The 2024 Annual Election is just around the corner!

 

Meet Your Board &
Positive Change Candidates

 

Voting will open on Wednesday, September 25th, 2024, and
close on Friday, October 25th, 2024, at midnight.

 

There are three matters Owner-Members will be voting on in this election period:

  1. Four open Board of Director seats

  2. Eleven 2025 Positive Change recipients

  3. Proposed Bylaw Change: Article 4.3 Terms & Elections

Check out the Voters' Guide by clicking the image to the left for all the info you need as an Owner-Member to make your voice heard.

 
 

Who can vote?

Any active Owner-Member in good standing who joined at least 30 days prior to the start of the election has the right (and responsibility) to vote. Active members are entitled to notice and vote on any matter submitted for a vote within the election period and timeline authorized by the Board of Directors and specified in the voters’ guide. Individual owner-members, households, and legal entities are subject to one vote per membership number of record.

Why You Should Vote – A Message from Your Board of Directors:

Bloomingfoods, is not just a grocery store; it's a community of like-minded individuals who have come together to support local farms and businesses, sustainable practices, and the overall well-being of our community. The decisions we make as members have a profound impact on the direction our cooperative takes, the products we offer, and the values we uphold.

Here are some key reasons why your vote matters:

  • Voice of the Community: Bloomingfoods is a cooperative in the truest sense of the word. It's owned and operated by its members – people like you and me. Voting in our cooperative elections is a powerful way to have your voice heard and to shape the future of our organization. Every member's perspective is unique and valuable.

  • Protect Our Values: Our cooperative was founded on principles of sustainability, community support, and ethical business practices. Voting ensures that we maintain and strengthen these values, preventing the dilution of our cooperative's mission.

  • Accountability: By participating in elections, you hold our cooperative's leadership accountable. Your vote helps ensure that the individuals elected to serve the cooperative are aligned with our shared vision and values.

  • Financial Health: The decisions made within our cooperative can directly affect its financial health. By voting for candidates who prioritize fiscal responsibility and sound management, you help safeguard our cooperative's long-term sustainability.

  • Community Engagement: Your participation in the voting process fosters a sense of community and cooperation among our members. It reinforces the idea that we are all in this together, working collectively for the betterment of our community.

Voting in our cooperative's elections is a privilege and a responsibility. We encourage you to review the candidate profiles and their platforms so that you can make an informed decision when casting your vote.

Join us for the 2024 Boo Bash & Annual Meeting on Friday, October 25th, 2024!

The first 50 Owner-Members to RSVP will receive Bfoods branded merch upon arrival/check-in at the Boo Bash & Annual meeting!

Introducing your 2024 Board candidates!

If you have any questions or comments for the Board candidates, please email bobbi@bloomingfoods.coop.

Matthew Burns

Serving on the board is an amazing opportunity to invest in our community and build lasting relationships. A more active role in an organization pursuing local development while promoting health, care for the land, and sustainability is wildly inspiring!

 
Tosh Lewis

tosh lewis (incumbent/Current employee)

I am dedicated to fostering a resilient and inclusive cooperative that benefits our community. With your approval, I will continue to work towards these goals while furthering our Ends.

 
Tamara Loewenthal

Tamara Loewenthal

I love the value and food options that Bloomingfoods provides to our community, and I want to ensure that the Co-op thrives. I’d like to see the Co-op connect more deeply with its member-owners, to increase their investment and participation.

 
Susan Myers

susan myers (current Employee)

I am a devoted Bloomingfoods member and employee on and off since 1988.  I worked at Bloomingfoods for five years while I earned my bachelor's degree.  I feel that this is a good time for me to get more involved in the co-op.

 
Meagan Vargas

Meagan Vargas

I am inspired to serve on the board to become a better leader, expand my network, give back to the community, and make a difference. This will give me the opportunity to share my knowledge while also learning from farmers, small business owners, along with government officials. 

Introducing your 2025 Positive Change candidates!

Organizations are listed in the order their applications were received.

  1. Special Olympics Indiana Monroe County

  2. Lotus Education and Arts Foundation

  3. Pantry 279

  4. Brown County Mountain Biking

  5. Live Adventurously

  6. Monroe County Humane Association

  7. Cancer Support Community South Central Indiana

  8. Highland Park Elementary PTO

  9. Susie's Place Child Advocacy Center

  10. Stone Belt Arc

  11. The Jewish Theatre Bloomington

  12. Indiana Forest Alliance

  13. Tandem Community Birth Center and Postpartum House, Inc

  14. Artists for Climate Awareness

  15. Bloomington Developmental Learning Center

  16. Farm to Family Fund, Inc

  17. Environmental Resilience Institute

  18. Spencer Pride, Inc.

  19. Bloomington Community Orchard

  20. League of Women Voters of Bloomington and Monroe County

  21. Foundation of Monroe County Community Schools

  22. Compass Early Learning Center (MCUM)

  23. WFHB Bloomington Community Radio

  24. New Life New Leaf

  25. Courage to Change Sober LIving

  26. Hoosier Trails Council, Scouting America

  27. Bloomington Refugee Support Network

  28. WildCare Inc.

  29. Hoosier Hills Food Bank

  30. Monroe County History Center, Inc.

  31. Lake Monroe Water Fund

  32. Big Brothers Big Sisters South Central Indiana

  33. Women Writing for (a) Change-Bloomington

  34. The Writers Guild at Bloomington

  35. The Bloomington High School South Band Boosters

  36. Friends of Lake Monroe

  37. Windfall Dancers, Inc.

  38. Limestone Post Magazine

  39. Mobility Aids Lending Library

  40. Exodus Refugee Immigration, Inc.

  41. Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington: Center for Community-Engaged Dissemination and Implementation Research

  42. Wonderlab Museum of Science, Health and Technology

  43. Sojourn House

  44. Monroe County - Identify and Reduce Invasive Species

  45. Friends of the Library

  46. CanopyBloomington

  47. SCCAP Thriving Connections

Proposed Bylaw Change

The Board of Directors suggests a revision to the Bylaws of Bloomington Cooperative Services. The Board approved this change on June 26th, 2024 to bring this policy in line with policy C10 (Board Election), which was recently revised to clarify guidelines around elections.  The proposed change to the Bylaws is to the first paragraph of Article 4.3.

The first paragraph of Article 4.3 currently states:

4.3 Terms and Elections. Elections shall occur annually, in a manner prescribed by the Board. Candidates must submit a board candidacy application to be reviewed by the Board. The Board will recommend a slate of candidates according to the perceived needs of the Board. Applicants who are not recommended but who still desire to run for election may do so by filing a petition that includes the names of at least seventy (70) owner-members who have been owner-members for at least sixty (60) days. The deadline for filing petitions is forty-five (45) days before the voting begins.

We ask that you approve the additional language in the second to last sentence of the paragraph, highlighted here in capital letters:

4.3 Terms and Elections. Elections shall occur annually, in a manner prescribed by the Board. Candidates must submit a board candidacy application to be reviewed by the Board. The Board will recommend a slate of candidates according to the perceived needs of the Board. Applicants who are not recommended but who still desire to run for election may do so by filing a petition that includes the names of at least seventy (70) owner members who have been ACTIVE owner-members for at least sixty (60) days IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE PETITION DUE DATE. The deadline for filing petitions is forty-five (45) days before the voting begins. 

The complete BCS Bylaws and Policy Register can be found on our website at www.bloomingfoods.coop/board.

Questions? Please contact boardinfo@bloomingfoods.coop.

Voting will open on Wednesday, September 25th, and
close on Friday, October 25th, at midnight.

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