[HCoop-Discuss] Bylaws revision - increasing size of board, etc.

[Michael Potter]

On Sat, 2007-12-29 at 14:02 -0500, Nathan Kennedy wrote:
<SNIP>
> As for S Taylor's concerns, of course others may also be qualified. 
> That's why the main purpose here is to increase the size of the board to
> allow more people to be involved and each member to have a proportionately
> smaller role and power in the reconstituted board.  

I don't agree that running for the board should be a member's only
recourse to influence the co-op. On the whole, I think things have been
well-run, but I have seen a trend towards oligarchy here.

The plan appears to be to grow Hcoop as much as possible, have paid
staff and retain a single level of membership under 'representative'
democracy. This centralized control is a change after all the early talk
of consensus. 

> But relegating the
> board's routine operations to be subordinated to minority membership
> involvement can often subvert the will of the majority and derail
> operations.  

What's to stop the will of the majority from being subverted by elected
representatives and their appointees?

> There are plenty of safety mechanisms in place for unpopular
> board actions that ignore the mandate, including the mailing lists and the
> threat of removal, bylaws amendment, and future elections.
> 
> -ntk

I don't know if these safety mechanisms are enough. It's a long time
between elections. 

Michael