The 500+ owners of the Co-op are not afraid to let their voices be heard. Either through my work or my personal life, I hear from Co-op owners almost daily. And this is great because as owners, you do have a say in the direction of the Co-op and you should let your voice be heard.
I’ve written many times before about the 7 Cooperative Principles, and I’d like to highlight #2 again: Democratic Governance. Yes, each owner gets a vote, but the spirit of this principle is more: “Co-operatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. Men and women serving as elected representatives are accountable to the membership.” [Emphasis added]
One of the best features I’ve seen in food co-ops across the country is the suggestion box in the store. People really do take the time to make suggestion and the staff and board commit the resources to respond to the suggestions. (When was the last time your suggestion with a chain business saw a response? Do you even know how to submit your suggestion?)
The Cedar Falls Food Co-op is always open to your opinions, questions, and suggestions. Now, however, we have two specific opportunities for feedback.
The first is an online survey. If you haven’t yet taken the 5 minutes to complete the survey, do so now. Complete the survey by March 15, and you’ll be entered into the drawing for a $20 gift certificate for SingleSpeed (generously donated by a Co-op member-owner). The more owners we hear from, the more valuable the results will be for our direction.
The second opportunity is to share your questions, thoughts, and concerns by March 8. Members of our leadership team (3 board members, 2 committee members, and our Outreach Coordinator) will spending two days at the national food co-op conference in Milwaukee. Our brains will be like giant sponges, soaking up all kinds of useful information from presenters and peers. As we gear up for the next phase of the Co-op’s development (Phase 2B: Planning), we will collect new ideas, resources, models, and strategies to move our efforts forward. And if there are questions that you have, let us know and we’ll seek out the answers while we’re there.
So, send me an email at tomwick@sbcglobal.net and share your thoughts and questions. I’d love to hear from you!
In cooperation,
Tom Wickersham