Co-op News | Summer Quarterly 2017
Good Food Needs Good Leadership
If you have thought about running for the Board of Directors, you should!
One of the great things that sets cooperatives like North Coast Co-op apart from other businesses is that we are guided democratically. You’ve probably seen it as part of the Seven Cooperative Principles (democratic member control) but what does that mean? The exact take depends on the cooperative in question.
Here at North Coast Co-op, we have a board of seven directors elected from our members. Two are employee-members and five are member-owners who represent the membership and guide the directions the Co-op goes based on input from advisory committees, member-owners, Co-op staff, and more.
This fall we have two seats up for election; one member-owner seat and one employee-member seat. The basic requirements to be a director are simple: you need to be a member, and you need to be available a few evenings each month for the Board of Directors meeting and a minimum of two board committees. All board members are on the Finance Committee, which meets quarterly, and you get to choose the other committee you want to be on.
Typical months require 10-20 hours of time. Terms are three years, and board members are paid a monthly stipend. Here is what I’ve been part of during just the last two months of board meetings, as an Employee Board Member and Nominating Committee Chair:
- Approving the budget that the management team produced.
- Analyzing progress on, approving further steps on, and setting requirements for the upcoming Eureka store remodel.
- Updating the Co-op’s Securities Permit to allow us to sell more B shares.
- Updating the Co-op bylaws.
- Setting the C share dividend rate.
- Developing and approving Co-op Access Plan, a new program to make quality Co-op foods available to low income shoppers.
- Setting the chairs and composition of the advisory committees.
- Adopting a Zero Waste policy for store
- operations.
- Adopting a purchasing policy for store
- operations.
- Much more!
As you can see, it’s a diverse set of issues, and we have people from a wide variety of backgrounds on our board. We would like you to join us and provide us with input from your background, whatever it might be!
Interested in representing your co-op? Pick up an application packet at Customer Service or visit Run for the Board of Directors.
