Sam Werbel
Why would you like to serve on the City Market Board? What excites you about becoming a Board Member?
Because... 3 years into my service and dedication to the co-op and its board I feel like I've finally achieved cruising altitude and started to become the most effective version of a board member I can be YET. Board service is a lot of work, and earnest board work is even more. Add on to that the responsibilities of an officer position (in my case, the Presidency) and you've got yourself an un-paid part-time job. I'm fully aware of the responsibilities, challenges, time commitment, procedural nuances, and capacity for late-night-Mondays to continue to give this board my best work. I am fully aware that it is in fact glamor-less, sometimes quite void
of fun, and ultimately a very fulfilling commitment to our community and co-op.
The Board seeks candidates who are dedicated, cooperative, committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and willing to participate in group discussions ranging from financial oversight to support of management, staff and Members. Please describe the skills and experiences you have that will help you be an effective Board Member in these regards. How would you use your skills and experiences to help the Board understand and use data as part of the decision-making process of our community-owned cooperative?
Without a doubt the most critical skills that I have for this board position are the willingness to do difficult, sometimes boring work. I am incredibly committed to the responsibilities that I choose, and in my past 3+ years I have not missed a single board meeting. I show up, I do my "homework", I engage in group board discussions, I keep our meetings efficient and support my fellow board members when needed, and I don't shirk away from additional responsibilities.
As a small business owner and coach by trade I understand the effectiveness of excellent communication and a sense of teamwork and camaraderie, and I try to bring that to our board experience!
Describe your prior involvement with community organizations and/or cooperatives. What did you learn from these experiences?
My most pertinent experience is without a doubt my current service on this board. Scouring my resume and life ledger for other experiences to call on would certainly fall short of anything as pertinent, promising, and predictive as my previous 3+ years of board service.
The Board collaborates with the General Manager to support inclusion, diversity, equity, access and social justice (IDEAS) at City Market. How would you ensure that the Board's work is grounded in these principles? How would you help point City Market in the right direction when it comes to IDEAS? Please describe any prior involvement in IDEAS work either personally or professionally?
The primary way for the Board to ensure its own work is grounded in principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, access, and social justice, are to continue holding that filter up with diligence as we go through our monthly board self-monitoring and reporting. It is the responsibility of board members to ask these questions of each other, to bring these subjects up at board retreats, and to galvanize these commitments and synthesize them into the regular monthly mechanics of board work.
What opportunities and challenges do you see in the future of City Market?
The City Market Onion River Co-Op will continue to navigate these challenging times with downtown dynamics, construction and impaired traffic patterns in every direction, increasingly problematic behavior in the downtown store area including drug use in the bathrooms, inappropriate use of the Cafe area, brazen theft, abuse of staff, and more. As a downtown business COMMITED to our Global Ends, and girded by the principle that "all are welcome", City Market will continue to be on the leading edge of navigating these city-wide challenges.