Oshkosh Food Co-op Board Meeting          

Date: 3-16-16                   

Time: 7:30-9:30 PM

Location: 817 Waugoo Ave Oshkosh

1.    Welcome

2.    Member Comment Period [3 minutes per comment]

3.    Approve minutes of previous meeting

4.    Treasurer’s Report

Savings:    

Checking:            

Fully paid members:                 

Payment plan members:

·         OFC books posting

·      Stocks/Shares research

5.    New members

6.    Welcome new board member, John Scheelk:

7.    Wellness Fair event recap

8.    Up & Coming Conference information sharing

9.    Conversation regarding team/committee creation based on timeline:

9.1.1.           A. Membership/outreach [Brenda; Miyoko; Cynthia; Brenna]

B. Finance [Nicole; Lawrence; Kelly]

               C. Location [Paul; Stephanie; Lawrence; Miyoko]/Confidentiality statement

10.Standing Business

Committee check in: a brief update/report

10.1.1.        Membership (member events, house parties, etc)

10.1.1.1.  March into Membership drive

10.1.1.2.  Annual meeting planning:

10.1.1.3.      House Parties and Contacts

10.1.1.3.1.       Held since last meeting

10.1.1.3.2.       Confirmed

10.1.1.3.3.       Pending

10.1.2.        Software/Technology

10.2.              Education and Outreach events

10.2.1.1.  Confirmed

10.2.1.2.  In progress

1.1.1.1.   Others we should be meeting with?

1.1.1.2.   Volunteer sources

1.2.Market Booth

1.3.Grants/Support/Conferences

New Business

Other Business

Adjourn

Meeting schedule notes: NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, 03/30/16 at 7:30 at Kelly’s (817 Waugoo Ave)

Oshkosh Food Co-op Board Meeting              Date: 3-2-16             Time: 7:30-9:30 PM

Location: 817 Waugoo Ave Oshkosh

1. Welcome
2. Member Comment Period [3 minutes per comment]
3. Approve minutes of previous meeting
4. Treasurers Report
5. New member
6. Appointing new board member
7. Conversation regarding team/committee creation based on timeline
8. Standing Business

• Communications/Messaging
• Membership (member events, house parties, etc)
• Software/Technology
• Education and Outreach events
• Market Booth
• Grants/Support/Conferences

 9. New Business

10. Other Business

11. Adjourn

Meeting schedule notes:

NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, 03/016/16 at 7:30 pm at Kelly’s (817 Waugoo Ave)

Oshkosh Food Co-op Board Meeting              Date: 2-17-16                       Time: 7:30-9:30 PM

Location: 817 Waugoo Ave Oshkosh

1.    Welcome

2.    Member Comment Period [3 minutes per comment]

3.    Approve minutes of previous meeting

4.    Treasurers Report

• Savings:
• Checking:
• Fully paid members:
• Payment plan members:
• OFC books review:

5.    New members

6.    Post Pull Tab flyer:

7.    Interviewing and appointing new board member:

8.    Conversation regarding team/committee creation based on timeline

• Frame timeline around the following committees:

◦     A. Membership/outreach                 B. Finance                C. Location

 9.    Standing Business

Committee check in: a brief update/report

Communications/Messaging :

9.1.1.           Membership (member events, house parties, etc)

9.1.2.           Software/Technology

9.2.  Education and Outreach events

9.2.1.1.       Confirmed

9.2.1.2.       In progress

1.1.1.1.       Others we should be meeting with?

1.1.1.2.       Volunteer sources

1.2. Market Booth

1.3. Grants/Support/Conferences

New Business

Other Business

Adjourn

Meeting schedule notes:

• NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, 03/02/16 at 7:30 at Kelly’s (817 Waugoo Ave)

Happy January 2016!

Your OFC board spent a full day plus in deep strategic planning on January 17^th and 18^th to create a strong plan to keep our momentum building.  We were joined by Food Co-op Initiative’s Jacqueline Hannah, Food Co-op Development Specialist to facilitate. Jacqueline’s role is to work with start-ups to offer support, guidance, and resources. Here’s what she had to say:  “It’s the best feeling when you are sincerely impressed by a startup’s leadership and by the potential of their community!”  High praise from someone who spends a lot of time with startups around the country!

Main points of our day:

1. Often we hear: “Why is it taking so long?”  Jacqueline described how when conventional grocery stores announce they are moving to a community, a store opens in about 6 months – but what you aren’t told is that they have been working, behind the scenes, for *years* before that announcement is made. The difference with Co-ops is that you may have heard about this project *from the very beginning* - which is great, because Co-ops strive to be transparent in our communications. But it does make the wait seem longer because you are more aware of the full process and each step that has to happen to make the store a reality.

2. Reviewing and understanding the development stages of a Co-op; where our Co-op planning is and what comes next. We created a detailed timeline to guide our work.

3. Given the solid work of the board so far, taking into consideration current competition and markets, and reviewing our previous projections for sales, it is VERY POSSIBLE to make this project successful and open a Co-op here in Oshkosh.

4. Understanding that opening this Co-op will take a community effort and how we can help bring that forward.

5. Learning from other start-ups and successful co-ops, so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel – our job is to make it right for Oshkosh!

And here we are during our meeting 

(Consultant Jacqueline Hannah is standing to the right of the screen.)

It’s serious work to open a Co-op, but our meeting included laughter, thoughtful conversation and some detailed planning to keep us on track to open a store here in Oshkosh.

HOW EXCITING!

As we move towards 300 Member-Owners we will be in touch with the financial experts who specialize in Co-operative start-ups like ours, to help conduct the crucial financial analysis. This may not sound important, but this step will ready us to develop our business plan and have the data we need to meet with lenders and work with owners to secure loans down the road as we take one more step towards getting the doors open. 

• Volunteer Opportunity: Hang up Pull Tab Posters!

We are finalizing our flyer to increase awareness about the Co-op around all sections of Oshkosh.  Would you be willing to hang a few flyers in your neck of the woods?  Getting this information out to all of Oshkosh is an important step in building awareness and membership!  We will be adding this flyer to our website soon so you can print a few to hang!  We will send an email when the flyer is ready!

• Volunteer Project: Mentoring at the Farmer’s Market!

 Summer Farmer Market plans are already underway! Are you interested in sharing information about the Co-op and signing up new Member-Owners? You would be paired with an experienced board member to learn how – everything’s more fun in pairs! Email us to let us know you are interested and we will match you up with a board member who will be in touch with details. [email protected]

Board applications have been received!

Thank you to all who submitted a board member application. We were delighted by the number of folks who came forward to express interest. Applications will be reviewed by the first board meeting in February.  Bylaws allow the board to appoint a new member to finish out the term of a board member who has left the board.  We will notifiy the applicants and keep all applications on file for those who applied.

2016 is going to be a year of immense progress and work as we keep this project on track. We will be reaching out to you, our community – the Member-Owners of the Co-op – for your support, insights, and help. As you think about the possibilities and promise of 2016, think also about how you will help take concrete steps to grow membership, spread the word, and help us get closer to opening the doors.

We can’t do this without you – because Co-ops are all about doing it together! See the progress we made in 2015! Let's keep it going!

Wishing you an amazing 2016,

Kelly on behalf of the Oshkosh Food Co-op board

Happy December!

We are full of gratitude this season. We are part of a community that cares and takes action to make things better.  We witness steady progress on this important process of bringing a grocery store to Oshkosh that is owned by members (and can thereby do even more good for Oshkosh and beyond). And we know it is because of the support of people like you – people who have purchased memberships, people who have recruited others, people who have donated items to support our mini-member drives and more. We are grateful.

We are also EXCITED – excited to announce that we’ve reached our Nifty 250 goal! It’s so wonderful to reach out and say, “Help us get to this next step” and watch the memberships come in to get there.  Each of these mini-goals is important as we move to taking the next major steps in our timeline.

As we move towards 300 Member-Owners we will be in touch with the financial experts who specialize in Co-operative start-ups like ours, to help conduct the crucial financial analysis. This may not sound important, but this step will ready us to develop our business plan and have the data we need to meet with lenders and others down the road as we take one more step towards getting the doors open. 

If you are interested in having brochures to share at your workplace or with friends, let us know and we can be sure to get those to you!  Just email us at [email protected] and let us know how to get them to you! (We can deliver!)  And if you have a Health and Wellness program at your place of employment, let us know – we can meet with them to discuss a Lunch and Learn, see if membership to the OFC can become a benefit, or other ways to include the OFC in your path to being healthy.

As we close out 2015, we are in the throes of planning our annual retreat.  This is a time that we set aside to check in with the larger work plan we have set to ensure we are planning not just for the now, but also for the next big steps along the way. Last year’s retreat plan resulted in planning our Co-op Grow-Op and Co-opalooza and those events garnered over 60 new members. We are very excited to have Jacqueline Hannah, Food Co-op Development Specialist with the Food Co-op Initiative (FCI) joining us for our retreat day.  We will be focusing on building membership, engaging our membership (we know you want to be involved in the project in different ways!), and doing another timeline for the next 1-2 years.

Did you know that you can give the gift of the Co-op to another person this holiday season?  It’s true – what a great gift to invest in the community as well as wow your recipient with such a thoughtful gesture! You can set it up on our website – purchase a membership and enter your recipient’s name and information.  If you want it to be a surprise or have us email you the membership certificate so you can gift-wrap it and put a bow on top, email us before you purchase the membership, so we know it will be a gift/surprise and we can be in touch about the specifics! Shhhhh, we love surprises!

And finally, we have an open board position. Through the by-laws, we can appoint a new board member until our next membership meeting where elections take place. Are you interested in joining this dynamic group?  If you have questions about what participation looks like, send us an email ([email protected] ) or contact one of the current Board members (contact information here) to have a conversation. We would love to talk with you!

Have a fantastic holiday season,

Kelly on behalf of the Oshkosh Food Co-op Board

Oshkosh Food Co-op Board Meeting              Date: 12-16-15                    Time: 7:30-9:30 PM

Location: Blue Door Consulting 21 W New York Ave

1. 1.    Welcome
2. 2.    Member Comment Period [3 minutes per comment]
3. 3.    Approve minutes of previous meeting
4. 4.    Treasurers Report

• Savings:
• Checking:
• Fully paid members:
• Payment plan members:
  • OFC books review:

1. 5.    New members
2. 6.    Retreat scheduling
3. 7.    Update on Acorn Fund
4. 8.    Finalize Pull Tab flyer
5. 9.    Likely folks to join brainstorm

10. Identifying and appointing new board member

11. Standing Business

Committee check in: a brief update/report

Communications/Messaging

Membership (member events, house parties, etc)

Software/Technology

Education and Outreach events

Market Booth

Grants/Support/Conferences

Video Update

New Business

Other Business

Adjourn

Oshkosh Food Co-op Board Meeting Date: 12-02-15 Time: 7:30-9:30 PM

Location: 817 Waugoo Ave, Oshkosh WI

1. Welcome

2. Member Comment Period [3 minutes per comment]

3. Approve minutes of previous meeting

4. Treasurers Report

• Savings:

• Checking:

• Fully paid members:

• Payment plan members:

• OFC books review (Nicole)

1. New members since last board meeting (checked 11/29/15) (5)

2. Retreat scheduling:

3. Update on Acorn Fund:

4. Nifty 250 campaign update:

5. Gratitude cards:

6. Board Appreciation event

1. Standing Business

   1. Committee check in: a brief update/report

      1. Communications/Messaging :

1. Membership (member events, house parties, etc)

   1. Michelle Schry Follow up

   2. House Parties

1. Software/Technology

1. Education and Outreach events

   1. Confirmed

   2. In progress

1. Others we should be meeting with?

1. Market Booth

2. Grants/Support/Conferences

1. Video Update

1. Recruiting Board Members for Board

2. New Business

3. Other Business

4. Adjourn

Meeting schedule notes:

• NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, Dec 16th at 7:30PM

• January will start again on every other schedule, starting Jan 6 (This will be our Board Appreciation evening)

Oshkosh Food Co-op Board Meeting Date: 11-11-15

Time: 7:30-9:30 PM

Location: 817 Waugoo Ave, Oshkosh WI

1. Welcome
2. Member Comment Period [3 minutes per comment]
3. Approve minutes of previous meeting
4. Treasurers Report
• Savings:
• Checking:
• Fully paid members:
• Payment plan members:

5. New members (3)

6. Retreat scheduling: Scheduled for January 17th from 9AM – 5PM
7. Update on Acorn Fund:
8. Conference review:
9. Nifty 250 campaign update:
10. Gratitude cards:
11. Board Appreciation event

12. Standing Business

Committee check in: a brief update/report

• Communications/Messaging :
• Membership (member events, house parties, etc) 
• Software/Technology 
• Education and Outreach events
• Market Booth
• Grants/Conferences
• Video Update

13. Recruiting Board Members for Board

14. New Business

15. Other Business

16. Adjourn

Oshkosh Food Co-op Board Meeting  Date: 10-28-15  Time: 7:30-9:30 PM

Location: 817 Waugoo Ave, Oshkosh WI

1. Welcome

2. Member Comment Period [3 minutes per comment] 

3. Approve minutes of previous meeting

4. Treasurers Report

· Savings:

· Checking:

· Fully paid members:

· Payment plan members:

5. New members 

6. Retreat scheduling:

7. Oshkosh Community Foundation meeting 

8. Question about agenda: 

9. Standing Business

9.9. Committee check in: a brief update/report

9.9.9. Communications/Messaging :

9.9.9. Membership (member events, house parties, etc)

9.9.9.9. Co-opalooza 

9.9.9.9.9. Follow up needed:

9.9.9.9. House Parties

9.9.9.9.9. Held since last meeting

9.9.9.9.9. Confirmed

9.9.9.9.9. Pending

9.9.9. Software/Technology

9.9.  Education and Outreach events

9.9.9.9. In progress

9.9.9.9. Future events

9.9.9.9. Others we should be meeting with?

9.9. Market Booth

9.9. Grants/Support { Will Continue Conversation }

9.9.9.9. Seed Grant

9.9.9.9. Conference

9.9. Video Update

10. Recruiting Board Members for Board

11. New Business

12. Other Business

13. Adjourn

Meeting schedule notes:

· Meeting scheduled for November 25^th is bumped to December 2^nd.

· The following meeting will be December 16^th.

· January will start again on every other schedule, starting Jan 6

NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, Nov 11^th at 7:30PM (ONLY MEETING FOR NOVEMBER)