2009 Customer Satisfaction Survey Results
Thanks for giving us feedback in the Tidal Creek Co-op customer satisfaction survey this past winter. Here is what you told us.

• 99.4 % of respondents travel by car to get to Tidal Creek.
• 41.6% of survey participants travel between 5 and 15 miles to shop at Tidal Creek and 7% travel more than 25 miles to shop here
• 35% of respondents have been members for 1 – 3 years.
• The top three ways member-owners prefer to receive information are: mailings, emails, in store postings.
• To Co-op Member-Owners the following items are important (listed in order of importance): member-owner specials, member-owner appreciation days, member-ownership, patronage refund, ability to vote for the Board of Directions.
• Tidal Creek meets customers needs best in: cleanliness, staff knowledge, staff friendliness/courtesy.
• Tidal Creek meets customer needs less well in: price, location, selection, quality and availability of brands family likes.
• Tidal Creek meets customer needs best in: grocery, dairy, produce, and bulk.
• Tidal Creek meets customer needs less well in: meat/poultry/fish and seafood, deli/ready to eat.

Volunteers for the Co-op
Co-ops have along history in owner involvement through volunteering in the store. This program was dismantled several years ago to address fair labor laws. Just like you, we miss the program too. So we double checked with the laws and according to the Wage and Hour Division of the United States Department of Labor, cooperative members do not appear to be volunteers because the services volunteered are not for public service, religious or humanitarian objectives but rather are for commercial business purposes.  Therefore, the cooperative members are considered “employees” and are subject to the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Volunteers are welcome to support the Co-op in our outreach events, both in store and in the community. Ask for an application at the customer service desk.

Bee pollen Boycott
We understand it to be very disruptive for bee hives to extract bee pollen. Bees are important part of our eco-system. Because of this the Co-op has removed bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis from our shelves.

Should you run for the Tidal Creek Board of Directors?
The purpose of the board, on behalf of the cooperative membership, is to see to it that the cooperative 1) achieves its Ends (appropriate results for appropriate people at appropriate costs) and 2) avoids unacceptable actions and situations (Executive Limitations).

With summer fast approaching comes our annual notice of Board elections which take place in early fall. This year three seats will be open, that of Tanner Postma, Joe Kertesz, and Melissa Foley. Tidal Creek owners will vote during August and September before the Annual Meeting on September 19th. The Board represents the membership to identify a vision and direction for the Tidal Creek Co-op, and to ensure fiscal responsibility as well as compliance with Board policy. The Board is not involved with the day-to-day operations of running the store. That is the responsibility of our general managers, Craig Harris and Jessica Burtt. Members enjoy the opportunity to actively participate in shaping the direction of our homegrown community store, a unique Wilmington business. Board meetings are open to any co-op owner.

If you are a Tidal Creek co-op owner that would be interested in running for the Board position, we encourage you to come to a Board meeting to get a taste of policy governance in action (held on the 4th Monday of each month). You are also encouraged to talk to individual Board members about what is involved in the job. A Board term is three years. Aside from attending the monthly Board meetings, Board members are expected to contribute to committee work, attend general membership activities such as appreciation days, annual meeting and attend annual retreats.. If you want to increase your involvement with your co-op please talk to a current Board member to learn how the board functions. The Board members are listed in every Co-op Current and on the website, www.tidalcreek.coop/about/board-of-directors. You can contact the Board via email at board@tidalcreek.coop (put Attn: Board in the attention line). If after talking to a Board member you want to put your name in for the election, application will be available at Customer Service. Deadline for name on ballot is August 20th. Deadline for newsletter publicity is July 1st.