4.4.13 pgs 1-16_Layout 1 4/3/13 10:30 PM Page 1 OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PARK SLOPE FOOD COOP Established 1973 Volume HH, Number 7 April 4, 2013 March Meeting Highlights Cell Phones While Working: Candidates for Election, Explores Is It Time For a Policy? Response to LICH Closing By Frank Haberle Deena began by encouraging members to osted in MS 51’s cavernous auditorium, a read her statement in the Gazette. “After consid- Hsparsely-attended March 19 General ering the content of the Gazette and the content Meeting featured presentations by two of the of conversations with other members,” she stat- four candidates for ed, “a main concern the upcoming Board is clearly the cost of election; a vote on food.” Deena also the re-election of spoke of concerns members of the Dis- about quality of life ciplinary Commit- and the need to cre- tee; and a discussion ate an environment on whether the Coop that is right for all of should take an us. She asked every- active role in efforts one in the meeting to to prevent the consider what our BERNSTEIN BY LYNN ILLUSTRATION impending closing needs are, and how of Long Island Col- we can create the By Ed Levy call, text, tweet or email. And lege and Interfaith quality of life we oting the ubiquity of going fast are the days when Hospitals. These need at a price we NSmartphones, tablets you can come home and plead three main agenda can afford. and iwhatnots, George Jones that you lost the shopping list items followed Coor- Zoey told the story writes for the Raycon News and that’s why you forgot the dinator reports cov- of how she joined the Network that “people find it half and half. Now, if there’s no ering a range of Coop with her family hard to resist a personal more sharp cheddar in the end items, from the need when she was four assistant, day planner, media cap, you can instantly get for a new air condi- BY DEBORAH TINT ILLUSTRATION years old; she has player, web browser and link clearance from home to buy tioning system, to been a member for to almost every person in the Brie instead, and don’t for- the state of our produce, to the Coop’s posi- 23 years. She has a Masters Degree in Public their lives that fits inside a get the dish soap. tion on plastic bags. Health and has worked with 911 first responders single device they can slide and Sandy responders. She bikes daily to her job into their pockets.” On the Phone, On a Candidates for the Board of Directors in Flushing, Queens. She has helped farmer Ray Indeed. The paradox of per- Work Shift: Some In the upcoming Spring election, Coop Bradley at the Grand Army Plaza Farmers’ Mar- sonal digital assistants (PDAs), Examples and Reactions members will vote to fill two open positions ket for many years. Zoey cited the reasons she is however, is that they both con- But our Smartphones and for our Board. As explained by current Board interested in becoming a Board member. First, nect and separate us. You can iPods also encapsulate us in a member Bill Penner, the Coop has a six-mem- her many years within the Coop have helped her reach anyone anytime with a CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 ber Board. Imani Q’ryn, a current Board mem- build a strong sense of what the Coop and its ber, is running for re-election. Three other members need. Secondly, as a younger person, Next General Meeting on April 30 candidates, Deena Hays, Zoey Laskaris and she feels able to represent the many young peo- The General Meeting of the Park Slope Food Coop is held on the Sara Matthews, are seeking election to the ple who are involved at the Coop. “The Coop is a last Tuesday of each month. The April General Meeting will be Board for the first time. very important place for me,” Zoey said. “It is on Tuesday, April 30, at 7:00 p.m. at MS 51, 350 Fifth Ave., Two candidates, Deena Hays and Zoey ingrained in me.” between Fourth and Fifth Sts. Enter on Fourth St. cul-de-sac. Laskaris, presented. Imani Q’ryn was away on The questions opened with Jesse Rosenfeld, The Fourth St. entrance is handicap-accessible. business, but sent a representative to answer Coop Secretary, asking the candidates to clarify The agenda is in this Gazette, on the Coop website at questions. Sara Matthews was not in atten- the responsibilities of the Board. “We need to www.foodcoop.com and available as a flier in the entryway of dance. Deena and Zoey were invited to speak address what is important to us,” Deena the Coop. For more information about the GM and about Coop to the members before answering questions. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 governance, please see the center of this issue. Thu, Apr 4• Food Class: IN THIS ISSUE Cherry Blossom–Inspired Dishes 7:30 p.m. Meet the Gazette Reporters and Editors. 4 Coop Fri, Apr 5• Film Night: My Brooklyn 7:00 p.m. Environmental Committee Report, Puzzle . 5 Tue, Apr 9• Safe Food Committee Film Night: Brooklyn Food Coalition, From the Archives . 6 Event The Botany of Desire 7:00 p.m. Safe Food Committee Report. 7 Coop Calendar, Governance Information, Mission Statement. 9 Highlights Fri, Apr 12• Wordsprouts: Group Reading: Calendar of Events . 10 To Mark National Poetry Month 7:00 p.m. Letters to the Editor . 12 Candidates for Board of Directors . 14 Look for additional information about these and other events in this issue. Classifieds . 15 4.4.13 pgs 1-16_Layout 1 4/3/13 10:30 PM Page 2 2 April 4, 2013 Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NY March GM agement role. Zoey respond- Paul Van Horn of the CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ed, “As a member, my opin- Disciplinary Committee ions matter. As a Board spoke briefly of the responded. “What products member, my opinions do not responsibilities of the does the Coop need and what matter. My vote as a Board Disciplinary Commit- does the Coop need to do to member will be in response to tee—“to make sure the achieve that? As individuals, what people say. I do not see rules are enforced”— we need to consider our food this as an activist role.” Deena before presenting three choices. Are we just buying referred to a passage from the current members of the food? Are we concerned about Coop’s bylaws: ‘the Coordina- committee who he fracking? Sandy? Products tors will administer the affairs hoped the membership from Israel? How do we of the Coop as directed by the would reelect for a new engage in these issues? Are we Board.’ “This tells me you are term: Michelle Gior- governing ourselves well? We complying with the advice of dano, Jeff Goodman and need to be able to take the people in the meeting,” Grace Protos. Grace action.” Zoey pointed out that she said. “Is it a matter of edu- introduced herself as a being a Board member of the cating people? We need to member since 2004. “I’m Coop is a work shift. “It is the agree on how we’re being gov- pleased with the work BY DEBORAH TINT ILLUSTRATION responsibility of Board mem- erned.” Deena will require we do,” she said. “I like bers to come to the meetings, each committee to report to that we attempt to do well by and an attending LICH emer- increased volume of patients to listen to what is happening, her. “I will need, first, a report Coop members and look at gency room physician. Saul and waiting times in those and to vote. As a Board mem- from each committee. What the Coop’s needs as a place of spoke to LICH’s 150 year his- emergency rooms, will cost ber, it is my role to heed the are you doing well, and what safety.” Michelle, a member tory of innovation and ser- lives and put enormous advice of the members.” as individuals do you need to for the last three years, stated vice to the community, and strain on other hospitals. A question from Tim Platt, do to govern yourselves as a that she looks forward to of the huge role it plays Carl and Saul’s request member of the Chair Commit- committee.” another term so she can con- today in providing medical for an immediate vote on tee, asked the candidates if tinue to advocate for mem- care not only to residents of the Coop taking action they felt the role of the Board Disciplinary Committee bers. The third candidate, Jeff, Brooklyn Heights and Cobble could not be met, as it was is an activist role, or a man- Election could not attend the meeting. Hill but to Red Hook Houses, on the agenda as a discus- The GM elected all three one of the City’s largest pub- sion item, not an item to be CORRECTION candidates. lic housing facilities. Today, brought to a vote. A straw Saul pointed out, LICH poll by the meeting chair A recent article citing a new novel by Linewaiters’ Gazette Action on LICH serves 200,000 people annu- showed the attending mem- editor Petra E. Lewis, referred to the title of her trilogy but Carl Biers, a Coop mem- ally, including 60,000 bers overwhelmingly in favor did not include the title of the individual first novel, which ber for the last 22 years, then through its emergency room.