As our River Market Community Co-op Annual Owners Meeting and Board of Directors Election approaches in October, it is worthwhile to revisit one of the seven co-op principles: Democratic Member Control. 

We “vote with our dollars” with every dollar we spend. Despite the fact that shopping for food may be routine, it is actually a profound world-shaping event. How does this work? Just one example: the farmers, vendors, distributors and suppliers with whom River Market partners are selected based on a reflection of our values and the value of the products they offer. Costs are negotiated to be mutually beneficial. So when you choose to buy from River Market, you vote “Yes!” for the principles that our co-op lives by. 

A more direct opportunity to participate in the principle of Democratic Member Control is voting for the board members that have the responsibility to represent the interests of you…the owners. The purpose of electing the board of directors is to democratically control the co-op. All fiduciary responsibility for the cooperative rests with the board of directors. And in case you haven’t noticed, all of the current directors, as well as the candidates running for the board this year, are owners like you and me. Our annual election for the board of directors is just one way that we are different and not a traditional grocery store. 

Another opportunity for democratic owner involvement is to attend our Annual Owner Meeting in October (“Food, Fun and Financials”). This is the primary opportunity for owners to meet other owners, hear directly from the board and our store management, as well as give input on co-op issues. We hope to hear from our owners about any topics or concerns.

Choosing how and where we spend our food dollars is important – but so is participating and voting. Our unique competitive advantage in the food retail space is sustained when we own, use, serve, belong, and participate. Please vote, and we hope to see you at the Annual Owners Meeting!

David Mickelson