Board of Directors Application PDF

applications due September 10
election held October 15 – November 15

BOARD OF DIRECTORS INFORMATION
The Olympia Food Co-op Board of Directors is the elected body that represents the membership by establishing policies, overseeing the operating and capital budgets, approving plans and recommendations, and setting general guidelines for staff and working members. The Board holds ultimate legal responsibility for the operations and actions of the Co-op. Serving on the Board is a great opportunity to be an active participant in your Co-op’s future and in the future of our community!

The Mission Statement for the Co-op (from Section I.2. of The Bylaws) is:
The purpose of the Cooperative is to contribute to the health and well-being of people by providing wholesome foods and other goods and services, accessible to all, through a locally-oriented, collectively managed, not-for-profit cooperative organization that relies on consensus decision making.  We strive to make human effects on the earth and its inhabitants positive and renewing and to encourage economic and social justice.

Our goals are to:

A. Provide information about food

B. Make good food accessible to more people;

C. Support efforts to increase democratic process;

D. Support efforts to foster a socially and economically egalitarian society;

E. Provide information about collective process and consensus decision making;

F. Support local production;

G. See to the long term health of the business;

H. Assist in the development of local community resources.

Board Responsibilities (as outlined in Section III.12. of The Bylaws) are:
13. BOARD DUTIES

Except as to matters reserved to membership by law or by these bylaws, the business and affairs of the Cooperative shall be directed by the Board of Directors.

The major duties of the Board are to:

A. Employ Staff, approve the make-up of the hiring committee, approve job descriptions, and approve a hiring policy;

B. Select officers, and fill Board vacancies as needed;

C. Approve an operating budget annually;

D. Monitor the financial health of the Cooperative;

E. Appoint standing and special committees as needed;

F. Authorize appropriate agents to sign contracts, leases, or other obligations on behalf of  the Cooperative;

G. Adopt, review, and revise Cooperative plans;

H. Approve major capital projects;

I. Adopt major policy changes;

J. Adopt policies to foster member involvement;

K. Authorize major debt obligations of the Cooperative;

L. Ensure compliance with all corporate obligations, including the keeping of corporate records and filing all necessary documents;

M. Ensure adequate audits of Cooperative finances;

N. Maintain free-flowing communication between the Board, Staff, committees, and the membership;

O. Adopt policies which promote achievement of the mission statement and goals of the Cooperative;

P. Resolve organizational conflicts after all other avenues of resolution have been exhausted;

Q. Establish and review the Cooperative’s goals and objectives.

R. Provide an annual report to the members to include a financial report, committee reports, and a summary of other significant events held and actions taken by the Cooperative during the year.

Board members receive working member credit for their time spent in Board and committee meetings.  The monthly hour commitment ranges between 10 to 20 hours.  The Board meets once a month. Each Board member is required to join 2-3 committees which also meet 1-2 times per month (though this will vary from committee to committee.)  These committees establish plans and policies that are then passed on to the Board or membership for approval.  The standing committees include Finance, Expansion, Co-op Development, Ecological Planning, Standing Hiring, Local Products, and Member Relations. Temporary committees may be formed to deal with specific short-term projects (International Year of the Co-op, Discount Task force, etc.)

Eligibility & Election Information
To be eligible to run for the Board you must be a member of the Co-op with a current address on file, and you must be willing to make a 3 year commitment.  Board members can serve a maximum of two three-year terms. This year the Board has four positions to fill.  Newly elected Board members will receive in-depth trainings on consensus decision-making and anti-oppression, as well as the Co-op’s finances, policies, general procedures, and history.

The election will be held from October 15 to November 15

New Board members will be asked to attend the November and December Board meetings to begin their training and meet current Board members, and will officially begin their term in January.

If you are interested in running for the Board, you must fill out the application and submit it and a current digital photo of yourself to boardapplication@olympiafood.coop by 9pm on September 10th.

For more information, contact Fern at boardapplication@olympiafood.coop