Cooperatives are democratic organizations that are controlled by their owners. The fact that owners participate in electing their board to make decisions about the policies and direction for the co-op, is one of the fundamental features that distinguishes cooperatives from other for-profit organizations. It follows then, that for Outpost to function properly, its owners need to be both informed and active.

The Annual Owner Meeting, which takes place on February 17th, is arguably the most important opportunity to get informed about Outpost’s performance. Voting for the board of directors, which begins in the following month, is when you get active and put that knowledge into action.

At the Annual Owner Meeting, Management and the Board brief owners on Outpost’s performance and future plans. You also get a chance to meet the candidates that will be running in the upcoming election.

Each year one third of the seats on the Board open up. That means that in two election cycles, or just over a year, there is a possibility of a completely new controlling majority. Unfortunately, we’re lucky if we get a hundred owners to show up at the Annual Owner Meeting, and only about three percent of owners vote in the election.

It’s hard to stress enough how important it is for owners to participate in the governance of our cooperative. While the Board is not active in day to day management, it is the vehicle by which owners exercise their influence on the direction of the organization. Without fully-informed owners actively participating, there is no guarantee that interests of the majority will be represented. So come to the Annual Owner Meeting. And vote.

Jan Pierce

Outpost Board Treasurer