Squaxin Artist Joe Seymour: “Nothing’s Permanent”

Above: Joe Seymour, Jr., Squaxin Island and Pueblo of Acoma, of Olympia, stands near the mural he and three other artists painted in 2012, commemorating the Canoe Journey to Squaxin Island. The mural in downtown Olympia was demolished this week to make room for a new, three story, mixed-used building. Seymour has been commissioned to create art for the new building.

Olympia Mural, Downtown Warehouse Building Demolished

Seymour to Work on New Art for The Laurana and Views on Fifth

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Very little was salvaged.

Not the spectacular wooden trusses, not the metal window frames, not the beloved mural painted in commemoration of the 2012 Canoe Journey to Squaxin Island. 

The mural was created by Coast Salish artist Joseph Seymour, Jr., Squaxin Island and Pueblo of Acoma, Ira Coyne, Vince Ryland, and Kevin Bouton-Scott.

In front of a handful of witnesses, the mural in downtown Olympia was demolished on Tuesday. 

It was a brutal sight as the contractors’ machine took efficient bites out of the concrete upon which the Pacific Northwest sun, Olympic Mountain range, Salish Sea, indigenous canoes, paddlers, and a welcoming pole were featured.

In short order, the brightly colored mural with so much personality was gone.

Above: Artist Joe Seymour Jr. stands in front of the mural he helped create in commemoration of the 2012 Canoe Journey to Squaxin Island. 

Above: Passersby witnessed the mural’s destruction on Tuesday.

Built in 1941, the warehouse building adjacent to Percival Landing on State and Columbia Street was most recently home to Les Schwab Tires. In cooperation with the store’s management, the mural was painted on its outer, west facing wall.

After Les Schwab Tires moved to its new location on Plum Street, Walker John and one of his companies, Urban Olympia V LLC, bought the building. The project is represented by Thomas Architecture Studios.

In the past couple of weeks, the building’s demolition was accomplished to make room for a new, three story building with a restaurant and 44 market rate housing units: 10 studios, 28 1-bedroom, and six two-bedroom units.

The new development will be called The Laurana, after Laurana Ware Percival, the wife of Captain Samuel Wing Percival, who constructed the Percival Dock and Lumber Companies.

Construction is slated to begin in August with occupancy in late summer or fall of 2019.

Interview with Artist Joe Seymour

Little Hollywood contacted Seymour and met with him last weekend on Percival Landing. We talked about the Canoe Journey mural, his art, and future projects.

The conversation was bittersweet, and jumped between the emotions of past, present, and future.

The name Joe Seymour does not appear on the marker near the mural. What does appear is Seymour’s Squaxin Island ancestral name, Wahalatsu?. His family gave him the name of his Squaxin Island great grandfather, Wahalatsu?, William Bagley, in 2003. 

Seymour said his ancestors inspire him to create his art. 

Downtown Olympia sits on land ceded by the Medicine Creek Treaty tribes which include the Squaxin Island Tribe, Nisqually Tribe of Indians and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians.

A heavy trading area for different people, the waters and lands upon which we stood are the traditional territory of the Steh-Chass people, people of the Squaxin Island Tribe. 

Prior to the Carylon fill of 1911, the area between Percival dock and Columbia Street was the water’s edge. Piers were initially used to extend Water Street north of State, called 3rd Street at the time, to provide buildable area for more industrial activity.

Seymour had just come from Thomas Architecture Studios and held in his hand rolled up building drawings. 

He was excited to see the drawings because the building’s owner, Walker John, has commissioned him and local artist Ira Coyne to create two new pieces of artwork for the new building.

We opened the rolls.

The building will feature a plaza facing west, toward the water, and have a raised sill height of 16.5 feet which is six feet above the elevation required for sea level rise. Deployable Kevlar skirts will be used at building entrances.

The building’s west façade will be set back from the existing one by approximately 65 feet. The city requires a 30 foot setback from the shoreline and Laurana’s west façade is over 100 feet from the shoreline.

But Seymour was most interested in the wall space he and Coyne will have to work with to create their artwork.

“We’re not going to recreate this mural but do something that honors the Canoe Journey. We’re going to look at pictures of the actual landing that day and see what we find. We have two walls: one, facing west, toward the water, will be 15 feet high and 50 feet wide. The other, facing northeast on Columbia Street, will be about 30 feet wide and as high as 30 feet. Both Ira and I are really grateful that the developer is working with us.”

“Nothing is permanent,” Seymour added, looking at the mural wistfully.

His perspective comes not only from his indigenous heritage, but his upbringing. 

Seymour, born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, grew up in New Mexico and California. His dad was in the Marine Corps. He now lives in Olympia’s eastside neighborhood.  

A geoduck harvester and commercial diver, Seymour works with several artistic mediums, including wood, wool, etched glass, paint, and photography.

He started his artistic career by carving his first paddle for the 2003 Tribal Journey to Tulalip. Then he carved his first bentwood box. Then he learned how to stretch and make drums.

In 2005, after attending a life-changing artist-in-residency program at the Longhouse at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Seymour knew he wanted to devote his life to his art.

He has been a participating artist in several art shows facilitated through the Longhouse and the Washington State History Museum. The recipient of numerous grants, he has participated in several international gatherings of indigenous artists.

Seymour’s work can be seen at the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon, the Squaxin Island Museum in Shelton, and the Hilo Art Museum in Hilo, Hawai’i.

The Canoe Journey Mural

Tribal Journeys began in 1989, intending to coincide with the centennial celebration for Washington State. Since 1993, ‘Tribal Journeys’ or ‘The Paddle’ have been held on an annual basis, with various tribes serving as the host tribe.

Seymour discussed the creation  of the mural to commemorate the 2012 Canoe Journey.

“The project was commissioned by the Olympia Downtown Association. Ira and I submitted our designs and they were both really similar. We both had seven canoes on the water and we both had big sky, so they asked, ‘Do you want to work together?’

“My first thought was, ‘I don’t want to work with anybody,’ Seymour laughed. “But then I saw the Rebecca Howard mural (painted by Coyne) and I was like, ‘Holy shit, I wanna work with this guy.’

“A lot of my friends already knew Ira and they said, ‘Yea, work with this guy.’ So, we got together, looked at our designs and within five minutes, said, ‘Yea, let’s work together.’  So, it was serendipitous. They gave us $3,000 and Benjamin Moore donated the paint.”’

Seymour was asked how he found out about the sale of the building and that the mural wouldn’t be saved.

“We never really thought Les Schwab would move. We thought it would be here for, like, 20 to 25 years. Most downtown buildings stay where they are, but not anymore. I found out that the building was being sold when Ira called me about it. It turns out the developer was reaching out to the Squaxin Island Tribal Council, trying to figure out what to do. They called me about it and asked what would be the ideal. I said the ideal would be to preserve the whole wall or move it to the Tribe. But economically, that wasn’t feasible. I thought it could fall under historic preservation, but no….”

Pointing to one canoe named DZU-NIG-WUN-GIS, Seymour explained that the canoes featured are actual ones on the Journey.

“That is Chief Frank Nelson’s canoe, from Alert Bay, on Vancouver Island. He was one of the driving forces for the renewal of the Canoe Society. That’s one piece of wood. It’s heavy! He's passed on now,” said Seymour.

Pointing to a smaller canoe, Seymour said it was a traditional Squaxin dugout canoe.

Above: A close up of a traditional Squaxin dugout canoe.

Seymour said he painted the sun by freehand, using a yardstick and a couple of pencils to make a big compass.

He credited Kevin Boutin-Scott for painting the welcome pole. “It turned out amazing,” he said.

Future Plans for Views on Fifth

Seymour just graduated from The Evergreen State College and hopes Evergreen will receive the financing needed to begin a Masters in Fine Arts program so he can move forward with his education and later teach. For now, he is happy to create art.

He credits his faculty members, printmaker Lisa Sweet, and Alex Swiftwater McCartey, Makah, and their program, Studio Projects, for his exploration of printmaking with a Northwest Native art element.

“When working in the print studio, you’re working with Baltic birch for your blocks and because I have a carving background, that really came in handy,” he said.

The course explored dominant European-U.S. concepts and assumptions of art as well as the art of indigenous and ancient cultures, created to serve ritual and ceremony or to galvanize communities. Alternative forms and functions of art serve to act as change agents, questioning the status quo.

Above: The nine-story Views on Fifth under construction in downtown Olympia as seen from Rotary Park on West Bay Drive.

Turning south, Seymour looked toward the nine-story building under reconstruction as Views on Fifth and remarked that he is excited to be working with the building’s owner, Ken Brogan, to create massive Coast Salish art.

He envisions decorating the concrete towers with several salmon made of steel and welcoming poles made of wood.

Discussing the tortured history of the building and current efforts to stop its construction, Seymour says he thinks the new building will be beautiful.

“I don’t want to reveal too much, but I want to take the image of the welcoming pole figure from the mural and turn it into a 3-D sculpture. So, even though the mural is coming down, it will be recreated in a different form and then, maybe, in this new project, we can have something that celebrates regeneration and ties in with the Canoe Journey. I’m working with a carver who wants to teach me how to do it,” he said. 

The artwork, like the City of Olympia, will be created in stages.

Above: The mural is a featured landmark in the GPS game, Pokemon. Noses to their smartphones, several participants gathered at the mural for an impending raid. All in good fun, the game is played like Capture the Flag. One participant, Aryah Esposito, 20, of Olympia, wore a 2013 Paddle to Quinault t-shirt.

City May Purchase Blighted Griswold Building

Above: The City of Olympia has entered into an agreement to possibly purchase the former Griswold’s office supply store at 308 and 310 East Fourth Avenue in downtown Olympia for $300,000. Built in 1928, it also served, in its heyday, as the Avalon Theater.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Yep, it's a fixer-upper, but if it checks out, it's all ours.

The City of Olympia has entered into an agreement to possibly purchase the former Griswold’s office supply building at 308 and 310 East Fourth Avenue for $300,000. 

The agreement was on the city council consent calendar and was passed, without comment, along with other agenda items Tuesday night. 

The purchase is contingent on a structural evaluation, title report, an environmental review, and more. Based on those reports, the city has until May 25 to decide whether or not to go ahead with the purchase.

The building is located between Dumpster Values and an alley, and across the street from Jake’s on 4th. 

Built in 1928, it is noted in the city's historic inventory, but is not on any historic register. In its heyday, it was the site of the former Avalon Theater.

The current owners, Clifford and Sean Lee, bought the property in 2007. It was gutted in a fire in 2004 and lost its roof over the main section that backs to Dumpster Values and Old School Pizzeria on Franklin Street. The eastern portion still has a roof, however, it is deteriorated and not usable. 

The Lee's were unable to transform the 7,200 square foot space into something - anything - thus creating a section of blight on a main street of downtown Olympia.

A façade featuring a rainbow mural reading, “Respect and Love Olympia,” currently fronts the space, and makes the street a bit brighter.

City manager Steve Hall said the papers were signed with Cliff Lee on Wednesday.

“If it all checks out, we hope to close by the end of June,” said Hall.

Financing for the possible purchase is from Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money and General Fund year end savings, roughly $150,000 from each source.

“There are a number of different activities that are eligible for use of the federal governments CDBG funds including economic development, affordable housing and clearance of slum and blight. We are characterizing this project, at least at this time as removal of slum and blight. In the end it may end up being affordable housing or economic development depending on the nature of how the property is ultimately redeveloped,” said City of Olympia community planning and development director Keith Stahley.

According to county assessor information, the Lee’s bought the property from Billy Griswold in January of 2007 for $257,500. The 2016 assessed land value for the property is $344,950, plus $3,600 structure value, for a total assessed valuation of $348,550.

Under the purchase agreement, the city will pay the seller’s real property excise taxes on the property. Taxes for 2015 are delinquent. With interest and penalties, $5,025.20 is owed. The first half of the 2016 tax principal amount is $2,113.43. 

As to what happens if the city purchases the property, and then can't unload it in a timely manner to a private developer, is undetermined, Stahley said. 

Asked about the role the new Community Renewal Area (CRA), a planning tool used to eliminate blight and encourage economic development, played in potentially making this purchase, Stahley said the CRA may be valuable going forward when the city is ready to sell the property. 

While the city has established the downtown boundary for the CRA, it still needs to put in place a community renewal plan to put the powers of the CRA into effect. The city anticipates doing that between now and the end of the year. 

The plan focuses on specific parcels and projects, like the Water Street Redevelopment Area. An agreement for urban design and planning services for that area was also passed by council at Tuesday night's meeting.

Asked why the city opted to buy it instead of taking the property via eminent domain, Stahley agreed that eminent domain would have been another way of acquiring the property. 

“.…The city would have still paid fair market value. After several rounds of discussion and negotiations we were able to arrive at a mutually agreeable price between the assessed and appraised value,” said Stahley. 

The negotiations took several months.

For more information about the Community Renewal Area, the Downtown Strategy planning efforts, blight, and other issues about downtown Olympia, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words into the search button.

Above: A close up of the former Griswold's office supply store on Fourth Avenue in downtown Olympia.

Olympia Mural Gets A Makeover

Above: Joslyn Rose Trivett paints over graffiti on the mural she created in 2012. The mural is located between the two roundabouts on Olympic Way near downtown Olympia. The mural was “tagged” in mid-September.

 

By Janine Unsoeld

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

In a story first reported by Little Hollywood in 2012, Joslyn Rose Trivett transformed an ugly wall into a beautiful mural.

 

Today, Trivett continued her dedication to remove stubborn graffiti that appeared several weeks ago. Despite the anti-graffiti coating, the graffiti could not be removed with a chemical recommended by the manufacturer.

“It was really, really nasty stuff,” said Trivett, as she painted. “It melted our gloves. I think I’ll just skip the anti-graffiti coating. If it happens again, I'll just wash the wall and repaint it.”

Above: This graffiti is not art. It is vandalism.

As Trivett worked, drivers honked their horns in approval, and bicyclists and moped riders shouted their thanks. Using some paint leftover from the project two years ago, she spent about $50 in paint today and about six hours of time in labor.

For Trivett, helping make Olympia a beautiful place is everyone’s business.

Trivett and her family, who live in Olympia’s northwest neighborhood, has continued to maintain the mural, prune the nearby vegetation, and sweep the sidewalk. The project was originally spearheaded by Trivett and the Southwest Neighborhood Association.

Trivett says she has put out the offer for a couple of years to paint a mural on the lower section of the wall, which abuts another residence. Located in an area seen by thousands of drivers per day, it is another high-maintenance area with unsightly grime and is a frequent target for graffiti. In particular, she says she would need help maintaining the vegetation.

For now, passersby are grateful for the time and effort she’s putting into the mural to make a difference.

“Hey, it looks good!” shouted a bicyclist riding up Olympic Avenue.

 

For more information about the mural, go to www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and use the search button to type in key words. Little Hollywood posted a story, “Mural Transforms Ugly Wall into a Piece of Art,” on August 12, 2012.

Arts Walk and Arab Festival Offer Culture

By Janine Unsoeld
www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The weather cooperated all weekend, and Arts Walk continued on Saturday in downtown Olympia, with some exhibits scheduled to be on display throughout the month. The pace on Saturday was quieter, and allowed more time to see art and speak with artists about their work.

 

Above: Pianist Luke Davis, 16, played outside Browser’s Bookstore on Capitol Way for Arts Walk. Davis said he’s been playing for eight years and has participated at Arts Walk for six years. He attends Black Hills High School. He says donations are going toward his college fund, and parts for his car. “My window isn’t staying up,” he said.

Above: Members of Shahrazad dance Ensemble of Seattle perform at the Olympia Arab Festival yesterday at The Olympia Center.

The Olympia Arab Festival

Coinciding with Arts Walk was the Olympia Arab Festival, sponsored by the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace & Justice.

The theme of its second annual event was “Shuruq II,” which means sunrise. In a celebration of Arab culture, the event featured food, performances, speakers, and children’s activities.

Rachel Corrie, Olympia, was killed in the Gaza Strip in 2003 as she tried to prevent the demolition of the home of two Palestinian families.

The Rachel Corrie Foundation was established by Rachel’s family to continue the work that she hoped to accomplish. The Foundation conducts and supports programs that foster connections between people that build understanding, respect and appreciation for differences.

Above: Laith Amireh, 20, of Amman, Jordan, attends Bellevue College and is taking courses in computer science and programming. He says he enjoys being part of the Arabic Culture Student Association, which has 138 members. For more information about the club, go to www.learnarabicculture.org. This is the club’s first visit to Olympia.

Above: The Olympia-Rafah Sister City Mural Project on Capitol Way and State Street in downtown Olympia. For taped recorded information about the wall and the artists, call (360) 252-9779.

Above: Omar demonstrates the fine art of Arabic coffee making at the Olympia-Rafah Mural today. The smell was irresistible. The result of just one cup made for a very productive afternoon and evening! The site at the mural featured a hookah lounge at last night’s Arts Walk.

For more information about the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace & Justice, go to www.rachelcorriefoundation.org.

Arts Walk is sponsored by the City of Olympia Arts Commission and the Department of Parks, Arts & Recreation with plenty of support by local businesses and artists. For more information about Arts Walk, go to www.olympiawa.gov/parks.

The Growing Process at the Olympia Food Co-op

Above: The Eastside Store on Pacific Avenue.

 

By Janine Unsoeld

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

While most local elections were settled November 5, one election continues until November 15.

The Olympia Food Co-op board has four openings and a slate of 12 candidates, most of whom showed up to mingle with members at the Co-op’s general membership meeting on October 27 at the Olympia Ballroom.

At the meeting, staff gave a financial update, a description of its upcoming strategic goals, news about the Westside and the Eastside stores, and heard from most board candidates.  

Two candidates, Kim Chaplin and Casey Kilduff, dropped their candidacies after the Co-op newsletter was printed. Alex and Audrey Daye did not attend the annual meeting.

In addition to board elections, members may vote on several proposed changes to the Co-op bylaws.

In light of current economic conditions and a pressing plethora of natural and organic shopping venue choices now available in the South Sound region, Co-op annual meeting members struggled with key issues in small groups and debated serious questions: Who are we really? Do we really own the Co-op? Do new members know what a Co-op is? What does the Co-op uniquely have to offer its members? How do we increase revenue?

 

Above: Writings on butcher paper at the Co-op annual meeting captured many thoughts.

 

The Co-op, which is actually structured as a non-profit, is also researching possible reincorporation issues. Discussion about the definition and activities of an actual cooperative created significant discussion.

Theresa Young, an organizational development specialist with the Northwest Cooperative Development Center addressed the members, giving a report on the issue, and said that 60% of all food co-ops function exactly like the Olympia Food Co-op. Co-op staff and board members say they are not advocating for any change or preference, but are gathering information on the topic.

Kim Chaplin, who is no longer a board candidate, said that she appreciates that the Co-op provides a service for low income people. If the Co-op moved to a patronage system, rewarding its members based on the amount they spend, it could create a two-class hierarchy. And, she added, she would not be excited about her purchases being “tracked” by the Co-op.

The Co-op has 22,000 members. A member is defined as one whose dues or low-income membership and mailing address is up to date. A regular lifetime membership card is $29. About 150 volunteers, all of whom perform vital functions, such as cashiering and stocking of product, receive a significant discount on their food purchases for their efforts.

One volunteer cashier lamented the difficulties in welcoming and signing up new members while others wait in line to be served.

“What are the benefits of being a Co-op member beyond lower prices? The cashier line is not the place to sign up new members – we’re doing them a disservice – they don’t know what they’re signing up for and they don’t care.”

Members pay the price shown on products; non-members pay 10% more on their purchases. The Co-op holds a series of food related classes and the board took a stand in support of I-522 which would have labeled genetically modified foods.

 

Above: The Westside Store on Rogers Street. Be sure go to the Free Store, adjacent when it’s open. Yes, it’s really free. Take what you need and help out by bringing your free books, clothes, working kitchen items, and knickknacks when it is open to accept your gifts.

 

Size Might Matter

Although staff and many members were exploring options for a downtown store, it is unusual for a small city like Olympia to have two economically thriving food co-ops. Some large cities, like Denver, don’t even have one food co-op.

The original Westside store on Rogers St. is about 5,000 square feet, and the Eastside store on Pacific Avenue next to the Ford All-Star dealership is about 7,500 square feet. Each store has its own vibe, quirks, products, and loyal customers.

In September, at the Westside store, the produce department alone reported sales of $79,736; the Eastside store reported $145,065.

Asked later what type of products produces the most income for the Co-op, Co-op bookkeeper Corey Mayer responded that the year-to-date income by category, in decreasing order for the two stores combined are:  $3,053,000 - Packaged Grocery; $2,275,000 – Produce; $1,693,000 – Bulk; $1,399,000 - Chill (refrigerated/dairy); $805,000 - Health and Body products (supplements and body care), followed by, in decreasing order, meat, taxable groceries, such as cleansers, paper products, mercantile and garden supplies; frozen foods, cheese and deli products.

 

Above: Jim Cubbage shops at the Eastside Co-op last Sunday.

 

Jayne Rossman, outreach and expansion staff representative to the board, explained at the annual meeting that while their cash flow is improving, the Co-op’s health plan for staff is currently overspent by about $150,000 and they have had to cut labor and expenses to offset this. Staff budgeted $600,000 for medical for the year total and expect to hit $750,000. While this “donut hole” gap does not happen often, she said staff are looking into changing their medical plan. The Co-op offers medical insurance to all staff who work more than 30 hours a week.

She also said a weekly cash analysis, instead of a monthly one, will keep track of all cash in and all money spent. Co-op staff will be setting up benchmarks for when they can start spending money again for purchases and future expansion efforts.

For now, long desired projects, such as a garden center for the Eastside store, are on hold. A freshly brewed coffee station has long been requested for the Westside store, and is also on hold. New to the Westside store, however, is an eight foot grab-and-go deli freezer.

 

Above: Mural at the Denver Airport by Leo Tanguma, Leticia Tanguma, Cheryl Detwiler, John Oshsner and Bill Meredith, created in October 2005.

 

The Boycott of Israeli Products

While the Olympia Food Co-op has many issues on its plate, one issue in particular continues to divide its members: the three year old boycott of Israeli products.

Staff gave annual meeting attendees a very brief update on the lawsuit relating to the boycott, currently on appeal to the state Supreme Court, only when prompted by the public comments of board candidate Nancy Koppelman.

In her comments, Koppelman responded directly to an article written by Phan Nguyen in the October issue of Works in Progress:

“You may have read Phan Nguyen’s Works in Progress article calling my candidacy “peculiar….” I hope to convince you that, even if you disagree with my views, my candidacy honors the best of what the Co-op stands for. Although Nguyen belittles “process,” processes associated with self-rule are fundamental to justice worthy of the name....."

Koppelman continued, “The Co-op board compromised its mission when it made a deeply controversial decision….To get back on track, the Co-op should embrace criticisms. That’s what democracies do….Thoughtful engagement with controversy can enable us to see beyond one of democracy’s lowest standards: the passions of the moment, no matter how compelling they are. In such a moment, the Board made the Co-op join the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement. Like all of you, I am free to question that decision. Until we revisit it together, genuine self-governance will elude the Co-op.

“The Board continued to set aside its duty to the full membership in its response to the lawsuit….Empathetic Co-op members on all sides know that the boycott hurt our community. I want to help address the open wounds. For example, it’s worth exploring a “fair trade” approach, favored by many other businesses, as a better way to enact an inclusive commitment to social justice. The Board should lead the main responsibility….”

Disruptive catcalls during Koppelman’s speech from a few audience members prompted staff to ask for respect to all candidates. Koppelman did not mention or explain her position on the boycott in her candidate statement published by the Olympia Food Co-op newsletter.

The issue has indeed dogged the Co-op members, board, and staff.

Recently, 20 boycott supporters attended a Co-op board meeting and voiced their support for the Co-op’s position on the Israeli boycott.

In the July Co-op’s board meeting minutes, JT Scott addressed the Board as a member since the 80s, an active volunteer and a former board member. Saying he has seen “a lot of hurt in the community and within himself,” his feelings about the Co-op have changed and he doesn’t feel comfortable in the store anymore. By his reading of the bylaws the boycott policy is to be decided by staff consensus. He is less concerned about the board making the decision, but how it affected the community and how the community feels about the Co-op. He said there has been no attempt at reconciliation in three years.

The board noted that a letter to the editor was published in The Olympian and Works in Progress about the Co-op and the lawsuit ,which prompted a lot of conversation by the board on the possibility of some sort of community dialogue/reconciliation process.

Questions brought up from this discussion included: How hindered are we by the lawsuit that is still active? What can/can’t we do? Can we have a peace & reconciliation committee to work on this? What does the word “reconciliation” mean? How do we “maintain free-flowing communication” and “resolve organizational conflicts” in this situation?

Apparently, while there is a wide variety of feelings among board members on the specifics of this topic and a general feeling about wanting to move forward, they are uncertain how to do so, due to the lawsuit.

Board candidate Kitty Koppelman, sister of Nancy Koppelman, is a 26 year staff member of the Co-op. When asked by this reporter at the annual meeting about her position on the boycott, she responded that she did not have an opinion.

“I don’t know. I want to see change happen, voices to be heard, a more inclusive engagement and that doesn’t mean changing the decision that was made, but maybe it does. Current relations are strained. I want to bring a willingness to improve relations.”

Kitty Koppelman said that she would remain a staff member if elected to the board, and that there is nothing in the bylaws that says this can’t happen.

Olympia Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Organization Endorsements

Prior to the annual meeting, the Olympia Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions organization sent out an email:

“We were all heartened when Superior Court Judge McPhee sided with the defendants in the lawsuit filed against Co-op board members and staff in February 2012, hoping that the costly drama of court proceedings would finally be put to rest. However, after a failed effort by the plaintiffs to make the Co-op pay for the fines imposed by state statutes which protect free speech then appealed their suit to the Washington State Supreme Court. The Supreme Court kicked the case back down to an Appeals court where it languishes.

“In fact, as another Co-op board election opens, supporters of the lawsuit are once again working to make the election a battleground. Nancy Koppelman, a vocal supporter of the lawsuit whose testimony was actually used in court proceedings, is one of this year’s board candidates….

“Now is a very important time to ensure that we not only protect the Olympia Food Co-op from people who are antagonistic toward it, but that we help elect board members who will carry on the Co-op’s mission and continue to make the Co-op thrive for the community.”

The BDS organization says it endorsed four candidates, Mohamed El Sokkary, Sally Brownfield, Michael Snow and Josh Simpson, based on their long-term commitment to the community; their unique assets that strengthen the Co-op’s diversity; knowledge of the implications of the lawsuit against the Co-op; and possession of a range of commitments to food and social justice.

After the annual meeting, Rossman was asked by this reporter if there was any immediate or lingering economic impact, gain or loss due to the Co-op boycott of Israeli products on overall revenue.

Rossman responded, “Little to none….None of the nine products we took off the shelves due to the boycott were high sellers. Membership and sales have continued to grow from the time of the boycott’s enactment. However, given how much else we do and change in the stores, it’s difficult to absolutely determine whether the bump in sales was caused by the boycott itself, rather than other factors.”

Alcohol Sales at the Co-op

Although it is not a question on the ballot, the sale of alcohol at the Co-op is another issue long debated. All candidates were contacted by this reporter to respond to the question of their position on the issue of alcohol sales at the Co-op. Four responded – and their responses are indicative of the diversity of opinions expressed by members, staff, and board members.

“I would support the sale of locally-produced - at least not having to be transported very far - beer and wine only. I understand there are some wineries developing in Washington State, and I know there are some micro-breweries.  I think it would be fine to support them, particularly if they are also working to create products that are organic, and using sustainable agricultural practices, said Desdra Dawning.

“If given good enough reasons that I can’t think of I may change my mind, but in general I would not support selling alcohol because I think the shelf space can be better used by other products,” said Sally Brownfield.

"Regarding alcohol at the Co-op, this question, like many others, is an opportunity for the co-op leadership (staff and board) to create a forum for the membership to consider the co-ops values together.  There are compelling cases to be made in both directions for and against selling alcoholic beverages.  The cases must be made publicly in order for a decision, one way or another, to become part of the Co-op's culture," said Nancy Koppelman.

“I would have to say no, I do not think having alcohol available in the Co-op would be a good idea. I have noticed that some of our volunteers are under age. How would that affect them? Would that mean you would have to be 21 or older to volunteer? Or would we have a “special” place that we housed the liquor? If so, where? We are short on space as it is….Perhaps we can refer our customers to some local brewers or local wine places. We can still help support local business but also acknowledge the fact that it isn’t something we offer but do offer a solution," said Ally Koeber.

How To Vote

The process and method of voting is old school.

A ballot and voting envelope is included in the Olympia Food Co-op's latest printed newsletter members received in the mail. Ballots and newsletters are also available in each store. First, make sure your membership is current and that your address is up-to-date in the Co-op's database. Ask a cashier for a form to update your address if needed.

To vote, write your name and address on one of the envelopes provided and vote for only four candidates. If you check more, your ballot will not be valid. Put the ballot in the envelope, seal the envelope and drop it in the ballot box in one of the stores.

“Ballots are verified by name and membership in a two-part process that preserves anonymity….We separate and keep any envelopes with a problem (can’t find the member in the database, dues not up-to-date, no information on envelope) and keep them separately. We try our best to resolve any uncertainties and make sure that every vote that can be counted, is counted. Just the ballots, then, are passed on to the people counting the votes, so the people counting don’t know whose vote it is,” explained Rossman.

Rossman says, “I sincerely hope that, at some point in the next few years, we will move to online voting.” She says if you have already voted, and you didn’t follow the directions exactly, your vote will not be counted, and you may vote again the correct way.

It is also possible to mail in your ballot. Make sure your full name and address show on the return address. Mail to: Olympia Food Co-op, 3111 Pacific Ave SE, Olympia WA 98501.

To read the history of the Co-op, official statements of all Olympia Food Co-op candidates, and proposed by-law changes, go to www.olympiafood.coop.

To read the article by Phan Nguyen in the October issue of Works in Progress, go to:
<http://www.olywip.org/content/participant-olympia-food-co-op-lawsuit-runs-co-op-board-directors>

Full Disclosure: Janine Unsoeld became a Co-op member in 1988. As a vendor since 2005, she currently sells her photography greeting cards at the Eastside Co-op. She did not vote correctly at the annual meeting, and will vote again, the correct way.

 

Above: The beloved #4000 bin at each store means whatever is in there is only 50 cents a pound. It might be something you’d want to eat or make into a meal right away. What a deal. Yep, I got one of these bunches of lettuce, but passed on the eggplant. When you take your haul to the cashier, tell them you got it from the #4000 bin, and they’ll be just as excited as you are.