General Manager's Report                                                                       6/28/07

● A report from ESI, the company that oversees our Employee Assistance Program, shows that at the end of May, 10 individuals have taken advantage of using this service since we began our contract with them on March 1^st.  Employees are also taking advantage of their on-line training courses and have completed modules in effective communication techniques, motivating employees, and team building to name a few.  This is a very valuable service for us and it is getting used quite regularly.  Thank you for approving this great benefit!

● Our current membership count is 2511.  We have gained 26 new members since our last meeting together.  Please note that I made an error in reporting a current member count at last meeting.  The total should have been 2485 instead of the reported 2500, with 29 new members since the beginning of April.

● Our Grocery Manager and I held a cashier/stockers meeting with all employees who work in these departments to go over policies and procedures that were not being consistently followed.  It was a nice opportunity for us to tag team and help show this core group of our staff how our departments work together to keep inventory accurate and customers happy.

● The Co-op will be partnering with Belfast Adult Ed this fall to offer a series of basic cooking classes to interested community members.  We have been frequently getting feedback from members that we offer a lot of healthy food in the store but we are not doing much to provide tools and resources to turn those healthy foods into a delicious and eatable form.  It's exciting to have found yet another way to meet a membership need!

● Also along the outreach front the Co-op sponsored book club has finally finished reading the Omnivore's Dilemma and is on to its second book, Bringing the Food Economy Home, by Helena Norberg Hodge, et al.  A small, but dedicated crew has hung on to keep the group going throughout the summer.  The group continues to generate a lot of positive energy around buying and eating local.

● It is our pleasure to welcome two new staff reps to Board positions:  Zafra and Dagny will be joining the Board courtesy of some great campaigning and strong staff support!

● Many thanks to our Department Heads and stocking staff members who have put forth a dedicated effort to keep both the Produce department and the Dairy, Grocery, and Beer coolers stocked  while the new walk-in is being completed.  The frustration level has potential to be huge, as all the back stock of these departments has been constantly shuffled to make room for incoming products, but everyone is diligently working through the inconveniences.  Many thanks also to our dedicated customers who have also been inconvenienced by narrow aisles and less accessibility to products while we complete the final stages of construction.  We are so close and the new walk-in is SO BEAUTIFUL!

● Thanks also go, again, to Board Members Paul, Karen, and Scott, members, Karen and Lynne, and staff member Phil, for putting in more time to help get the last of the survey results compiled. Couldn't have done it without you!

● We are getting new siding on the Pendleton Lane side of the building.  Construction is slated to start on the 25^th of June.  The project will include putting a layer of insulation underneath the siding (to boost our new walk-in and the building in general into another level of energy-efficiency), and bringing the shiplap (same siding material that covers the additions) all the way up to the entrance of the store.  The shiplap will then be painted with two colors:  the same forest green on the front of the store below the break in the wood, and a brick red on the wood above the break.  Should give our neighbors a nice and clean view!