Seth Hunt

As a long time member of food-cooperatives, I finally have the necessary space in my life to participate on the Food Co-op's board. When I saw the opportunity arise recently, I was immediately called to run for election so that I can deepen my relationship with The Food Co-op as a member-owner and provide the board with the perspective of a younger rural resident of Jefferson County.

As a resident of south Jefferson County (Quilcene), I would bring with me the shared perspectives of other outer-county member-owners who experience different kinds of barriers to shopping at The Food Co-op than Port Townsend residents. I would also seek to continue the shared efforts of all co-op members to make the Port Townsend Food Co-op a place that is welcoming and accommodating to a community that is whole. This includes BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and underserved populations.

The board speaks with one voice. As a unit, the board sets policy as a representation of The Food Co-op's member-owners. The board also sets the course for managing the co-ops financials including reviewing and setting the budget, evaluating the general managers compliance with the budget and Executive Limitations policies, and making sure that key operational conditions meet or exceed the standards for the grocery industry. 

I don't, but I do work for a non-profit organization and I have a firm understanding of how a board of directors function.

Be present with the interests of The Food Co-op's member-owners as a whole, and not solely with the interests of an individual or a portion of the membership.

Ultimately, I believe the primary function of The Food Co-op is to provide access to foods and products that the membership as a whole has found difficult to source locally, and to provide local food and artisanal producers an equatable outlet to sell their goods that corporate grocers will not. It's important to me personally that The Food Co-op's member-owners equally have access to the foods and products that they feel meet this criteria.

I've found the most success in "calling someone in" rather than "calling someone out" during an instance of conflict. This requires exercising empathy and to not jump to conclusions or assumptions as to why someone has made a mistake. 

I believe my strongest skill in collaboration is my ability to listen, particularly during times when someone disagrees with my perspective. I've been able to find my best self in these instances, where I've discovered what things looked, sounded, or felt like to the person on the other side of a conversation. Something I continue to work on, and find challenging, is using my voice and perspective in a group without overshadowing people with less privilege than me. I'm a fairly quiet person, particularly because I reject the need that socialization has given me to be the loud white man I was informed to be. However, I do acknowledge that sometimes I need to utilize my voice more in predominantly white and/or male spaces to speak to the needs of marginalized people in order to take the burden of educating folks exhibiting problematic behavior off of those experiencing microaggressions.

I think it's most important that all voices within the board are heard in a thorough manner. If the board "speaks with one voice" it must be accountable to any differing opinions within. I believe, in an ideal world, group decision making is made with consensus. When there is challenge reaching consensus - thoughtful, generative, empathetic discussion is an incredibly valuable way to come to an understanding.

It's important for the board to empower the general manager with the strategic agility to move The Food Co-op in the direction of it's Ends and Executive Limitations policies. One of the boards main functions is to monitor and communicate with the general manager about what types of management are deemed unacceptable as outlined by the Executive Limitations policy. For example, it's important that the board monitors aspects of the general managers performance that may compromise the Food Co-ops Ends accomplishment or put The Food Co-op in fiscal jeapordy. The board is also a sounding board and thought partner to the general manager in day-to-day operations, and in looking towards the future.