Introduce yourself

Unless and until the entire board of directors is replaced with honest knowledgeable people the coop may as well shut down. Right now the coop exists only for the benefit of the general manager and his chosen minions. During Covid many of us were treated like lepers, and many of us were forever banned from the store itself for questioning their guerilla tactics. Members receive virtually no benefit because that is not the Purpose of the store, it's nothing more than a overpriced hyped grocery store. I had to involve the former head of the Board just to get the measly $18 due from my membership, despite spending hundreds of dollars. They underpay local farmers, treat staff like crap (several lawsuits brought against the coop by employees were never revealed where coop "managers" literally perjured themselves in court). The coop needs to be saved from itself, from within. Excepting that, it's better to simply shut it down altogether.

I was on the Board for several years in the past. I wanted to solve the Coop's space problem stepwise. My first suggestion was to build a 3-season covered deck on the narrow property on the South side of the building, with screens in summer and plexi in spring and fall. Not needed in the slow winter months. This would greatly expand the deli/cafe space, and allow for expansion of the kitchen, at very modest cost. I also urged the Coop to clean out the basement, and use that space efficiently for whatever they needed most, such as more retail space, office space, meeting space. Not just junk space. Almost zero cost. I also recommended renting space in the neighborhood, if needed, for storage of odd stuff, seasonal stuff, office records, etc. At that time there was a male board member who dominated the conversation, and consistently put down my input, silencing others. You may know who that was. Alternately, I suggested buying the Matthews Window Company building, which had been empty for several years, and turning it into a huge, combined, Farmers' Market, Food Hub, and restaurant space. What a stupid idea! Impossible, it would never work....

Now, I just want more information on the details you mention, cost, how this plan came about, what were the minutes in detail of the Board meetings that finalized it. In detail, how were the members informed before the contracts were signed. How, at this point can they be eradicated. Excuse me, I'm not a lawyer. Don't know the proper term, or if it is even possible.

Jeanne Gail, 20 East Side Battery, East Belfast, 218-1452 and 323-3081 [both new numbers due to mess up with the phone companies] and ljeannegail@gmail.com. [new email due to old company, Bluestreak, going out of biz]