Fairbanks Community Cooperative Market (FCCM)

Board Meeting Minutes

October 6, 2009, 5:30 pm

Before the business meeting  a question and answer session was held with Andy and John Bachner, owners of the “Foodland” property. This helped to nail down some of the monthly operational costs we can expect if we lease a portion of the property.

1. Meeting Called to Order by Hans Geier at 5:30 pm.  Present: Morgan Macchione, Sharon Alden, Mary Christensen, Mike Emers, Hans Geier, Evan Daigneault, Robert Leach

Quorum: Yes

2. Minutes from the last meeting were read and CHANGED. Sharon Alden moved to change the minutes to read that Board Seats “A” through “E” expire in 2011 and

Board Seats ”F” through “I” expire in 2010.  Morgan Macchione seconded the motion. The motion was approved and passed.

3. Committee Reports:

Communications/Outreach – Chair: Mary Christensen reported that the Pancake Breakfast was a success with $2800 raised, a VISTA volunteer, Evan Daigneault,  has been hired and is currently training to assist with the membership drive, the volunteer office has been established, newspaper ads contracted, as well as Facebook and TV.

Operations/Store Design Committees – Mary Christensen reported that operations cost analysis are underway, a book on how to write a business plan for grocery stores has been ordered, and communication with the Co-op Development Center in Minnesota established with the intent of possibly contracting a store design consultant. A joint meeting with the two committees is being planned to work out and assign tasks.

Finance Committee – Hans Geier reported that he has begun the application process for Coop500’s “sprout” loan program. The business plan is necessary to begin the loan application process. Hans also reported that he has acquired grant funding to assist with our co-op development process through his work with the University.

4. Mary Christensen and Sharon Alden led the board in sharing our individual visions for our food co-op. They are summarized as follows:

Robert Leach – Focus on the store central with the objective of providing a market for local producers in the long term, but a focus on the function of our grocery store in the short term.

Mike Emers – to be a focal point for good healthy food in Fairbanks, a catalyst, a meeting place for long term thinking, soil, earth, more producers, a lot more people making a living in farming, organic is incredibly important, when we source outside of Alaska we should know exactly were it is coming from – all kinds of good food for the community.

Evan Daigneault feels that we should focus on meat and vegetables, access to all types of local meat, coffee stand and most importantly – a salad bar

Hans Geier envisions opening a store and operating a successful retail outlet for local goods as well as other healthy products. He envisions a consumer friendly business that takes care of its members.

Mary Christensen described a 6000 square feet facility with 1500 in storage and 1000 for a coffee and sandwich bar – with a plan for expansion in two to three years with food our members want to buy that includes: organic, natural, bulk, local veges, nonlocal veges, meat from our own neighborhood, a cheese island, ethnic foods, white bread and pilot bread and REAL bread, macaroni and other staples, vegan, junk and gourmet food. In other words – Yummy food

Morgan Macchione spoke of the importance of staples to her busy family life and feels that dairy is important plus a coffee shop and deli that has convenience foods.

Sharon Alden would like to see as much local food as possible, lots of staples and good variety.

5. The Board then worked out a time line with the goal of opening between April and June of 2010.

Week of October 11 – 16 – Appointments to be set with environmental, structural and mechanical engineers.

Saturday, October 24^th – Board retreat – Possible trip to Delta before that.

October – begin cost analysis for business plan starting with a joint meeting of the Operations and Store Design Committees, continue membership drive,

Completion of Business Plan by November 15.

Applications for Financing sent to financial institutions no later than December 1

January – begin renovations if financing acquired.

January – open the store general manager position for applicants

February – hire general manager and begin process of readying the store for business

6. Sharon Alden offered to organize a committee structure

7. Next Meeting was set for Monday, October 12^th from 5:30 to 7 pm

8. Robert Leach Moved to adjourn the meeting and Mary Christensen seconded. The motion was passed.