With Board-election starting at the store, Sep. 1, a Meet the Candidates Event at the Expressions Cafe, Sep. 9, and the AGM with election finishing at the New Grand Hotel, Sep. 24, - the Co-op has produced info on all this in 8-page-plus-insert hard-copy, available at the store's service-counter and on www.kootenay.coop.
Optics continue to be poor - the old shooting-in-the-foot thing!
On its front-page - prominently against a green ribbon - it says:
As a member of the Kootenay Co-op
YOU are an owner!
Following somewhat smaller - the YOU still prominent:
YOU have an important voice and an important vote that helps determine the future direction of your community natural food store.
While ever so telling of the General Manager's (GM) and Board's actual attitude towards the Co-op's member-owners: nowhere in these 8 pages - not in general info, neither the 2 incumbents' Candidate Profiles nor the exiting Board President's lengthy farewell - is the Nelson Commons condo-project mentioned!
Not once - zilch, nada, nothing!
Clearly - once again - a decision is made by THEM to deliberately exclude YOU.
2 Incumbents
One AGM-agenda item will be a Development Report by Leon Pigott, Board Director. Who - in his Profile - states: I am excited about being involved with the redevelopment of the Co-op. Meaning what: seeing that neither the GM nor the Board seem to - unfortunately for YOU - have any inclination to redevelop it. Development/redevelopment? Obviously - this incumbent is neither here nor there.
The other incumbent - Jon Steinman - believes at this stage in the Co-op's evolution, it's extremely important for the Board to be sustained by experienced Directors who can carry our redevelopment project through to completion. What's he worried about: there probably will only be 1 new Director - easy enough to sit on! Of course - unless Steinman himself is voted out! Gasp! Game over! Experienced? Actually it's inexperience and egos only buying this unsuitable property - in terms of size/price - to then come-up with a simplistic possible cash-cow to pay for it: Nelson Commons condos. Seeing that Steinman has not been forthcoming - over the last 2 years - with basic info of concern to many member-owners: does he deserve ...YOUR support once again to represent YOU for the coming two years?
Considering that the GM declares WE have the support of the majority of OUR membership to move this project forward: 2 Director-possibles only - from the supporting majority - is rather paltry. As is the number of condos thus far bought by same.
Anyway - Olindo Chiocca, Board-junkie, has the distinction of being the only one in this hand-out mentioning Nelson Commons (once; must have slipped through!) - sounding just like any member of any Board in Nelson: I am excited about the Co-op's development project and would like to contribute what I have learned... and I would like to contribute whatever I can to its success as it creates Nelson Commons and moves to a larger space. Also sounding precipitous. And out-of-step.
The other possible - Laran Kriese - so far seemingly untouched by a Board-virus - keeps it short, simple, straight: no mention of developments, redevelopments, Nelson Commons - he probably doesn't stand a chance of getting himself elected. Within this political democracy: no room for integrity.
4 Continuing
Just look at those sunshine-gals! That interchangeable fixed glow! The one thing standing-out for me with this group: in the last AGM one of them - speaking for all - says that an advantage in living at Nelson Commons is not having to use one's car so much. Right-on!
They - for once wisely - are not called upon to express themselves in this hand-out.
Exiting Board President
In the heading of her smarmy swan-song she is excited to watch (the) redevelopment project move forward. But while mentioning the Extra site, the new store and a vibrant, dynamic downtown: No Nelson Commons!
Our Mission Statement
Promote community involvement... promoting community interchange of ideas... In the tradition of their founders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.
True - when nudged members possibly believe in all that. Also true - definitely neither the GM nor the Board are performing their duties upholding this tradition.
AGM Teaser Could it be THEY have already decided to discontinue the Nelson-Commons foolishness but to not let this be known before the AGM - to avoid attendance of too many disgruntled-thus-prepared member-owners? THEY just wanting to be able to quickly-smoothly run it by the usual agreeable-to-anything-Co-oppy nucleus?
Whatever - literally! - YOU will know if/when THEY are ready to tell YOU!
When I cancel my member-ownership I receive a check for $50. My membership-fee paid years ago. No interest. No rebate for months as member-owner thus far this year.
Just sayin'!
The Co-op is currently looking for a new Finance Manager
www.kcds.ca/index.php/job-board/jaview/303-finance-manager
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