In addition to the regular monthly meetings, we’ve held 19 special meeting sessions, according to a tally by Vice President Eva Schectman. Most special meetings were in connection with hiring a new General Manager. Thanks to everyone on the council for their stick-to-itiveness! 

Comings and Goings 

The council recently filled two vacancies, one due to a resignation and the other following the removal of a council member on July 9 for repeated policy violations. 

The council represents our Member-Owners, who have a wide range of viewpoints. Our goal is to arrive at decisions through respectful listening and discussion. We expect all council members to acknowledge the legitimacy of the council itself and its decisions. And we expect our interactions with the general manager (whom the council supervises) to reflect the Co-op’s supervisory standards: supportive yet accountable. Respecting the confidentiality of privileged information is also crucial for effective governance. 

Removing a council member is an action so serious that our governing documents require a two-thirds vote of the council to do so. While the council member made valuable contributions, his public comments and actions led to his removal by a 5-1 vote. * 

With only three meetings left this year, we appointed experienced former council members Steven Farnham, now also the Secretary, and Tyler Strange to fill the vacancies until the November elections. We appreciate their willingness to serve again. Thanks to both of them for stepping up! 

Resiliency Work 

The Co-op is moving forward on multiple fronts on members’ ideas elicited at the council-hosted Dinner and Discussion on community resilience in May. The council was prepared to consider its next steps on July 9, but time constraints pushed that discussion to our next meeting.  

Meanwhile, the Community Relations team has compiled and summarized members’ ideas, to inspire and inform their own work. They also plan to share the ideas with other area organizations. 

Our area’s new flooding on the anniversary of the July 2023 floods underscores the importance of this work. In response, the Co-op will donate to Flood Relief for Neighbors and NOFA-VT’s Farmer Emergency Fund. For more information, see General Manager Mary Mullally’s blog Supporting Community Resiliency. 

Running for Council; Welcoming the New General Manager 

The Co-op’s Annual Meeting on November 7 may seem a long way off, but our Community Relations team is already working hard to make it happen. Please put the date on your calendar and consider running for council. (There are five positions to fill!) If you’re interested in running and want to know more, please come to one of the planned candidate information sessions in the community room on August 1, 2, and 13 at 5:30 pm and August 16 at 6 pm. If you’re not interested in running yourself, do you know someone who would be a good fit on the council? If so, please give them a nudge! 

Running for council is only one part of the current Apply, Nominate, Run campaign to encourage Member-Owners to get involved in the Co-op. There’s also the opportunity Apply for a grant from the Hunger Mountain Cooperative Community Fund and to Nominate someone for a community award. 

The council will be formally welcoming Mary Mullally as new General Manager at an August 18 celebration the Co-op is hosting at 12:30 pm. 

Enjoy the summer! 

—Carl Etnier, Council President

Do you have any questions or comments about the council? Do you know any jokes about cooperators? Please email them to me! 

* There was some dispute at the meeting itself about whether the two-thirds threshold had been met. The minutes will reflect the 5 to1 vote, with the president not voting; the motion passed with a 71% majority of the seven council members eligible to vote. A longer explanation will be in the meeting minutes.