OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PARK SLOPE FOOD COOP Established 1973 Volume MM, Number 20 October 11, 2018 Discussion of Online Eyewitness Voting for Board Elections to GMO History Stirs the September GM By Heidi Brown ently do not know about this, said, no vote for an interim ven the balcony of the St. perhaps because their squad Treasurer could be planned for EFrancis Xavier auditori- leaders do not discuss this this GM. The election for the um was full at the Park Slope program. Herpel described the new Treasurer will happen at Food Coop (PSFC) General “One-for-One” program that the October GM. Meeting held on September helps members reduce their Moore then reminded mem- 25, 2018. After starting the overdue makeups without los- bers that there is still time to proceedings around 7:15 on ing their shopping privileges. apply for a short-term work- a warm, humid evening, Chair Members who owe six or fewer slot for the Inaugural Selection Committee Chairman Charlie make-ups can retain their Group for the Pension Adviso- Rogers asked if anyone had shopping privileges by working ry Committee. The inaugural open items to discuss. at least one make-up per work selection group will meet for cycle and attending all sched- 3 to 6 months. They will select Workslot Makeup Misery uled workslots (swapping is members to be on the Pension ILLUSTRATION BY DEBORAH TINT Two members commented okay). To learn more about the Advisory Committee. These that the number of required One-for-One program, go to three to seven PSFC members By Alison Rose Levy to become a leading report- working hours seems to be foodcoop.com >> Membership will work with two Board mem- he Coop was ahead of er on and critic of Monsan- excessive given the number >> Coop Literature. Finally, bers, Moore, and the Pension Tthe curve in the consum- to and its GMOs, Journalist of PSFC members and that Herpel noted that although it’s Plan’s Administrator to select er movement to avoid GMO Carey Gillam was one of the making up missed shifts is too true that the Coop has nearly the actual members to serve food. It began in 2000 when first to look under the hood. difficult given the demands of 17,000 members, only 82% of on the Pension Advisory Com- Greg Todd (of the GMO Shelf The Gazette spoke with Gillam living in New York. One of them these individuals are required mittee and will meet for three Labeling Committee) made to get the inside story on her said she was at the GM solely to do a workslot. So, there are to six months. a motion to ban GMO foods. journalistic journey. At first, to earn make-up credit and sur- less people doing work than it Joe Holtz then moved While Coop members voted in Gillam was a standard issue mised that most people at the might seem, she said. through the PSFC’s Financial favor of this ban, which is still business reporter for Reuters, GM that night were there for the Statement for the 32-week in place, it has taken nearly covering corporate America same reason. If so, she posited, Staffing Updates from period ending September two decades to validate what for over 25 years. Then in 1998, it would make sense to reduce Coordinators, Pizza 10, 2018. He said that the savvy health-oriented consum- she was assigned to cover the the number of hours a mem- Dough and Finances PSFC’s current gross margin of ers first suspected back then. food and agricultural indus- ber must work. In response, a Next up were reports from 17.43%, compared to 17.11% That’s been the work for inves- try. Since Reuters addresses member who described him- the General Coordinators. Lisa for the same period last year, tigative reporters and inde- the business community as self as a business consultant Moore updated members on is better than average for the pendent scientists. well as a general readership, said that FTOP has made it staff “comings and goings,” in Coop. Other numbers in the Although she never set out CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 much easier to fulfill his work September. Petra Claiborne report were not as straight- requirement, as he can now was hired by the PSFC as an forwardly positive. There was Next General Meeting on October 30 schedule workslots when he is evening Receiving Coordina- a loss of $257,592, compared The General Meeting of the Park Slope Food Coop is held available. FTOP assignments tor. In the few weeks since the with income of $228,824 for on the last Tuesday of each month. The October General can be arranged through the last GM where her hiring was the same period last year. This Meeting will be on Tuesday, October 30, at 7:00 p.m. at St. membership office. announced, Stephanie Lee, is “not great,” Holtz allowed, Francis Xavier School, 763 President St., between Sixth General Coordinator Ann who was hired in May as a GC but he and the other General and Seventh Aves. Herpel reminded members and in June was elected as Trea- Coordinators are “working on The agenda is in this Gazette, on www.foodcoop.com and that extensions on makeups surer, has stepped down from turning this around,” he said. available as a flier in the entryway of the Coop. For more are available, although, she both positions. Because of the The loss is due partially to information about the GM and about Coop governance, said, many members appar- timing of her departure, Moore CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 please see the center of this issue. Fri, Oct 12 • Wordsprouts: IN THIS ISSUE An Evening of New Literary Fiction 7:00 p.m. Puzzle 3 Sat, Oct 20 • Food Drive to Benefit CHiPS Soup Kitchen Going for the Gold 5 Coop & Sun, Oct 21 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Welcome 7 Mission Statement, Governance Information 7 Thu, Nov 1 • Food Class: Calendar of Events 8 Event Vegan Thanksgiving 7:30 p.m. Letters to the Editor 10 Highlights Fri, Nov 2 • Film Night: Community Calendar 11 Pull Out 7:00 p.m. Classifieds 11 Exciting Workslot Opportunities 12 Look for additional information about these and other events in this issue. Thank You 12 Read the Gazette while you’re standing on line OR online at www.foodcoop.com 2 October 11, 2018 Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NY September GM organization without a treasur- the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 er. Holtz responded that he and (In 2017, PSFC members voted a team of General Coordinators to consolidate the GMs in higher expenses, specifically, and Bookkeeping Coordinators November and December into health benefits for employ- had put together the financial one meeting so there will be no ees. So far this year, the PSFC statement with little problem GM in December.) has spent $1,093,243 versus and that they were discussing Robinson also encouraged $844,571 over the same peri- next steps. Another member members to try out the online od in 2017 to provide health asked Holtz what the gross Member Services available benefits to staff. The PSFC, margin at grocery stores typi- at FoodCoop.com to answer Holtz explained, has opted to cally is, and Holtz responded many of the same questions be a self-insurer. Although the that it can range from 14% for that members call the Mem- number seems high, the PSFC Costco all the way to 40% for bership Office for, such as saves money by not going many grocery stores. membership, makeups owed through a large corporate General Coordinator Joe and shopping status. (There is health insurer, Holtz said. Szladek then presented the a separate tab on the website Food Report. He announced for shift swaps.) Members will Helen Beichel and Bart DeCoursy of the International that shoppers can once again also find a new website func- Trade Education Squad announced a meeting they’re find pre-made pizza dough, in tion that allows housemates to organizing at Ethical Culture on October 17 at 7 p.m. the case across from the chees- view each other’s information es, as before. This dough, from if their household opts in for IL Forno Bread Company, is of this feature. This convenience high quality though slightly would allow roommates to more expensive than the pre- check on each others’ shift sta- vious brand (which the Coop tus. To register for an account, stopped ordering because it members should use the same contains a preservative that email address they gave when does not meet Coop standards). they joined the PSFC. Other The PSFC is also carrying a new functions are coming soon, new brand of chocolate that including shift reminders and Joe Holtz went through the bills itself as vegan—Honey updates if a shift has been can- Coop’s financial statement. Mama’s Chocolates, made with celed. These online Member raw honey. Szladek reported to Services are accessible directly Pension costs also increased the members that he had dis- from the website, not from the over the previous year, from cussed the “vegan” designation Food Coop app. $373,193 or 1.09% of sales with a company representa- Bart DeCoursy and Helen General Coordinator Lisa Moore highlighted short-term to $397,721 or 1.15% of tive since, he is aware that Beichel, members of the Inter- work slots. sales. Weekly sales averaged not all vegans eat honey. He national Trade Education $1,077,465 for the current peri- asked for a show of hands in Squad (ITES), spoke briefly od, compared to $1,067,987 the audience of vegans who do about negotiations for the for the same period in 2017.