Run for Council

Interested in Serving on GreenStar’s Board of Directors?

Get Involved by Serving on GreenStar’s Council

Co-op member-owners interested in running for Council must:

Attend a Council Candidate Information Session. These hour-long sessions will be held at various times throughout the year.
Submit the Council Candidate Application by September 1 to appear on the ballot.
Attend at least one full Council Meeting. Meetings are held every second Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm via Google Meet. Email boardadmin@greenstar.coop for instructions on how to attend the meeting.
During the election period, candidates must attend at least one member-owner function, such as the Annual Meeting in October.

Get more information by contacting Council at elections@greenstar.coop.

Declaration of Candidacy

Every candidate must provide the following information and sign the Declaration. Your current address, phone, and email information is needed for Council purposes; as a candidate or Council member, you will need to provide at least one way for member-owners to contact you.

TIMELINE FOR SUBMISSION:

To appear on the ballot that is sent to GreenStar Co-op owners, you must apply by September 1.

Name(Required)

First Last

Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Home/Cell Phone(Required)

Work Phone

Email(Required)

Member Number

Your preferred contact information, for Co-op members to contact you? (NOTE: this information will be published in election materials)(Required)

Are you now and/or have you previously been a member of Council?(Required)

Yes

If so, what were your years of service?

Are you currently a paid employee of GreenStar?(Required)

Yes

If Yes, what is your job title?

NOTE: No more than 2 GreenStar employees may serve on Council at any one time. Management-level staff in the Area Supervisors Group - except for the Store Designer - are not eligible to serve.

Do you have any other relationship with GreenStar, any of its staff members, or a competing business (for example, as a vendor, owner of another business, or spouse/partner of a GreenStar employee, vendor or competitor), or any other role, that could pose a conflict of interest for you as a GreenStar director? If Yes, please explain briefly.(Required)

NOTE: A limited conflict of interest, provided it is disclosed, does not make you ineligible to be a candidate; Your disclosure will be published with your candidate statement.

Additional Questions For Candidates Seeking Election to Council

Please limit your responses to a total of 600 words (which is an average of 150 words per question). If the total length of your responses exceeds the cumulative limit of 600 words, one or more of your responses may be shortened or omitted.

Describe your experience with this cooperative, and cooperatives generally. What makes you passionate about the co-op and/or its mission?(Required)

Please explain how your skills and experience will help you to be an effective Council Member and contribute to the work of Council.(Required)

What’s your vision for the future of our cooperative?(Required)

New candidates: What is your motivation for running for Council? INCUMBENTS: What do you believe has been your most important contribution to Council during your tenure?(Required)

For Council elections, candidates must meet the following Bylaw requirements.

Please note that requirements 4 - 9 are New York State requirements which Board members must meet in order for the Co-op to maintain its’ operational licenses.

1. I am an honest and caring person.
2. I am a current GreenStar Co-op Member-Owner, in good standing.
3. I will find sufficient time to devote to duties as a Director.
4. I am a US citizen or permanent resident alien.
5. I am at least 21 years old (or will be by the time I would join the board, following the election);
6. I am not a convicted felon. I do not have alcohol-related or prostitution-related convictions that have not been expunged (for you, or in some cases, your spouse as well).
7. I have not had a previously-held liquor license revoked, or violation of NYS liquor law in the past 2 years.
8. I am not a police officer.
9. I agree to be fingerprinted by the State of NY.
10. I am committed to cooperation as a viable economic relationship.

As part of my application to run for the Board of Directors of GreenStar Food Co+op, by signing below I certify that I am in compliance with the above requirements for Board candidacy. I understand that any deliberate or accidental misrepresentation of my compliance may result in my disqualification as a candidate and/or my removal if I am elected.

Are you able to satisfy all the requirements listed above?(Required)

Yes

If you cannot answer YES to this question, please consider whether it is in the Co-op’s best interest for you to be a candidate for Council. If you submit this form without a YES answer or verifying signature, you will be contacted by a Co-op representative, designated by Council, to discuss the matter in confidence.

DECLARATION

(must be signed and submitted by all candidates)

By my signature below (or by my affirmation that this completed form is submitted by me, via my email account), I hereby declare that I am a member-owner in good standing of GreenStar Cooperative Market, Inc. (my membership equity payments are up to date, etc), that I have answered all of the preceding questions accurately and truthfully, and that I am a candidate for election to Council in this year's Council election.

I am aware of the legal, fiscal, ethical and practical responsibilities of a member of GreenStar’s Council (board of directors), including the substantial time commitment, and the Code of Conduct for directors, and can (and will, if elected) respect and fulfill them.

Please sign this agreement by typing your name below.