The Co-op Food Stores of New Hampshire and Vermont

You may not think about them much in your day-to-day job, but the Co-op bylaws are important! They are also complicated and out of date. Changes are being proposed, and we want staff to be the first to know. Learn more below.

Why the Change?

• They are a patchwork of amendments made to the original 1936 bylaws.

• Member definition is confusing and inconsistently applied. All memberships must own ten shares. However, we begin to apply benefits at three shares, allow two voters at six shares. These are left-oversfrom varying definitions of membership over our 77-year history.

• We are violating a basic cooperative principle: one member, one vote. Currently, a single membership can have two votes if two people are named on the membership. At the same time, a different membership with a single owner has one vote. Yet both have the same 10-share economic commitment

Learn more! Check out PDFs below and look for C3p0 in stores for more information.

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Understanding Proposed Bylaws Changes