General Meeting: February 14th 2004

From ANU Food Co-op Wiki

General Meeting Minutes - Feburary 14th 2004 By: Cynthia Shannon

General members' meeting held in the ROCKS meeting space and attended by 34 members.

Minutes Feburary 14th 2004, 4:40PM

Present: Adrian, Rosco Aeck, Gabrielle Breen, Kirsten Byrne, Greg Carman, Bill Cumpsty, Jenni Dall, Anne Edwards, Carmel Franklin, Fiona Game, Natalie Hedges, Stephen Hodgkin, Keri James, Colin London, Mathew Long, Lucia Mayo, Tessa McDonald?, Daniel Mclindon, Cedar Newton, Peta Nicholson, Ben O’Callaghan?, Gregory Parsons, Julian Randell, Clare Sandal, Cynthia Shannon, Phil Skeat, Smike Smaglinski, Keith Thomas, Anton Vikstrom, Alan Walker, Genna Ward, David Watson, Lea Weekes-Randall?, Craig White, Kirk Zwangobani.

Apologies Lucy Horodmy, Dave, Elin Webb, Ikeric Markunen.

Facilitator Genna Ward

Minutes Cynthia Shannon

Agenda First 2 items are the urgent business of the meeting: 1. New Management Collective 2. Financial Crisis – how to deal with it. 3. Update about ROCKS – report by Gabrielle Breen. 4. Save The Ridge. 5. Incorporation of Co-op.

1. New Interim Management Collective Genna outlined some of what the immediate tasks of the Management Collective: 12 months commitment a) The Management Collective will be run by consensus. b) They will be advertise, interview and support new paid staff c) The Management Collective will make day to day decisions. d) Major decisions drafted by the Management Collective will be brought to a Co-op. General Meeting; or if urgent decision, it will be posted up at the Co-op and sent around by email. f) The Management Collective will be an interim body until the Co-op. has to incorporate. Estimate time to incorporation is six months. h) The legal liability of the Management Collective was mentioned. i) The Management Collective will operate with openness and accountability and members are welcome to attend meetings; or provide their views to the meeting.

DISCUSSION: • Matthew was concerned that the Management Collective may be too wish-washy. • Gabrielle said that due processes will be followed; there would be openness with decisions and that there would be limits to decision-making. • The following members put their names forward to form a Management Collective: Anne, David, Genna, Julian, Kirsten and Lea. Jane Rickard sent word she was interested to be on the Board. • Big decisions need to be posted and passed by large General Meetings, e.g., a change of name drawing up a constitution incorporation of the Co-op. any major decisions regarding finances major changes re membership within the Co-op. • Visitors and helpers may attend Management Collective meetings as the Management Collective meetings will be ‘open’. Co-op. members may also make suggestions to the Management Collective. Via email • New Management Collective to meet after meeting to arrange a time for their first meeting.

2. Financial Crisis – how to deal with it. Carmel gave some background and an update on the financial situation of the Co-op. (Carmel has been book-keeping for the Food Co-op. for 15 years.) • It is normal to have $8,000 to $13,000 in the Co-op’s bank account. • The Co-op’s balance has gone down over the last six months to a current balance of $5,600. However, there are also bills to pay of an equal amount of $5,600 which equals a zero balance. • The workers—Cedar and Soula—have not been paid wages for some time. • The Co-op. is therefore currently unable to keep the shop stocked with staple goods in the way it has in the past. • It is not obvious why this has occurred. Some reasons suggested by Carmel were: that there has been an increase in wages in 2003 (around May?) that there has been more products ordered that the Co-op. lost members in early 2003 that more and more points were being used. that insurance premiums and other costs have gone up that Tuesday and Thursday takings have gone down it is unknown whether theft of money and stock had occurred; Carmel believes it is more likely that it would be stock. Very difficult to trace.

• Wages were currently $15 per hour for the paid workers • the account books look best in May and June

Suggestions: • sell Co-op. products at Gorman House • the Co-op. should have a marketing strategy team • have regular stock-taking

3. Update about ROCKS – Report by Gabrielle Co-op. will have to be move. Co-op. can be located in the new development somewhere in ROCKS area. Co-op. will have to pay rent of $95 per square metre per year. There is no time frame (- it may be in 3 or 4 years). The development will include space for multi-cultural, environmental and the Arts spaces. ACTION: Application Form for a place in the new development HAS to be filled in by Friday 20th February.

4. Save The Ridge The Co-op. is happy for ‘Save The Ridge’ to use a small space belonging to the Co-op. for six months. – Anton.

5. Incorporation of the Co-op. Adrian – The Co-op. will need to be incorporated by the Registrar who is very willing to work with the Co-op. to make this happen. There is a $27 fee. Books will have to be audited annually. Canberra LETS has a free accountant who may be willing to do the auditing for the Co-op. Lucia is a member of Canberra LETS and spoke about this.

Brainstorming Four main areas were selected for brainstorming ideas for steering the Co-op. out of its present emergency situation: marketing strategies, finances, ordering and staffing options.

Marketing Strategies – suggestions and ideas: market stalls advertising the Co-op. conduct radio interviews as advertising encourage non-member shoppers members try and recruit new members make letterbox flyers update the Co-op. website raise membership fees reduce wages create black on white poster marked (?) price create a team for marketing decisions have a membership drive and review the Co-op. price structure.

Finances – suggestions and ideas: no one get paid for a limited period run the Co-op. along business lines do not shrink the Co-op. any further, stay with a large variety of goods interim waving of membership discounts use M.Y.O.B. accounting software call for extra volunteers (to manage the shop?) more hours for volunteers increase prices Coordinators are not given points for limited time regular finance report security of till and stock put prices up.

Ordering – suggestions and ideas: use the Co-op. computer to do the stock ordering stick to staples organise stock numbering.

Staffing options – suggestions and ideas: volunteer audit to happen straight away.

All members present were then given six votes to cast for the stated suggestions and ideas. The following is the vote count:

13 reducing wages (or maintaining wages at same level) 12 ordering staples and basics (no packaged items that can be bought elsewhere) 10 run Co-op. more along business lines 9 do a stocktake 9 call for extra volunteers 9 more hours for volunteers 8 increase security of the till and of the stock 7 put prices up 7 non-member shoppers 7 don’t shrink the Co-op. further, keep a large variety of stock 6 computerising of accounts ( Piper will help) 5 use the Co-op. computer for stock ordering 5 members try and recruit new members 5 make a regular finance report to the Management Collective 3 no points for coordinators for a limited time 3 quality control of fruit and vegetables 3 use M.Y.O.B. accounting software 3 interim waiving of member’s discounts 2 website update 2 flyers, give to members 1 organise stock numbering 1 review of opening hours 1 letterbox flyers 1 increase prices 0 no one gets paid

Meeting closed Approximately 6 p.m.