Democracy – good for Egypt and the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op

In contradiction to the Co-op’s Bylaws, the Co-op Board has stated that it will decide whether Co-op members get to vote on the Human Rights initiative (to have the Co-op stop carrying Israeli products until Israel stops violating the rights of the Palestinian people).

The Board is also trying to dictate that information about the initiative can only be presented at the Member meeting in August. The Bylaws do not give the Board the authority to prevent the initiative from being on the ballot or to prohibit proponents from informing members about it.

Sadly for the Co-op, the Board seems to be trying to circumvent a direct check that members have to balance the Board's power, specifically the ability of members to put referendums and initiatives before a vote of the full membership. Without checks and balances, any democracy, including that of the Co-op is at risk.

In January, the Co-op Board eliminated the Open Comment period at Board meetings. A week after the Co-op received petitions to put the Human Rights Initiative on the ballot, the General Manager, Paul Cultrera notified the proponents that they could no longer table in front of the Co-op. Although proponents had been tabling at the Co-op for seven months, the GM based his decision on “infractions” that allegedly occurred on January 22 and 23.

Proponents deny the allegations and feel the issue is the content of their material, not these “infractions." Members and shoppers are encouraged to fill out comment cards in the store and email the Co-op Board president sjbrancamp [at] aol.com and the General Manager GM [at] sacfoodcoop.com. More info is available at: http://www.sacbds.org.