A trio of information meetings followed by a vote on the proposed amalgamation of the Humboldt and Muenster Co-ops will be held on July 16 and 17 in three communities. A presentation by the Boards at the members only meeting will be followed by a vote to determine whether the merger will proceed. In a social media release to members and the public, the Co-ops state the mission is to have an open forum for discussion.
Muenster Co-op members can attend the meeting and vote on July 16 at the Muenster Seniors Centre at 7 pm. Humboldt Co-op members can attend a pair of simultaneous meetings at the respective Legion Halls in Lanigan and Humboldt. Those meetings both go on July 17 at 7:00 pm.
Patrons who are members of both Humboldt and Muenster Co-ops are invited to attend both sets of meetings, and they’ll be allowed to cast votes at both meetings, explains Humboldt Co-op GM Joe Von Doellen.
“The intent of the amalgamation is to ensure the viability of both Co-ops for years to come,” says Von Doellen. “As everybody is probably aware, business is changing drastically. The economics of the business is getting tougher. Nobody wants to believe that food margins are tighter, and they are. In order to be as efficient as possible, you sometimes have to look at a bigger scale and share some services like human resources and administration. That certainly helps those smaller stores stay viable.”
The meetings will outline pertinent information, expand on the rationale for the move, and give members a chance to ask questions or voice concerns. Asked why it’s important for members to attend, Von Doellen was straightforward in his response.
“Because it’s your Co-op. You deserve an opportunity to have a say in the merger of these two companies. An amalgamation is bringing two Co-ops together to form a new Co-op, and because it’s your entity, you get a vote.”
The votes will be held following the information meeting. The results of the vote by the membership present at the meetings will be tabulated that night and shared with the membership.
Von Doellen explained that 67 percent of the members present at the meeting of the Humboldt Co-op must vote for the amalgamation for it to proceed. Similarly, 67 percent of the voting members attending the current Muenster Co-op meeting must vote for the amalgamation for it to go ahead.
Members will find an FAQ listing and proposed bylaws for review by clicking on this link.