With five out of the nine member-elected seats up for election this year, it’s more important than ever that cooperators step up to help out.  

The Co-op’s Annual Meeting on November 7 may seem a long way away, 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. If you’re interested in running and want to know more, please come to one of the remaining candidate information sessions in the community room on August 2 and 13 at 5:30 pm and August 16 at 6 pm. (You can also check out the Candidate Education Checklist, just under the Council Candidate application, for ways you can learn about and prepare for council work, before you apply.) 

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! 

Elections and Co-op Democracy 

These elections are a core part of co-op democracy. The importance of running our co-op democratically is enshrined in the bylaws that members approved in 2022. The bylaws state that the Co-op is guided by the seven cooperative principles, as articulated by the International Co-operative Alliance.  

It’s easy for a Member-Owner who wants a seat at the council’s table to run for office. There are at least three seats open each year. To run, a member needs only to gather nine signatures from other members. It’s an incredibly low bar. Last year we had six people running for four open seats, giving members clear choices in approaches to governance. 

Voting is also easy. Members can vote online or in the store. Members can meet candidates at the annual meeting, and after the meeting they have at least two weeks to vote. 

The council is strengthening the democratic process this year by hosting a candidate forum prior to the annual meeting, to provide a more extended opportunity for members to get to know who wants to represent them on the council. We’ll let you know when that is scheduled. 

While running for Co-op Council and voting are easy, serving on the council takes dedication to the Co-op and a willingness to put in long hours to pore over and understand reports from the General Manager about how she is complying with the policies the council has set up for her, serving on committees, and more. The work is pretty much on a volunteer basis, with a token compensation of $1,000 for most council members and $2,500 for the president. We estimate it takes 8 to 12 hours per month for non-officer council members. (This year has been especially busy; we’d like to get the workload more in line with our expectations, in the coming year!) 

Serving on the council also means abiding by the statement of ethics and following our bylaws and governance policies—these all ensure that council members are accountable to the Member-Owners who elected them through clear rules.  

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. 

Welcoming the New General Manager 

The council will be formally welcoming Mary Mullally as new General Manager at the August 18 Summer Party and Member Appreciation event at the Co-op, at 12:30 pm. 

Enjoy the summer! 

—Carl Etnier, Council President

Overheard at the Co-op:

“It’s hot outside, but at least it’s not snowing. I would hate to shovel snow in this heat.” (Probably said by a reader of Alexandra Petri.) 

Do you have any questions or comments about the council? Do you know any jokes that we could claim were overheard in the Co-op? Please email them to me!