I visited Sally the Salad Robot at Willy Street Co-op East for the very first time today, and I’m enjoying my quinoa salad as I write this update. I am deeply appreciative of how our Co-op has weathered so many changes. The experimentation with new ideas like Sally is exciting, and I’m also happy that the popular Wellness Wednesday promotion has returned!
Virtual Annual Meeting
Thank you to everyone who attended the Co-op’s virtual Annual Meeting on July 8th. This was the second time that the Annual Meeting has been held virtually, and although this format is very different from our past traditions, it does present some advantages. A quorum of interested owners gathered to hear updates on the Co-op’s general operations and financial status, and to hear from the four candidates running for seats on the Board. If you were unable to attend, the minutes are available at at the Owner Resources Area in the stores, and the recording of the meeting is available at willystreet.coop/2021-annual-meeting.
Some of the highlights of the meeting included a recap of accomplishments from the past year. General Manager Anya Firzst reported that staff have gone above and beyond to meet the challenges of serving our community during the pandemic. The Co-op has continued to be forward-looking, and has made significant strides toward increased energy efficiency at the three retail stores. In addition, the Co-op also completed the first year of a contract with Step Up: Equity Matters to improve diversity and inclusion efforts across the organization. Over the next two years, this work will move forward with a focus on improving organizational design and internal communication.
The update from Finance Director Paige Wickline highlighted the difficulties faced by grocery cooperatives during the pandemic. Willy Street Co-op has experienced unexpected revenue losses, and the focus for the next two fiscal years will be on increasing sales and managing expenses in order to return the organization to financial stability. Now is the time to support your Co-op by shopping frequently!
Board Election Results
In this year’s election, we had four excellent candidates running for three open seats. I am happy to share the results of the election and congratulate the new Board members.
- Tatiana Dennis: 2,158 votes
- Michael Chronister: 1,427 votes
- Carol Weidel: 1,416 votes
We were lucky to have strong candidates with a variety of skills and strengths who stepped forward to volunteer to serve our organization. Thank you to everyone who ran for the board, and to everyone who participated in the election by voting. If you have any feedback or suggestions to share regarding the Board election process, please email board@willystreet.coop.
