Co-op News
From "Maple Street Co-op News", June/July 2008
"The Penultimate Manager's Report"

By Alan Harrington, Co-op General Manager

I indicated to the Board late last year that I wished to retire, so this is officially my last report as general manager of Maple Street Co-op and the UpFront Club. I'm not disappearing just yet though; I'll be continuing to work at the Co-op as an assistant manager until the new general manager is comfortable in their role.

After a month of advertising, the Board is now in a position to select my replacement, and this should occur in early June. From what I can see, there are a number of excellent candidates from whom to choose, and who will be more than capable of doing the job. (More on that in the next newsletter.)

I have thoroughly enjoyed my 13 years as manager - a little longer than my initial three-month temporary appointment back in 1995! During this time, the Co-op has grown significantly to a point where it is a very substantial organisation, meeting almost all of the needs of its 1,250 members. Financially, it is very sound.

At this point, I do not wish to mention any particular people; I will leave that to when I actually leave. I'll say some final words in a farewell report for the Co-op News at a future date. For now, I'd like to make mention of the more significant milestones I recall during my years with the Co-op: the change in the philosophy of the Co-op to accept that making a profit is okay, as it ensures the sustainability of the organisation; the expansion of the product range; the development of the newsletter to the very professional, informative publication that it is today; the renegotiation of the long-term lease; and of course, the amalgamation with the UpFront Club (the latter is still a work in progress).

I might add, it hasn't always been smooth sailing, and it has definitely had its moments!

In the revision of the job description for the general manager, the Board very wisely decided that experience in the hospitality industry was essential. Therefore, the new GM will be spending a substantial amount of time at the Upfront Club in a hands-on role.

In my role as an assistant manager, I will be able to offer as much support to the new GM as that person needs, for as long as it is deemed necessary. The Board considered that this arrangement would facilitate a smooth managerial transition.

On more mundane matters, the Board has agreed to invest in point of sale equipment at the UpFront Club. The introduction of this technology will make the counter operations much more efficient. It is expected this equipment will be introduced within the next month.

While on Club matters, members will have noticed that staff are continually and consistently asking for membership cards. Although this may seem annoying at times, at the moment it is a requirement of the Liquor Act, because we are a Club. This requirement will continue until the Liquor Licence is changed, which is very close to happening.

Don't forget that 2008-2009 subscriptions of $11 are due on 1 July 2008, but they can be accepted at any time now. Subscriptions can only be paid at the Co-op, not at the Club.

If you're aware of all the media reports, you'll know there have been significant price increases, particularly in food. There are also shortages occurring in some lines, particularly in staples such as rice. At this stage, the Co-op can do little about the price increases other than pass them on. However, the Co-op anticipated some of these shortages, and I can assure members that we have plenty of stocks of rice on hand. There is definitely no need to get anxious about short supply.
That's all folks!

[From "Maple Street Co-op News", June/July 2008; published by The Maple Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny, Qld 4552, Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.co-op@serv.net.au, website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]