Clintonville Community Market (Co-op) — News & Updates

[Mister MooCow]

According to today’s co-op update, Jim Taglia (the now-former general manager) has resigned after just short of 3 months on the job.

The newsletter is amazingly vague. Anyone know the details?

—
Moo!

[Manatee]

There’s always a lot of drama over there.

[lazyfish]

Jim quit several weeks ago. He came in one day and said he was leaving that day. Judith has been the intern manager, but refused the permanent position when offered it at the last board meeting, in spite of apply for the job when it was originally posted after Edwards departure.

The bigger news is that the Coop is in debt to the tune of about 40K and there is discussion about cancelling member discounts or even closing the store.

The union negotations are still move ahead, though seem to be stalled by the boards unwillingness to negotiate seriously…note contradiction.

[Bob P]

Co-op closing? Change we don’t need

[Elizabeth Lessner]

Pattycake baked goods I can crawl to and the best organic honeycrisp apples I’ve ever tasted? I need my Co-op!

[CDS sherman]

i thought jim was a nice guy, i fixed a ramp for him a couple of months ago. sorry to hear about all the drama up there.

[bob.os]

lazyfish wrote >>

The bigger news is that the Coop is in debt to the tune of about 40K and there is discussion about cancelling member discounts or even closing the store.

Where do you get this? I don’t see it in the linked newsletter. I’d let it go, but Walker is promoting this thread as “Rumor Mill: Clintonville Co-Op in danger of closing”(http://twitter.com/ColsUnderground/status/1165878816) and it would be good to follow that up with some solid sources.

[Walker Evans]

Yes. Rumor. Which means “not solid sources”. ;) I’m not posting it as fact.

But yeah… I too would love to hear more clarification on this.

[doghound]

Love the Market. What more can we do but shop there, & volunteer? The sad irony is that the employees shoot themselves in the foot by often being less than friendly (it’s hard w all the drama to be cheerful), but loyal shoppers have been driven away. Used to be fun just to hang out there. Oh, well. Time to donate the discount.

[jenbach]

ok, full disclosure, i am on the board at the co-op. Here is a great albeit partial explanation of what is going on by another board member in his weekly community update. His text follows in bold:

Our Co-op at the Community Market is experiencing a number of challenges that you will be hearing more about very soon. Consider this a brief heads up as the Co-op Board and the management team work together to seek a new General Manager to replace Jim Taglia, who has resigned. The job announcement will be posted soon. As everyone knows, the economy is in a recession, presenting another challenge: our Market is not immune from serious fiscal and cash flow problems when customers tighten their budgets. Further, the cost of employee health benefits jumped 44% last year! The Co-op Board met earlier this week and is actively developing and implementing policies and strategies to meet these challenges.
One key problem the Board intends to address immediately is the largediscrepancy between the amount of money we return to members in the form of discounts (e.g., in 2008 ~ $141,000) versus the amount of revenue we receive from membership dues (2008 ~ $47,500). The Co-op will be asking members to voluntarily give up their discount for the immediate future to help offset this gap so we can begin improving our cash flow. Most Co-ops start out offering discounts to their members, butas they grow, successful co-ops recognize the need for a stable capital base and make the transition to a patronage refund system. Our co-op is preparing to install a POS(Point of Sale) system, an essential requirement before we can implement a patronage refund system. The POS will enable us to track our inventory and sales to each member-owner, in turn allowing us to dispense refunds annually, monitor discounts more efficiently, and retain sufficient capital to minimize cash flow problems.
Please consider this preliminary information. I am the editor of the Update but also a member of the Co-op Board, so I am using this medium to begin a communication process that will soon be expanded to include opportunities foreducation about future changes, transparent information about financial issues and concerns, and dialog and feedback with members through in person meetings as well as online through email, facebook, and our website. These challenges are also opportunities for us all to work together, build our community, and create a sound foundation for gowing the cooperative movement in central Ohio. Stay tuned! And remember, you can contribute to our success right away by saying “no thanks” to the cashier when asked about your discount.

Also, i must say that although i cannot speak for past boards, this board has in my opinion acted honorably and in good faith with respect to our union negotiations.

[AmyD]

thanks for that update jennie

[haymay]

to set the record completely straight, i am jim taglia, i did not as lazyfish said “just walk in and quit one day”. i gave the board plenty of notice that i was leaving. i quit because it was easily the most dysfunctional job i have ever had, the co-op was seriously in debt, and the staff was completely divided over the union/non union issue, people on the board of directors were engaging in some very questionable practices, the employees were unconsolable, after a few members took to yelling at me, i quit….it is important to me to be happy in what i do, i did not see how i could ever be happy there, i wish them the best of luck

[DannyBoy]

There are several solutions to these problem that the co-op has seemingly refused to embrace including, but not limited to, representation at the Clintonville’s Famer’s Market. Given the community’s support of locally grown produce and its willingness to buy local, there’s no reason this organization has to go under.

That aside, I know more than one individual who has been “forced” to pay for two mangoes when buying one due to the fact that he/she arrived at the co-op wearing work clothes (i.e. ties, pants suits, etc.). One, in fact, was told, “You can afford it.” Disdain will never be a sound operating practice.

That’s not to say all of their employees act in this manner. I’ve had mostly positive experiences. However, it doesn’t take much for a co-op to go under; a negative single voice such echoes outward. It’s time for the co-op to participate in the Clintonville community more fully.

[News]

Clintonville Community Market Faces Uncertain Future
By Shelby Croft
Thursday December 4, 2014 6:19 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The future of a Clintonville neighborhood staple is very uncertain. Rumors of poor sales, possible layoffs, and a change in location swirl around the Clintonville Community Market.

READ MORE: http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2014/12/04/columbus-ohio-clintonville-community-market-faces-uncertain-future.html

[jbcmh81]

You know what should go there? A mixed-use… Oh nevermind.

[Author]

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