivity.
- Promote teamwork among departments; ensure resolution of any/all operational issues
Personnel:
- Supervise all matters relating to personnel, in accordance with personnel policies
- established by the Board. Ensure regular communication with all staff via regular staff
meetings and individual contacts.
Finance:
- Ensure that the store runs in a financially responsible manner.
Merchandising:
- Create and establish merchandising criteria, which support maximum sales and good
community relations.
Marketing:
- Support existing marketing/fundraising efforts and ideally grant writing.
- Member-Customer Services And Community Relations :
- Develop and maintain good working relationships in the community.
OTHER/GENERAL DUTIES:
- Ensure that the store operates in compliance with all current Board policies and assist the
board with their development of such policies.
- Attend all regular Board and general membership meetings to give written monthly reports
of Co-op activities.
- Provide staff support for Board committees and board sponsored activities as requested.
EVALUATION CRITERIA:
- Experience managing a retail food store and/or healthy prepared foods operations; or
transferable experience.
- Personal and professional values that align with cooperative principles
- Strong work ethic and ability to organize time, manage diverse activities, adapt to change,
and meet critical deadlines.
- Ability to define and achieve bottom-line accountability for a business.
- Proven ability to develop and implement a vision and strategic plan.
- Proven ability in team building, including leading and motivating others to achieve
organizational goals.
- Experience in accounts payable and receivable, working and long-term capital needs and
resources.
- A sense of humor and a can-do attitude!
APPLICATION:
To apply, please send an email to LVCoopboard@leverettnet.net with the following attachments in MS
Office Word or PDF format. Applications will be accepted until May 15, 2018 or until the position is filled.
1. Cover letter.
2. Resume.
3. Three employment references with full contact information (name, address, phone, email,
title, relationship).
While the Co-op strongly prefers applications via email, if access to the internet is an issue for any reason,
please apply via postal mail to Board President, Village Co-op, PO Box 624, Leverett, MA 01054.
The Village Co-op values excellence and diversity in hiring and is an equal opportunity employer (EOE).
This description is intended to outline the primary responsibilities, general nature and level of work being
performed by person assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all
responsibilities, duties and competencies. Other duties may be assigned.
Board Members Present: Heather Hutchinson (President), Ken Brownell (Secretary), Rich Nathhorst (Treasurer)
Welcome and thanks for coming!
Introduce board members
Powerpoint Presentation:
Where we’re at and Where we’d like to Go!
Stairs to Success- Capturing Ideas, Needs the Turning them into Action!
Background- Re-envisioning Operational Structure at the Coop
Phase 1: Communication, Information Gathering and Sharing
Community Involvement!
Creating Project Management Team: Introduction-New board applicants!
Financial picture: Where we were
Financial Picture: Where we stand today
Targeted Approach to improving our financial health
Recapitalization Campaign
Phase 2: Building Processes
Phase 3: Execution and Testing
Phase 4: Reevaluation
Conclusion
The Co-op is deeply rooted in our rich community spirit, where people come together to work on common goals, share a common vision and develop a common purpose. Today we’re calling on the community to come forward to actively create new goals, a new vision and a new purpose in the Village Cooperative. After all, the true meaning of cooperative is in the action, the creation and in the doing. When we act we Co-op; when we shop, we Co-op; when we volunteer we Co-op. Let’s Co-op Together!
We’ll look at all that was created on behalf of the communities the Co-op supports:
• The finances that keep the doors open
• The infrastructure
• Its bylaws
• Its organizational structure
• Its ability to engage its membership, its customers, its staff
• Its potential for raising capital from the community
• Its place in the broader economic market
• Its ability to keep providing services to the surrounding community
There’s a lot of work to be done!
Specifically:
• We are in the process of finding our next General Manager, and in the meantime, an interim manager.
o Paul Rosenberg, our long standing GM of over 18 years informed the board that he’d like to resign from this position this spring. Our goals are to find the most competent replacement possible, to allow for sufficient time for the search, and time for the community to share feedback about potential candidates. Therefore, we are also searching for an interim manager simultaneously.
o A search committee was formed by reaching out to previous board members, town officials, and Co-op members who have skills in committees, business, and cooperatives.
• We are exploring lowering our energy costs by utilizing an energy audit
• We are seeking community feedback through our survey, community meeting, E-newsletter and Facebook page
• We are looking at the organizational structure with the goal of developing systems that support transparency, minimize “silos” of knowledge, promote the exchange of ideas and feedback within and from outside of the organization, and to maximize our ability to innovate with the times while maintain a historical context to guide our efforts.
We’d like to explore an IDEA with YOU!
Small businesses like the Village Co-op that raise less than 1 million in sales per year face significant challenges to keep their doors open to those they serve. In isolation, a store like ours, in the middle of “nowhere”, with a relatively small selection like we have, is buffeted by big factors occurring out on an economic playing field that is tilted to the big guys. We believe we have something unique here though, and we believe with a bit of effort, networking and creativity we can turn isolation into a vibrant ECOSYSTEM. An ecosystem is integrated, efficient, networked, supportive of diversity, and full of independent players that operate in connection.
The Leverett Village Electrical Power Goes 100% Green!
The Leverett Village Coop Inc. Board of Directors is pleased to announce that an agreement to Purchase the coop's (considerable) electrical power needs from Mint Energy. https://mintenergy.net We have signed a one year agreement to buy our 100% green renewable energy from Mint energy at a very attractive rate with the help of the Leverett Town Energy Committee.
We have also contracted with an energy consultant to address the very high level of electrical usage at the coop. The coop is only in the 7% percentile as compared to our peer institution and desperately needs to make infrastructure changes to bring our energy usage and bills under control. Our first efforts will be replacing the most egregiously inefficient unit in the coop the dairy case and replace the outmoded coop fluorescent and incandescent lighting with LED lighting.
These are just the first steps to bring the Leverett Village Cooperative into a new era of carbon energy free operations!
Watch this site for further news!
- Fri, Mar 16, 2018, 11:17 A
