Community-Owned Since 1974
FRESH • LOCAL • ORGANIC
Produce, Groceries, Bulk & Deli

Greetings fellow Co-op Members,

 

As your elected Directors of our beloved 50 year old Durango Natural Foods Cooperative, we are extremely pleased to present to you a document that will carry us forward in a good way for another 50 years and beyond! We are referring to a document that has ultimate importance when it comes to how the Co-op is governed, operated, and how it is legally protected. This is similar to a corporation’s operating agreement, or a state’s constitution. We are referring to our Bylaws, which are basically the rule book for how the Board and General Manager run the organization, and it determines how DNF would be protected in a court of law. The Bylaws are referred to on a constant basis by the Board and GM for governance and operating parameters. 

 

Our current Bylaws are admittedly antiquated, difficult to decipher, and lack important protections. For a long time there has been a clear need for making our Bylaws easier to understand, making them legally sound, and bringing them into the 21st century. Efforts to address those needs began within the Board in 2018. 

 

The Board’s resolve to address these issues led to years of regular meetings to decode, discuss, research, and articulate language that is understandable and legally sound. Finally, after 6 years of work, we are proud to present the Bylaws Master Edits document to you! Please know that a cooperative effort amongst Directors and Staff have looked at this through their professional lenses and have brainstormed just about every possible scenario, with the intention of keeping the Co-op protected in its present spirit and ethics. We have also received professional consultation, and review from an attorney. In our mindful revision process, we have also cross-referenced a legally sound co-op bylaws template provided by Cooperative Board Leadership Development, a national organization which provides consultation for co-op boards across the country. With the tools described, and thoughtful reflection, we have gone through this document in its entirety with a fine tooth comb 3 times. The proposed edits you see have been scrutinized by multiple Directors, Staff, and Professionals.

 

With that said, we want your eyes on this document as well. We are inviting you to review our work. We would like to know of any feedback or thoughts that you may have. Please read the document here and if you have any feedback to offer, email it by March 24, 2024 to board@durangonaturalfoods.coop

 

Changing the Bylaws in any way requires membership approval, so we will take this to a vote of the members for final approval. If the feedback we are inviting is positive, we will move forward with putting this on the ballot in the April election. If there are complicated concerns, we are prepared to take the time to work those out and come to the best solution. 

 

Please know that the reasoning in this project came from a place of care for the Co-op by many Members/Directors & Staff over the years. The purpose has been to provide clarification, include the use of current technology, and to protect the mission of DNF. We have not proposed any changes to member equity, nor have we diminished the rights of members. Essentially the Co-op would carry on as it is, standing on the foundation of a much more sound Bylaws document, which will serve current and future Co-op leadership in a meaningful way. Our goal in this effort is for DNF to continue to thrive into the future as an independently owned hub for its community, committed to healthy, local, organic, and ethically sourced food and goods for all. 

 

Thank you so much for your time and your involvement in DNF Co-op.

Sincerely,

Your Board of Directors