Ringing registers and muffled hums of customers gathering together over food and conversation can be heard throughout the Moscow Food Co-op last Monday as six potential candidates share why they hope to become a Co-op board of director.
With three open seats for the Co-op’s board of directors, an open forum took place Monday in the food deli section of the Co-op to allow community members to speak to candidates.
The candidates running include: Sofia Marrion, Mark Thorne, Ken Hart, Lauren Crawford, Alice Ma and Isabel Gaila Barbuto.
The candidates were asked a series of questions over the hour from Carol McFarland, vice president of the board of directors, and community members who submitted questions.
The board is looking for candidates who can work well within the structure of the Co-op, and represent them and their 7,000 thousand plus owners, McFarland said.
Marrion was introduced to the Co-op in 2013 when she first moved here and as self-described ‘health food junkie’ instantly enjoyed the Co-op. She is certified holistic health coach and has led group detoxes.
Board Candidates listen to fellow candidate Isabel Gaila Barbuto address the audience at the Moscow Food Co-Op Board Candidate Forum, March 18.
“Being a participating owner, I learned the history of our Co-op and how many benefits a business cooperative can bring to a community,” Marrion said in the Co-op’s voters’ guide.
As a potential board of director, she hopes to extend the ties between the Moscow and Pullman Co-op, also focusing on issue regarding improvement of zero waste and recycling.
“I’m going to put my heart and soul into it,” Marrion said. “I do want to be a voice to moms who are staying home and raising our future leaders.
Thorne has a passion for sustainability and has worked in agriculture both on and off the field —as a farmer and researcher.
He hopes to see the Co-op grow and flourish though staying within the Co-op’s mission, that the Co-op benefits the community through the nourishment of fresh produce and there is more to them than making a profit.
“Ever since I first frequented the Moscow Food Co-op, I knew it was a very special business,” Thorne said in the Co-op’s voters’ guide. “It is my desire to see the Moscow Food Co-op continue as a source of good local food, healthy alternatives to commercialized products, and a place where people want to go for a welcoming friendly atmosphere.”
Hart although 90-miles away from the Co-op — living in Nezperce — has been a member since 2000 and feels just as much a part of the community despite his distance.
Hart works with the University of Idaho Extension as an extension educator and has served as both a trustee and board chair for the Nezperce Joint School District.
“There’s other grocery stores that offer similar products, but our members understand the value of the cooperative reaches beyond the aisles in the store it reaches into our community,” Hart said.
Packaging at the Co-op should be the least impactful on the environment and they should continue their emphasis on bulk packaging, Hart said.
Crawford brings a different type of director to the Co-op with her strong background in business as a project manager at METER Group in Pullman.
She wants to highlight the business side of the Co-op but also learn as this would be a completely different kind of business — maintaining the structure that the Co-op already has.
“METER shares many values with the Co-op, including high quality, employee satisfaction and quality of life and high customer satisfaction both with the products and with the services provided,” Crawford said in the Co-op’s voters’ guide.
The Co-op will support social issues outside of their area of reach to show their voice within the community, McFarland said.
Crawford feels that it is appropriate for the Co-op to take a stance on social issue, though she said it should be a secondary focus.
Ma didn’t know much about the Co-op other than it was a pricey grocery store when she moved her three years.
Now her involvement with the Co-op is much more than that as a facilitator of the Healthy Eating on a Budget series and also will be teaching for the second time the Zero-Waste Cooking class in April.
Also including options for community members to shop on a budget and advancing options for zero waste and plant-based diets is important to her, Ma said.
No matter if she is elected for a seat on the board, Ma said she won’t be going anywhere.
Gaila Barbuto stubbled into town on a road trip and has now made it her permanent home since September.
Gaila Barbuto, has a B.A, M.B.A and PsyD with many certificates ranging from fields of energy medicine, nutritional consulting and yoga meditation.
“If you catch me at another super market — good luck,” Gaila Barbuto said. “Even if things are less expensive on a major online realter I choose to actually buy it in bulk here so that the profits come back to benefit the community.”
Being available for the community and listen to what the owner’s opinions are important to Gaila Barbuto. When it comes to the Co-op’s stance on social issues — she wants to listen to what the owners want and cares for the concern of the community.
Voting for candidates has begun though 5 p.m. March 31. Voters must be Co-op owners to participate and online ballots have been sent to their registered emails. If owners don’t have an email on file, they may go online to www.moscowfood.coop/evoting.
Alex Brizee can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @alex_brizee