Co-op Board & Management allow anti-member graffiti on the sidewalk

July 24, 2011

For Immediate Release

Contact: 916-225-8511

Co-op Board & Management allow anti-member graffiti on the sidewalk

This weekend, the sidewalk in front of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op was defaced with graffiti that included attacks on three individual members of the Co-op, two of whom are Board candidates and one is the sponsor of the Human Rights Initiative.

One of the several graffiti statements read “Cody Potter and Susan Bush are bad news” Potter and Bush are running for two open seats on the Board along with Phyllis Ehlert and two incumbents, Alicia Dienst and Ann Richardson.

When asked whether employees were responsible for the graffiti, on-duty store manager Dan Shearer declined to answer on Saturday. Incumbent Board member Alicia Dienst was campaigning in front of the store on Sunday when she reportedly told a Co-op member that Co-op employees had written the graffiti.

Two long time Co-op members, both in their 70s removed much of the graffiti on Saturday night but Sunday morning it was back.

“I have been a Co-op member for 25 years and I have never experienced this level of incivility and intimidation,” said Board candidate Bush. “I am not going away, and neither are members who want a fair election.”

The graffiti also supported Measure 2, which would prohibit the Co-op from making any purchasing or other decisions based on “political opinion” or “national origin.” Co-op members opposed to Measure 2 sent a letter to many of the Co-op’s local vendors, advising them about possible negative repercussions of Measure 2, including that it could preclude prioritizing of locally produced products

“The Board is using a specious argument against Measure 2 on its website and literature,” said Co-op Member Ellen Schwartz who submitted an argument against the measure that the Board ignored. Instead, Schwartz explained, last week the Board posted a sarcastic argument that was clearly submitted by someone who favors the measure, thus denying Co-op members access to a reasoned debate on the subject.

“It seems apparent that the Co-op Board put Measure 2 on the ballot to preclude Co-op members from proposing measures that the Board disagrees with, including the Human Rights Initiative,” said its sponsor Maggie Coulter.

“More than twice the number of required Member signatures was submitted to put the Human Rights Initiative to a vote,” said Coulter. “Yet it was denied a place on the annual Co-op ballot, in violation of the Co-op’s Bylaws. The Board is refusing to let Members vote on this measure that supports Palestinian rights, including those of Palestinian farmers to their lands, water, and orchards.” More information about the initiative is at http://www.coopdemocracy.org.

“Several calls have been made to the Co-op management asking that the Co-op remove the graffiti,” reported Coulter. “Although the graffiti is on the public sidewalk, if the Co-op allows it to stay, it is an implied endorsement of this negative campaigning. These actions of the Board and, possibly of some employees, create even more doubt about the fairness of the election.”