CNFC interview Jan 2023 Part One

De Clarke/ Cortes Currents - Episode 1: How It All Works

"I first moved to Cortes in 1998, and there were a group of us that worked with Jude Marentette to bring quality organic food onto the island. And in 2003, the co-op was looking for a location and ended up in the building where they are now — with some assistance from many community members. And I had a shift, one day a week in 2004 — on Thursdays — and I would get paid $8 an hour in retail food." — Amy Robertson

So we have a lot of people who take a lot of responsibility, a very dedicated core group of people who take part in decision makings, who bring all their opinions and their thoughts to the manager. And we meet monthly, to discuss each department and the organization as a whole. –Mary Lavelle

In Episode 1, we present a brief history of the Co-op: from its humble beginnings in 2003 as a buyer’s club, to its formal incorporation in 2004, through its 2014 success in purchasing the parcel it had rented for years from the School District, and up to the present day. Then we talk a bit about what the Co-op is, legally speaking, and how it’s governed. We discuss the org chart, management structure, and the Co-op’s very modest executive compensation factor. We find out what benefits the Co-op offers to its members and to its staff. We discover how the Co-op’s business model diverges from the norms of the corporate world. If you know very little about the Co-op and how it’s organised and run, this episode is a good introduction to a Cortes Island institution.