April Board Reflection
Ah! April, Spring, harbinger of things to come, laying the groundwork.
All this was underpinning the work done during the April Open Harvest Board meeting. As the Board begins to implement the timeline for the Co-op’s relocation, the foundation of the Capital Campaign Committee is rising. Along the timeline there will be ample opportunities for Open Harvest member/owners to engage in the relocation effort. Those will include everything from participating as a member of the fund-raising campaign to being a financial supporter to fund the relocation cost.
This week saw the first gatherings of the Open Harvest Book Club. Discussions were held April 11th and April 14th on Caste, the Pulitzer prize awarded book by Isabel Wilkerson offering a historical perspective concerning race as redefined by the concept of the caste system of India. The book was selected by Open Harvest member poll over 3 other books which will follow as selections of the book club. The book club is open to all.
While Zoom has been a lifesaver for organizations to meet during the pandemic and has allowed the Board to keep active this past year Board members are looking forward in the not-too-distant time to meeting in person. Zoom has been a gift, but it can’t replace the experience of face-to-face discussion.
With several new Board members and without the benefit of institutional knowledge from long serving board members there is the challenge of learning Policy Governance and the nuances of the Board/General Manager relationship and responsibilities. Fortunately, the board is eager to absorb knowledge and learn the process.
The DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Committee is now meeting monthly over Zoom. The Committee is open to member/owners and other members of the community and meets the 4th Wednesday of the month.
Board meetings are open to guests. A recent guest offered his support of Open Harvest for its emphasis on the sale of local products contributing to the local economy. In my opinion Open Harvest does that better than any other market in town.
Growth is always good, and the Open Harvest Board is using the inspiration of the season to continue going forward.
Keith Dubas