HELP CREATE OUR FOOD CO-OP – JOIN A COMMITTEE

With a lofty goal of opening FCCM on April 15, 2010 there are many tasks at hand. Committees have been formed and many need volunteers. Won’t you help it fly? You can volunteer a little of your time or a lot. There are many small tasks to do so if you can sign up for even one small task it will be a blessing and you will enjoy the fruits of your labor as you shop our own little grocery store next summer. We could use the help of lawyer and accountant consultants, carpenters, business men and women, students, housewives, househusbands, refrigerator experts, inventory takers, etc.

There are several committees that need help. To find out how you can best serve FCCM e-mail Helen McClean at risse@alaska.net or call 488-6973. OR call one of the Committee Chairs and let them know you want to participate in that committee.

1. Business Plan Committee - This Committee is central to the organization as it will put together all the pieces that go into creating a good business plan. HOWEVER, the work of the other committees is absolutely necessary to putting together a good business plan. Tasks involved include:

- Putting together the estimates that come from the other committees into a formal business plan using the plan that was begun by Dave Lacey. These include equipment, operating costs, lease, remodeling cost, store set up cost, employee training costs, marketing costs etc.

- Determining a final estimate of the funds necessary for the project before taking it to the bank

2. Finance Committee – Committee chair – Hans Greir – ffhtg@uaf.edu

This committee is responsible for developing sources of funding including:

1.) Bank Loans

2.) Grants

3.) Member loan Program – The committee must research and form a legal structure for member loans.

3. Store Design – Committee Chair – Robert Leach – robertleach@alaska.net

The to do list for this committee is huge and it needs to get started this summer!! Remember: Without the estimates that the store design committee comes up with the business plan cannot be completed.

TO DO:

- Conduct inventory of equipment at Foodland

- Identify equipment needed beyond what is available

- Identify area in Foodland to be leased

- Identify remodel work to be done and estimate cost

- project shelving and coder needs based on initial inventory provided by local producers/vendors committee

4. Local Producers/Vendor Selection Committee – Chair – Jerry Wacker – thewackers@alaska.net

- Identify local produce available by season including vegetables, meat, seafood, health and beauty products etc.

- Identify non local vendors based on product selection criteria which are being formed by product selection committee

- Project initial inventory and cost and give this amount to the business plan committee

- Project weekly reorders and cost

5 – Health and Wellness Education – WHO WOULD LIKE TO CHAIR THIS COMMITTEE?

- local events of interest

- national news of interest

- trends in organic research/development

6 – Operations Committee - Contact Mary Christensen at 347-4463 or e-mail fccm2010@gmail.com if interested in chairing this committee. This committee already has one member, Mary Christensen, but it needs more people with experience in business operations particularly in small grocery store operations or people who have helped set up food co-ops before.

- Determine staffing – Manager, accounting, Dept managers, clerks, cleaning etc.

- Determine whether to hire union or non union and what benefits will be included

- Get estimate of facility costs including rent and utilities

- Determine equipment needs and repair costs – replacement food

- Determine fixed costs including business insurance and workmen’s compensation, and board liability insurance

- Determine promotion and advertising costs and create a marketing budget

- Determine costs of professional services including accountants, lawyers, tax preparations, bookkeepers, consultants

- Research cost of computers and Food Co-op Point of Sales Systems

7 – Product Selection Committee – Chair – Lela Ryterski – lryterski@yahoo.com

This committee is in charge of determining criteria for product selection with the first priority being local supplemented by imported sources and in determining what products not to carry.

- Determine policy regarding items to be stocked and special orders

- Store services to be provided and projections of cost possibly including an expresso/coffee bar, juice bar, deli, prepared entrees, and bakery.

- Determining special events such as a Spring Plant Sale and Seasonal Specials

8 – Communications/Outreach Committee – Chair – Mary Christensen – themagiccarpet@gci.net or call 347-4463

This committee is responsible for our membership equity drive and fundraising events as well as advertisement and promotion. There are many small tasks that could easily be done without attending a meeting. Please call if you would like to assist us.

We especially need someone who would like to input the names of new members into our databases and we need a TWITTER MASTER. If you like to twitter there are all kinds of things to twitter about this summer!