ROC-NH staff answer your burning questions.

Should boards regularly have an “open forum” on their meeting agenda?

Yes. Open forum should always be on board of directors meeting agendas. All board meetings are open to membership attendance, except for executive sessions, and open forum is a chance for them to be heard.

Meetings at which board members do all the talking often discourage attendance and leave the co-op’s members uninformed or misinformed. Board meetings should always encourage membership  attendance. And although members aren’t allowed to talk during the scheduled board discussions unless the board asks for input, open forum is a chance for them to ask questions and get any comments off of their chests.

Members often feel confused by the difference between “board” and “membership” meetings. At a board meeting, the officers elected by the members to represent them discuss and execute the necessary day-to-day business. A membership meeting is usually a special or annual meeting where the board has a matter of business that requires a membership discussion and vote.

Do you have any tips for increasing attendance at annual membership meetings?

Raffles, raffles, and raffles!!!! In my short time with ROC-NH and visiting co-ops around the state, I’ve seen everything from free/discounted rent, to lottery tickets, to meat, raffled off at annual meetings (and even at regular board meetings!).

It’s a shame that some co-ops don’t have more attendance at these meetings. Although I’m their technical assistance provider and so opt to leave the prizes for the members, I would definitely be interested in free meat and lotto tickets!

Should board members also serve on committees? Always? Sometimes? Never? Why?

It can be helpful for a board member to serve on whichever committee corelates to their board position, for example, treasurer on the finance committee, operations manager on a beautification or capital improvement committee, secretary on a membership committee. This is a way for the officer and the committee members to draw from their diverse skills and knowledge when making recommendations to the board. The board member can also provide board insight into whatever discussion is happening.

ROC-NH™ is a program of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, Inc. and a ROC USA^® Certified Technical Assistance Provider.
ROC-NH is a registered service mark of ROC USA, LLC.