2017 Board of Directors Election: Owners, it’s time to vote!

• Voting begins September 21st and ends October 19th.
• All Co-op Market Owners are eligible to vote. For your ballot to count, you must include your Owner number.
• Each Owner number is allowed one vote, so if you share your number with others in your household, please consult them before voting.
• We have seven candidates for five open seats on the board. Choose five (or fewer) candidates.
• The ballot includes amendments to our bylaws. The bylaws must be approved in their entirety, so you are asked to vote yes or no.
• Election results will be announced at our Annual Meeting on October 19th at Birch Hill Recreation Area.
• You can vote by electronic ballot or paper ballot. Instructions for voting by electronic ballot were emailed to all Owners with a valid email address. You can also download and print a paper ballot or pick one up in the store.
• We need votes from at least 10% of our Owners for the election to be valid. This year, that means we need 340 votes.

The Board of Directors is the governing body for the Owners of Co-op Market. It is composed of nine people, all Owners of Co-op Market, elected by Owners. Elections are held every year in the Fall. Board terms are 3 years. (We are currently transitioning to 3-year terms, so some directors elected in 2017 will serve for 1 year.) The board is responsible for ensuring organizational performance on behalf of all of Co-op Market Owners.

The board’s work includes developing clearly stated expectations through written policies; delegating responsibility for, and authority over, the achievement of stated objectives; and monitoring compliance with written policies. The current board has been focusing on three big concerns:

• More Happy People
• More Local Economy
• More Healthy Food

The board governs the organization and delegates all operational duties to one employee, the General Manager. We are involved in strategic planning, financial oversight, ownership linkage, and community outreach.

The Board of Directors does not make decisions about, become involved with, or take part in any of the day-to-day activities or decisions regarding the operation of Co-op Market. The board’s sole official connection to the operations of the cooperative is through the General Manager.

The board meets the second Monday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Literacy Council/Forget-Me-Not Books on Gaffney Road. These meetings are open to everyone. You can reach the board by emailing board@coopmarket.org.