Board of Directors
Meeting Notice
The Board meets at least monthly, generally on the fourth Wednesday from 6:00–8:30 PM. Meetings are open to Co-op owners, with specific time reserved for owner comments. To view monthly meeting information or to register to attend by Zoom teleconference, use the links below.
Meet the Belfast Community Co-op Board of Directors
The Belfast Community Co-op’s board of directors are Co-op owners directly elected by Co-op owners. The Co-op’s ownership has a legal responsibility to ensure our well-being, and the Board represents and acts for the Co-op’s owners, whose votes imply trust that the Board is representing their interests.
MEET THE BOARD
To view board member bios, click on the photos below.
Mary Bigelow
2025–2029
I have benefited from the cooperative food movement in rural New England for many, many years, first in Hardwick Vt, and over the last 25 years here in Belfast. The successfull rehab of the old A&P building demonstrates the energy and skill of the staff and the board. I am honored to join the board and am happily orienting myself to the grocery industry, the nature of our food systems and fair and effective group process, All three are important components of the coop’s current success. I am serving on the Owner Engagement Committee and work to ensure that the coop remains aligned with the member/owner community.
Todd Bluhm
2024–2027
Todd joined the Co-op in 2017 without much consideration; it just seemed the thing to do. Since then, his perspective has shifted dramatically as he has given the matter more thought and benefitted from the Co-op’s efforts to educate its owners. Yes: a vibrant, fair, local, and sustainable food economy is vitally important. By nature, businesses must prioritize profit. That’s fine for some areas of the economy, but food is too fundamental to be bound up in that model. If we do not protect and nurture community-driven efforts to manage our food supply, then we will suffer. The suffering could come through poor nutrition, through local money being vacuumed up and transferred to a far-away corporate headquarters, or by having local alternatives to unreliable global supply chains strangled out of existence. What a great thing it is to live in this area and already have a thriving Co-op. Todd is excited to protect and nurture it. He strives for awareness and balanced approaches to problems and challenges. Is inquisitive and detail-oriented, and a fair writer/editor. Although not an accountant, he can follow budgets. He understands the need for strategic vision, listening to the constituency, broad oversight, and accountability. He served on the board of a cooperative recreation/dining facility for two years and through that experience, learned how to create and maintain an effective relationship between a board and the operational realm of the general manager, and with the membership.
Ernie Cooper
2025–2028
Ernie previously served as Board Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee, involved in adoption of policy changes that strengthened the Co-op’s financial foundation. He has long believed in the importance of the cooperative business model as an alternative to corporate commerce. His experience has confirmed that being an active, committed, contributing member of the Board is perhaps the most important community service he can undertake.
Susan Cutting
2026–2029
Susan has experience volunteering for local nonprofits as well as managing international and regional environmental programs. She finds the most gratifying piece to be collaboration, often with those of differing voices, and group facilitation. She carries with her a love for nature, her family and friends, a deep appreciation and respect for this community, and a passion for protecting the Earth.
Richard Dines
2026–2028
Richard Dines has worked in the co-op movement for more than 40 years; as an employee with America’s Credit Unions, the National Co-op Bank, and the National Cooperative Business Association, and as a Board member with the Food Co-op Initiative, Shared Capital Cooperative, and the Inter-Co-operative Council at the University of Michigan. He is committed to the continued success of the Belfast Community Co-op in serving the community and a stronger co-op economy.
Rio Greeley
2026–2029
Rio Greeley has spent a majority of his life within the radius of the Belfast Community Co-op. Growing up playing in the old play-pen, the Co-op has always played an important role in his life and has shaped his values for a connected community. Previously working on the ground level as a Co-op employee, as well as a manager for downtown after-school children's programs, Rio hopes to use his experiences to help continue the co-op's mission of empowering a thriving community.
John Krueger
2026–2029
John Krueger is excited to bring his skills, particularly those gleaned from his years on the MOFGA board, to the Co-op. John also has financial and management skills from his career as a Maine DEP Scientist and director, and as an elected official in local politics. John would like to assure that the Co-op’s values and Global Ends Statement continue to gain traction in the future so others can learn from the Co-op’s success.
Jim Miller
2025–2028
Kim Relick
2025–2028
Kim Relick currently serves on the Belfast Co-op Board of Directors as Board Secretary and a member of the Executive Committee, the Strategic Work Committee and the Finance Committee. She brings to the Co-op Board the business expertise and collaborative skills honed during her career in the international media industry in marketing and business development and her recent positions at Boston University as Director of Marketing and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the College of Communication. Kim strongly supports the success of the Co-op’s recent operational expansion and works to build the collaboration between board members, Co-op and staff members, Maine Co-op boards and members of the community at large in the initiative to define and meet the future needs of the wider community.
James Shimko
2026–2028
James Shimko values the Belfast Community Co-op as a place where food, community, and shared purpose come together. He teaches accounting at Husson University and researches sound governance and organizational structure for small community organizations. In addition to his professional work, he enjoys participating in local music and dance, including tango, ukulele, and percussion, and values the role of the arts in bringing people together. As a member of the Co-op Board of Directors, he is committed to fostering collaboration and helping ensure the Co-op remains a strong and connected part of the community.
Valerie Tate
2024–2027
Valerie began her career as an RN at an hospital in an underserved community, then became a labor leader of nurses. At the time of her retirement, she was the coordinator of the Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare, supporting the leadership of 85,000 nurses nationwide. Experience has shown her that, where there is conflict, there’s a respectful way to find common ground.
If you have questions, please email the Board at board@belfast.coop.
Board Resources
Board updates
BCC Board of Directors Statement on Funding Nutrition Programs
Questions for the Board: board@belfast.coop
Board’s Role
The BOD has fiduciary responsibility for the Co-op and is directly accountable to the owners. The BOD’s essential role is to set and monitor policies that guide the Co-op's management and to ensure that all decisions are ethical and in accordance with the Co-op’s Bylaws and Ends, and with Cooperative Principles and Values.
The Board governs the organization and delegates all operational duties to the General Manager. The Board is involved in:
- Strategic planning
- Financial and legal oversight
- Member-owner linkage
- Community outreach
The Board of Directors does not make decisions regarding the operation of the store. The Board's sole official connection to the operations of the Co-op is through the General Manager.
Meetings and Events
- Board Meetings. The Board meets once a month, usually on the fourth Wednesday of the month, from 6 pm to 8:30 pm. One to two hours of reading is required to prepare for each meeting, generally in a combination of emails and a board packet provided prior to the meeting.
- Committee Meetings. The Board has three (3) standing committees: Finance, Owner Engagement, and Board Development. Directors must serve on at least one committee. Committees generally meet once a month.
- Annual Retreat. A one-day training retreat is held each year after the election. Directors are expected to attend.
- Training Events. Directors are supported to attend co-op national and regional conferences and educational workshops throughout the year.
The Belfast Co-op’s Board of Directors consists of 9–13 members elected by the owners. The Board has fiduciary responsibility for the Co-op and is directly accountable to the owners. It ensures that all business is conducted legally, prudently, ethically, and in accordance with the Co-op’s bylaws and ends, and with cooperative principles. The Board carries out its responsibilities by establishing broad policy guidelines and by monitoring the General Manager’s adherence to these guidelines.
Board Responsibilities and Commitments:
- Interacting with owners to understand their needs, values, and visions for the Co-op
- Developing, monitoring, and revising a body of policies to guide the Board and General Manager to achieve outcomes that are consistent with our owner’s values and vision.
- Hiring, evaluating, and working effectively with the General Manager.
- Attend all Board and appropriate Committee meetings and arrive prepared to contribute to discussions and decision-making, including carefully reading the board packet in advance of every monthly meeting. Devote the time needed to do this work well, approximately 10-15 hours/month for meetings, emails, ongoing training, preparation, and other activities.
- Monitor the Co-op’s financial status and plan to position the Co-op for ongoing success.
- Planning for the Co-op’s future, recruiting new board members, and setting long-range goals.
- Keep informed of cooperative/democratic organizations and learn about natural foods industry trends through trainings and other educational opportunities.
- Adhere to the Board’s Code of Conduct, policy C5 - Code of Conduct of the Policy Register.
Board members are elected to one to three year terms and approximately one-third of the Board is up for election each year during a period that includes the Annual Meeting.
Our Board of Directors guides the Co-op with a commitment to transparency and community ownership. As a cooperative grocery store, the decisions made here are shaped by our owners, ensuring that ethical shopping and sustainable practices remain at the forefront of our mission.
Interested in having a voice in how we operate? Become an Owner today and help shape the future of your Co-op.
Policy Governance
The Belfast Co-op Board operates using a Policy Governance model which sets up guidelines, called policies, within which the General Manager and the Board maintain accountability for operational performance and provide visionary leadership towards our shared mission. These policies are the primary way the Board conveys its expectations and the policies are monitored and reviewed on a regular basis. The General Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the store, and the Board determines the purpose, vision, and goals for the organization’s future based on Owner input. Policy Governance more clearly defines and focuses Board work on long-range policy decisions and not operational responsibilities. This system of governance requires attention, training, and practice.
Modified Consensus Decision Making
The Board uses modified consensus decision-making in its meetings. This process considers the input from all directors and aims to develop as much agreement as possible while respecting dissenting opinions. This helps generate a cooperative, collaborative group atmosphere to foster greater group cohesion and interpersonal connection. If consensus cannot be reached, the Board uses a supermajority of two-thirds to break any impasse on important or time-sensitive issues. Once the Board makes a decision, all directors must support that decision.
Requirements to Serve
Bylaw Requirements for Director Candidates:
- A candidate must be a member-owner in good standing (up-to-date on annual equity payments).
- Members of the management team of the Co-op (the General Manager and those reporting directly to the General Manager) are NOT eligible to be a director.
Qualifications
- Excellent communication skills including the ability to listen actively, and speak honestly and openly in group discussion, while also being able to abide by decisions arrived at by the Board
- Ability to work closely with other Board Members as a cohesive team, make decisions by consensus, delegate authority, and empower others
- A vision and commitment to make decisions for the long-term success of the Co-op
- Ability to synthesize complex information and share an understanding of this information
- Comfortable talking and working with owners and other groups
- Commitment to making Board work and responsibilities a priority
- Experience serving on a board of directors or other organizational committees
- Background in business or community outreach
- Experience with cooperatives, and their values and principles
- Ability to read financial reports (or commitment to learning how to do so)
Benefits of Board Service
- Opportunity to provide meaningful service to the local community and economy
- Leadership, professional and personal development opportunities
- A small monthly stipend of $40 in the form of a Co-op gift card
- Opportunity to work with a committed, principled, capable, and fun group of people
Board Meetings
The Board meets at least monthly, generally on the fourth Wednesday from 6:00-8:30 PM. Meetings are open to Co-op owners, with specific time reserved for owner comments. Additional committee meetings happen throughout the month.
You can join the Board for their monthly meetings in-person in the Abbott Room of the Belfast Free Library or virtually through Zoom teleconference.
Board meeting agendas are posted on the Co-op bulletin board and website one week prior to each scheduled meeting. Approved minutes of Board meetings are available on the website the week following the subsequent monthly meeting. Special meetings may be called as necessary by the Board, or by petition submitted by at least 10% of Co-op owners.
What Makes
a Co-op, a Co-op?
Definition: A cooperative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.
Values: Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility, and caring for others.
Principles:
- Voluntary and Open Membership
- Democratic Member Control
- Member Economic Participation
- Autonomy and Independence
- Education, Training, and Information
- Cooperation among Cooperatives
- Concern for Community
