Meet the 2019 Board of Directors
Congratulations to Annie Hoy, Melina Barker, Lisa Beam, and Steve Bowman for their election to the Board of Directors! We were delighted to have such a strong slate of candidates to fill our four vacancies. You can read more about each new director here.
For some time, the Board has been exploring whether to increase the number of director positions from its seven current seats. We want to make it feasible for owners with full time jobs and/or other major time constraints to be able to serve on the board. We ask a lot of our directors in terms of committee assignments, officer roles, training expectations and volunteer events. Many co-ops of our size have 9-member boards to carry the load. Our bylaws provide that we can have as many as nine directors. At its June meeting, the Board voted to add one additional director for a total of eight directors, and to appoint the candidate with the next highest number of votes to fill this position with a one year trial. We are pleased to announce that Charlie Douglass will fill that position.
The Board and the Management Team met for two half-day sessions this spring to update our strategic plan. We continue to work actively on several key initiatives that we adopted five years ago, but also wanted to step back and ask ourselves what else we need to be paying attention to as we prepare for the future. Lots of great ideas were proposed and we are in the process of narrowing them down to the critical few, including our highest priority of addressing our parking and space constraints. A number of owners pointed out that they would like the option to vote separately on each proposed bylaw change rather than vote on them as a whole. We heard your feedback and will adopt that practice for all future bylaw changes.
As always, you can direct any question or comment to the Board at [email protected]. We invite you to attend our next Board meeting on August 14th at 6 p.m in the Pioneer Conference Room.
More Co-op News
Bicycle Benefits
Do you love to bike? Do you love to save money? Do you love the Co-op? Let us tell you about this awesome program at the Ashland Food Co-op! We all know biking is great for the environment and by joining Bicycle Benefits you'll be doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint, all while enjoying some pretty sweet perks.
So, what exactly is Bicycle Benefits? It's a program that rewards cyclists for their pedal power! Here's how it works:
1. Stop by the Co-op and buy your $5 Bicycle Benefits sticker
May 2023 Change for Good Partner: Talent Maker City
Talent Maker City's mission is to build a more connected, prosperous, and resilient community through hands-on creativity and innovative STEAM-based learning. (STEAM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math.) They have a bustling Makerspace facility, brimming with creative energy in downtown Talent offering hands-on STEAM-based workshops and programming for curious minds of all ages!
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo
We're always learning and growing here at the Co-op and with the approach of Cinco de Mayo we thought we would share a (very) brief history lesson and some thoughts on celebrating this holiday here in the United States.
April 2023 Change for Good Partner: Pollinator Project Rogue Valley
From Kristina Lefever, Pollinator Project Rogue Valley President
March 2023 Change for Good: Klamath Bird Observatory
From Klamath Bird Observatory, March 2023's Change for Good partner:
Frederick Douglass And Co-ops in 1846
When Douglass Came to Rochdale, England a Slave and Left a Free Man
By David J Thompson
February's Change for Good partner: OHRA
OHRA helps low-income people build better lives through access to social service resources. By helping
people move from crisis to stability, OHRA builds more capable individuals, stronger families, and a
better community. We have three core programs:
January Change for Good Partner: Ashland Food Angels
December Change for Good Partner: Rogue Action Center
December's Change for Good Partner is
Rogue Action Center
The Rogue Action Center (RAC) builds organizing infrastructure, leaders, and community power for a just, inclusive, and sustainable Southern Oregon for everyone.
November Change for Good Partner: Vesper Meadow Education Program
October Change for Good Partner: AFC Gives Community Fund
October's Change for Good Partner is
AFC Gives Community Fund
September Change for Good Partner: Truth to Power
September's Change for Good Partner is
Truth to Power
Truth to Power cultivates teen activism and community participation through social justice podcasts and transformative projects.