attention to board business. In the
Markets thirty-year history, many direc-
tors have spent countless hours taking
care of business so we could enjoy our
beautiful store today, and Ive been privi-
leged to serve with some of the best.
Since my first term in 2003, Ive changed
from the quiet novice at meetings to the
assertive agenda setter and task master
board president. I realized in my first year
as president that the board and I needed
training. So we discussed sections from a
training manual published by Cooperative
Grocer. It clarified what our work should
accomplish in four desired results:
1. linkage to the member owners;
2. policies that give direction to the co-op;
3. a system to monitor and review policies;
and
4. perpetuation of the co-op through secure
finances, competent management, and
continuity of a qualified, dependable
board of directors.
I found that most of the business at each
board meeting related to the last result,
especially perpetuation of the co-op
through sound finances. Its the boards
responsibility to study the financial infor-
mation provided by the general manager
(GM) and the board treasurers responsi-
bility to meet regularly with the GM and
call the boards attention to numbers that
affect the bottom line. We learned that a
conscientious treasurer is key to effective
fiscal oversight by the board.
In autumn 2005, with relatively short
warning, the Stillwater lift bridge closed
for three months of repairs, and a signifi-
cant number of our Wisconsin customers
began shopping elsewhere. Sales plum-
meted until the store was experiencing
large monthly losses and declining sav-
ings. To cut costs, the board voted to
change the policy of paying quarterly
membership discounts and revert to pay-
ing member dividends when the co-op
made a profit. In April, our treasurer,
Sharon Norton-Bauman, was so alarmed
by the stores finances that the executive
committee called for drastic changes to
lower costs. Mead Stone, our GM, made
some hard decisions to reduce staff and
cut expenses wherever he could. But
River Market ended the fiscal year with a
loss of $82,513.
Sales were slow to recover, and at the end
of 2007, we had lost 3 percent from fis-
cal year 2006, which had lost 0.9 percent
from 2005. The board decided that we
needed more members who shopped regu-
larly at River Market. To improve link-
age with members and learn more about
them, we established a membership com-
mittee that initiated a survey, and direc-
tors began making monthly calls to thank
those who had just joined. Mead worked
with staff to improve friendliness, custom-
er service and member recruitment. Our
web site became more of a marketing tool,
and in the spring, River Market launched
an education program to stimulate cus-
tomer interest in the co-ops products.
A satisfying turnaround occurred in fiscal
year 2008. Sales grew 5.7 percent, and
despite some worrisome months when
costs of product purchased were not justi-
fied by the amount of sales,
Mead expects River Market to show a
small profit this year. But the board has
learned not to be euphoric about rising
sales. In comparison to other food co-ops
our size, River Markets fixed costs for rent
and building maintenance are very high,
so we cant be profitable unless increased
sales outpace variable expenses. EvaLee
Miller, who became treasurer in October
2007, helped the board monitor labor and
cost of goods, and it was clear this spring
that they were too high. Mead and his
team of managers instituted effective new
efficiency measures to control inventory.
The board and Mead have learned quite
a bit together in the past five years. Now
View from the Board:
Looking Back, Looking Ahead
Dana Jackson, Outgoing President, River Market Board of Directors
Currents
August-September 2008
continued on page 3 August-September 2008
2
River Market
Currents
Mead Stone
General Manager
Andre Bessette
Marketing and Membership
For change of address
or to inquire about membership
Call 651-439-0366
e-mail: info@rivermarket.coop
River Market Community Co-op
is located at 221 N. Main St.
Stillwater, MN 55082
For employment information call
651-439-0366 ext. 101
Equal Opportunity Employer
River Market
Board of Directors
Angela Anderson
651-259-5613 651-430-2421
pulverfass1946@yahoo.com
Mark Chapin
651-628-9437
mark.chapin@co.hennepin.mn.us
Karl Diekman
651-430-8182
karldiekmanquestionsauthority@
worldnet.att.net
Dana Jackson
651-653-0618 651-430-0188
danaleep@msn.com
Bob Lockyear
651-439-2130
lockplan@yahoo.com
Barb Miller
651-260-7056
barbarakmiller@sbcglobal.net
EvaLee Miller
651-439-0241 651-491-2289 cell
arlo.miller@comcast.net
Paul Teske
651-351-7693
pwteske@earthlink.net
Kathy Vadnais
651-351-0172
kvandnais@usfamily.net
All River Market Members are welcome to
attend monthly board meetings. Meetings
are generally held the fourth Tuesday of each
month from 6:308:30 p.m. in the River
Market office space across Main Street. The
Board of Directors welcome members at the
meetings. Feel free to call or e-mail them to
learn more about the board activities.
River Market Co-op is
a member of TCNFC.
Plan to Attend
River Market Community Co-ops Annual Membership Meeting!
River Market members are encour-
aged to attend this opportunity to meet
each other and our board members. The
upcoming activities and plans for the
co-op will be discussed with time for food
and fellowship.
We are delighted to have Faye Jones as
our featured speaker this year. Faye is
the Executive Director of the Midwest
Organic and Sustainable Education
Service (MOSES), a non-profit education
and outreach organization working to
support and promote organic agriculture
in the Midwest. She has been involved in
the organic community for 25 years as a
market gardener at Morning Glory Farm
near Spring Valley, Wisconsin, and as an
event organizer and volunteer for many
functions and organizations, includ-
ing the steering committee for the Sow
the Seeds Flood Relief Fund for organic
and sustainable farmers in Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Iowa.
As always, we want all our members to
feel welcome to come and reflect on the
past year and plan for the one ahead. We
depend on the support of our members for
future sustainability and growth. We look
forward to seeing you on September 23.
Tuesday, September 23 at 6:30 p.m. First United Methodist Church
813 West Myrtle Street, Stillwater (Southeast corner of Myrtle and Greeley)
When in Peru
Mead Stone, General Manager
By the time you read this, Jenn Posterick will be back in Peru working at writing
English language education-related materials. Her new job takes Jenn back to the heart
of Fair Trade and opens up a world of possibility with a dash of adventure! This was the
last issue of Currents Jenn worked on.
Jenn started at River Market on June 14, 2004, working
with Ann DeLaVergne. In January of 2005, Jenn took
over as our new manager of membership and marketing.
Since then weve added close to 300 new members each
year and Currents is a genuine member favorite. Less
visible was Jenns tireless work on behalf of River Market
in the local downtown community. She was actively
involved with the Twin Cities Chapter Marketing
Group (MarComm) and indeed one of the profession-
al relationships she formed in that group brought her
to Peru for the first time last April.
Those signs in the entryways announcing the next
Senior Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday or Member
Thursday all display her distinctive touch. Id person-
ally like to wish Jenn well on her new adventure and
thank her for her fine work on behalf of River Market.
Faye Jones River Market
3

August-September 2008
Mead sees the need for a vision and a long range (3-5 year) plan
for River Market, and I fully agree. Strategies to fulfill our mission
and maintain secure finances in the future may be very different
as the economy reacts to climate change, peak oil and job losses.
River Market already pays higher shipping costs because of higher
gas prices. We cant predict particulars, any more than we could
predict the bridge closing or the opening of Kowalskis, but we
can be fairly certain that energy costs will rise. In that context, I
have a few suggestions for the co-op plan.
Like all businesses, our plan should include investments in effi-
ciencies and conservation of energy and materials that result
in lower energy bills. This could affect equipment purchases,
technology implementation, packaging, shipping, and modes
of communication with members. Although big pleasure boats
on the St. Croix tell me that people have lots of discretionary
income today, many of our members will find it harder to pay
for the healthful food they want for their families. To keep these
members shopping, we might plan more cooking classes featuring
lower priced bulk foods and perhaps explore legal and imagina-
tive ways to trade work for food.
River Market buys goods from many local vendors, but Twin
Cities businesses may start competing aggressively for local pro-
duce as shipping costs rise. Together, all the Twin Cities co-ops
should create a fund for low interest loans to farmers to build high
tunnels that extend the growing season and increase the supply
of fruits and vegetables. And, finally, our plan must include spe-
cific membership goals and creative recruitment campaigns.
Best of