General Manager Update
I know it has been FAR too long since you have heard from us. We have been working to improve communication and enhance connections with our members.
We will no longer be sending emails or updates through MailChimp. Instead, emails will come directly through Squarespace, where our website is hosted. This will help us be more streamlined in our marketing efforts, and more consistent with our communication going forward. If you’ve opted in for marketing, nothing has changed, except the platform that we use!
Our website has gone through a complete overhaul to increase visual appeal, usefulness and functionality. The website now includes a refreshed blog, and a blog with updates from our Board of Directors, as well as the meeting minutes from our monthly Board meetings. It includes a calendar with in-store events such as our monthly Cheese of the Month sampling, promotional days like our Owner’s Only Wellness Wednesdays, and dates and locations for our monthly Board Meetings. It is also the best place to learn more about the expansion project, but more about this below!
Some of you may know about, and have participated in our receipt-generated Customer Satisfaction Survey that was launched on October 1st. We are so grateful to everyone who has taken the time to complete that survey. Sharing feedback with us is crucial to us serving the needs of our community, especially our owners. Please know that our team is reading and discussing this feedback regularly, and implementing many of your suggestions, as we are able.
And now, I would like to share a lengthy but important update on the Co-op’s expansion with you all…
I am happy to report that the Co-op has secured nearly $2 million in grant funding, including a recent award of $250,000 to support the project as we get closer to the construction period. We recently applied for and were approved for a bridge loan through Adirondack Economic Development Corporation. This money will be used to complete the design phase, which will allow us to draft the final construction documents, hire a General Contractor, and begin requesting reimbursements from the $1.659M NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative Grant (received in 2021) awarded by NYS Department of State and administered by NYS Homes & Community Renewal. The rest of our funding will come through other grants, donations, and a Construction-to-Permanent Loan.
We are asking for community and owner fiscal contributions to help us build working capital for this project. This support will help carry us through the construction period, as sales will likely be impacted during that time. A Capital Campaign to raise funds will be launched and the Board is working on lining up a few folks to help with this effort. If you are interested in joining that effort, please let us know! All monies raised would allow the Co-op to take on less debt, increase our assets, and contribute to our long-term sustainability. We will also continue to accept round-up funds at the register when you are checking out!
Currently, the Co-op is engaged in an interactive process to ensure our project is complying with all federal, state, and local laws, permits, and standards designed to minimize environmental damage during construction and operation. This process, due to the scale of the project and the combination of funding sources, including state money, is very complicated and takes a lot of time to navigate. We have been fortunate to receive support from the community, the Village of Potsdam, and member-owners and are making significant progress toward the next phase.
I know you are eager to see this project move forward, and I want to assure you that we are too! We appreciate your patience as we work towards a bright future for our Co-op!
In cooperation,
Jessie LaRose, General Manager
