La Montanita Coop - Fear Not Democracy

The management team of La Montanita Coop have claimed that if the Coop member-owners demand a special meeting (http://www.takebackthecoop.com), it will destroy the Coop. Democracy will not destroy a democratic institution.

As a member of Albuquerque's first food coop, Osha in 1974, I was thrilled when we opened La Montanita Coop in 1976. Yes, the roof leaked, but my pals Patrick Markwith and Jon Ver Plough fixed it with many gallons of roof tar on that old building at Central and Dartmouth.

My family has a lifetime membership at La Montanita Coop, and both my wife, Katie Stone, and I have served on the La Montanita Coop's board of directors. We are versed in our governance model, and the 7 Coop principles, enclosed below.

Almost all of our shopping is at the La Montanita Coop, and we vote with our dollars to "keep pesticides and chemicals off our plates" as the Coop's own radio advertising use to say. We understand the sacred circle of life, and the need for local organic farming to preserve the quality of our food, water and environment.

54 years ago Rachel Carson's Silent Spring warned us of the deadly effects of modern large scale agriculture and its pesticides and chemicals. Our reaction in Albuquerque was to create a means of acquiring food produced fairly, organically and sustainably. The Coop has grown to 5 stores, and has maintained a loyal cadre of families who understand science and PR spin, and have committed to voting for a sustainable future with our grocery dollars over these 40 years.

It's preposterous to say La Montanita Coop will be destroyed if we return to our core principles. We have 4 fantastically successful stores, and one poorly situated and poorly envisioned store that needs to be closed lest it drag down the stores our members use. What will destroy the Coop is to not prune the dead wood.

Unfortunately, it was an out-of-state national consulting firm that came up with the failing idea of hiding a store somewhere near Cottonwood Mall, across the street from a thriving Sprouts, and around the corner from both Albertsons and WallMart, serving a shopping population that is extremely price sensitive.

In the last year, with the advent of the new general manager Dennis Hanley, changes have been inexplicably made that are totally in conflict with our stated principles and values with a 40 year history.

At the Valley store, personnel became so unhappy that they formed a union. The store manager quit and longtime loyal staff began to leave. I've heard that people have been fired recently for simply talking to customers about the idea of having a special meeting.

Fair Trade bananas disappeared from the produce section, replaced by Chiquita "organic". Anyone who knows the history of US intervention into Latin America knows well the role played by US Fruit and Chiquita Banana. My family will not buy corporate bananas, so we are forced to shop where fair trade bananas are sold in Albuquerque.

Conventional produce began appearing, initially only on one island in the back. Then, a basket of conventional corn appeared in the front of the store with no designation of being non-organically produced. Do we have to be on the look-out for such trickery?

Many of the small brands supporting small farms and businesses have disappeared, and were replaced by the cheaper "FIELD DAY" brand. Why should we be buying only from a giant Wall Street firm UNFI? I don't see how our coop principles are met with this lower quality food.

We all notice when we no longer see the faces of the people we have come to know and respect, no longer see our favorite small batch brands, and are outraged that management is spending our resources and hiring personnel to try and cover up what we all know is a rotten situation. It's these actions by management that will destroy the Coop, because it certainly won't be the loyal families who built LaMontanita.

My advice: replace the GM with one who understands and respects coop values; replace the management staff who are fighting the members over organizing the petition to have a special meeting; remove the conventional produce; close the West side store; and return us our former product lines.

Cooperatives are voluntary organizations, open to all people able to use its services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.

Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members—those who buy the goods or use the services of the Cooperative—who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions.

Members contribute equally to, and democratically control, the capital of the Cooperative. This benefits members in proportion to the business they conduct with the Cooperative rather than on the capital invested.

Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If the co-op enters into agreements with other organizations or raises capital from external sources, it is done so based on terms that ensure democratic control by the members and maintains the Cooperative’s autonomy.

Cooperatives provide education and training for members, elected representatives, managers and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their Cooperative. Members also inform the general public about the nature and benefits of Cooperatives.

Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the Cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.

While focusing on member needs, Cooperatives work for the sustainable development of communities through policies and programs accepted by the members.