|
Board
Our Board
The Co-op is governed by a nine-person board of
directors who are elected by, and from, the
Ownership. The Board acts on behalf of the
cooperative, assuming its legal
responsibilities. Its primary responsibility is
fiduciary —to protect the assets of the Co-op
and its Owners.
Individual Directors do not direct the operation
of the store, supervise staff members, or speak
for the cooperative as a whole, except when the
Board has authorized an Owner as spokesperson.
They exercise authority only as a group.
The Board meets on the second Wednesday of each
month at 6pm in the Co-op Community Room. All
owners and customers are encouraged and welcome
to attend. [
VIEW MEETING AGENDAS ]
Meet Our Board
2023
Board of Directors
Become a Board member
Directors are elected for three-year terms each
Spring at the Co-op’s Annual Meeting. Potential
director candidates are encouraged to show their
interest at any time throughout the year by
attending a meeting and/or contacting any of the
current board members. Prospective board members
are expected to attend at least one board
meeting and to complete
the required paperwork before being accepted
as a candidate.
Board directorship is an excellent way to become
involved in a dynamic and effective process that
is helping to support a successful cooperative
venture. Board members contribute an average of
ten to twelve hours per month.
The Board meets monthly in the Community Room
upstairs at the Co-op. Meeting agendas are
posted on the bulletin board in the store near
the Bulk Foods department and meeting minutes
are in a binder at the check out.
Management
The operation of the business is the role of the
General Manager, who the Board is responsible
for hiring, supervising, and evaluating. The
General Manager is in turn responsible for
hiring, supervising, and evaluating the Staff.
Governance Documents
The relationship between the Owners, the Board
of Directors, the General Manager, and the
Staff, and who and what defines and governs each
of these entities, is decided cooperatively and
articulated in the following documents.
[
VIEW OUR GOVERNANCE DOCUMENTS ]
Articles of Incorporation
An Articles of Incorporation document must be
filed with a state in order to incorporate as a
business. This document includes the name and
address of the Co-op, its general purpose and
powers, the number and type of shares of stock
to be issued, ownership rights and
responsibilities, how earnings are distributed,
what constitutes the board of directors, and the
process for dissolution of the Co-op. Any
amendments to this document must be approved by
the Ownership.
Bylaws
The Bylaws are the rules and regulations adopted
by the Co-op Ownership for its internal
governance, in accordance with the Articles of
Incorporation. Bylaws define terms used by the
organization and contains provisions relating to
ownership, owners’ meetings, directors,
officers, indemnification, patronage and
patronage refunds. The Bylaws address some of
the same topics as the Articles of Incorporation
but in more detail. They were adopted at the
Co-op initial meeting. The Bylaws may be amended
by an affirmative vote of a majority of those
Owners who vote on the amendment.
Board Governance Policies
The Board of Directors creates its own set of
rules and regulations to govern its activities,
in accordance with the Co-op Articles of
Incorporation and Bylaws. The Co-op Board uses
the Policy Governance® system developed by John
Carver. The system involves creating a dynamic
set of written policies addressing four main
areas: Ends, General Manager Performance, Board
Self–Evaluation, and Governance Process. The
Board reviews, monitors, and reports on these
policies monthly.
Policy Governance
Policy Governance®, an integrated board
leadership paradigm created by Dr. John Carver,
is a ground breaking model of governance
designed to empower boards of directors to
fulfill their obligation of accountability for
the organizations they govern.
As a generic system, it is applicable to the
governing body of any enterprise. The model
enables the board to focus on the larger issues,
to delegate with clarity, to control
management’s job without meddling, to rigorously
evaluate the accomplishment of the organization;
to truly lead its organization. For more
information visit:
www.carvergovernance.com
Management Policies
The Management creates its own set of rules and
regulations to govern the operation of the
business, in accordance with the Board policies,
such as the Co-op Personnel Policy and Donations
Policy.
Quick Links:
|
