documents:manual:officer [La Reunion Cooperative]

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===== Officer Positions =====

Officers are elected labor positions used to oversee and/or manage different aspects of the coop. A list of the current officer positions and what is expected of each can be found [[:documents:officers|here]].

Officers must conduct all house business on House provided email and other accounts that will be passed on to future holders of office <sub>[[:meetings:archive:2015-07-26#agenda_item_4|[HM 7-26-15]]]</sub>.

Officers are required to sign their emails with their name when using an officer account <sub>[[:meetings:archive:2015-07-26#agenda_item_4|[HM 7-26-15]]]</sub>.

The membership coordinator, maintenance coordinator, and labor czar may reallocate an hour of their own weekly labor credit in order to work with a one-hour-per-week assistant <sub>[[:meetings:archive:2019-09-22#agenda_item_3|[HM 9-22-19]]]</sub>.


==== Terms and Elections ====

Elected officer terms last for six months, except [[:documents:officers#other_officer_positions|board representatives]], who serve 1 year terms <sub>[[meetings:archive:2014-02-02#donny_propose_to_extend_current_board_rep_term_to_1_yearapplies_to_all_future_board_reps|[HM 2-2-14]]]</sub> Elections shall be organized by the current term's steward. If for any reason the steward is not able to organize an election, the Labor Czar shall carry out this process instead. If the Labor Czar is also not able to organize an election, a quorum of any three elected officers shall carry out this process. <sub>[[https://www.lareunioncoop.org/meetings/2020-10-04|[HM 10-4-20]]]</sub>

Nomination and voting time periods of regular or special elections may be accelerated via [[:documents:consensus|consensus]] at a [[:documents:manual:meetings#house_meetings|house]] or [[:documents:manual:meetings#committee_meetings|committee]] meeting, as long as clear notice is given.

For the purposes of elections, clear notice to the house involves both email and notices posted to doors, with reasonable accommodations as necessary. Nomination and voting periods, along with where members may turn in their ballots, must be specified when elections begin.

=== Nominations ===

Elections begin with a nomination period. Nomination sheets shall be posted in the commons for all electable positions. Anyone may nominate any member for a position. Nominations must be signed by the member nominated for the member to be considered a valid nominee for that position.

A nomination may be shared by two people, who must both accept it to be considered a valid nominee, and shall share the position if they win. A shared nomination is otherwise considered a single nominee in voting process rules.

Nomination sheets shall be up for at least a week. The end of the nomination period must be clearly notified to the house.

A member may only accept multiple nominations for elected officer positions if those positions' labor obligations sum to no more than five hours. If at the end of a nomination period a member has accepted nominations totalling more than four hours, the member is disqualified from running in that election.

If a member is nominated for more than five hours of officer positions in the present election, they shall be given the option of withdrawing from a sufficient number of contests to fall below the limit. <sub>[[http://www.lareunioncoop.org/meetings/2017-12-10|[HM 12-10-17]]]</sub>

=== Voting ===

After an officer nomination period has concluded, the steward shall resolve any contest consisting of only a single candidate to a victory for that candidate. If, before a nomination period concludes, any two members of the house, including on the nomination form, inform the steward that they object to an automatic resolution of a contest, the steward must include that contest in the election. <sub>[[https://www.lareunioncoop.org/meetings/2020-08-30|[HM 8-30-20]]]</sub>

Ballots must include both a space for write-in nominees and a no-confidence option for each position. A write-in is a vote cast by writing on the ballot the name of a member who would otherwise not be a valid nominee for that position.

Ballots shall be distributed to all members, with reasonable accommodations made for members with disabilities. Completed ballots must be either turned into the specified location in the commons or directly given to those organizing the current election. Only one ballot per person can be given. If a member cannot be reached then posting their ballot inside their unit is acceptable.

The time from the final ballot being distributed to the ballot turn-in deadline shall be at least a week. The ballot turn-in deadline must be clearly notified to the house.

=== Results ===

Unless votes of no-confidence equal or surpass votes for the nominee, the nominee with the most votes shall be declared the victor. In the event of a tie, the winners may agree to share the position, or one may concede and allow the other to win. If neither of these occur a special election shall be triggered.

Results must be announced by email and posted to the commons door no more than 24 hours after the ballot turn-in deadline. Results are the victor’s names for each position. All vote totals must be available on request.

=== Special Elections ===

Special elections for positions are triggered:

  * If a nomination period passes without a nomination for the position.

  * If votes of no-confidence equal or surpass the most votes for a nominee.

  * In the event of a winning tie where one or both nominees do not wish to share the position, and neither concedes.

  * In the event of a winning tie with more than two tied nominees.

  * If a write-in nominee has the most votes, but refuses to accept the position within 72 hours of results being posted.

  * If the single holder of a position vacates with more than a week left in their term; that is, if they resign, depart, or are removed as the result of an [[:documents:manual:officer#officer_review_policy|officer review]].

If less than a week remains in the term when a position is vacated, no special election is called. If a shared position is vacated by one holder of the position, the position will continue to be filled by the other holder of the position, and no special election is called.

Special elections are similar to regular elections, with nomination and voting periods. During special elections nomination and voting periods may be as short as 3 days each, as long as the house is notified <sub>[[meetings:archive:2015-12-06#agenda_item_3|[HM 12-6-15]]]</sub>.

Positions filled via a special election will still maintain their original end-of-term date, and shall be open for nominations at the next regular election <sub>[[meetings:archive:2015-07-05#agenda_item_3|[HM 7-5-15]]]</sub>.


==== Reports ====

Officers are expected to provide the house with a monthly report at [[:documents:manual#house_meetings|house meeting]] <sub>[[meetings:archive:2014-02-23#proposalmonthly_officer_reports_at_meetings_all_officers_must_give_a_verbal_report_or_submit_a_written_report_to_be_read_by_a_proxy_at_a_meeting_once_per_month_travis|[HM 2-23-14]]]</sub>.

==== Officer Review Policy ====

An Officer Review is a public review of an elected house officer's performance at a house meeting. An Officer Review can result in a vote to remove the Officer from their position. The house cannot end an officer's term prematurely by any means other than an Officer Review.

Any three (3) members of the house may call an Officer Review of any officer by publicly posting the reasons for the review by Friday at noon before the meeting.

The Officer being reviewed has a right to fully address all of the reasons for the review.

The Officer does not have to be in attendance at the meeting to be removed from office. The Officer being reviewed may write a response, which will be presented at the meeting, if they are unable or unwilling to attend the meeting.

After discussing all of the reasons for the review, the Chair will ask the Officer in question to leave the room while the meeting decides whether to call for a vote to remove them from office. While the Officer is out of the room, no new issues will be brought up. If any new issues are brought up, then the Officer will be called back into the room and given the chance to address those issues.

The vote will take place while the Officer is out of the room.

The vote will be a secret, written vote, tallied by the Meeting Chair and the Steward. The vote can be taken on paper ballots, prepared by the Meeting Chair.

If 3/4 of the members present vote to remove the Officer from office, then that person will be removed from the position for the remainder of their term.

In the case of an affirmative vote to remove an Officer from office, members present at the meeting can discuss and select someone to take over that officer's duties until a special election can be organized.

<sub>[[meetings:archive:2015-03-01#agenda_item_2|[HM 3-1-15]]]</sub>

===== House Meals =====

The house dedicates labor toward providing a meal each day: Dinner six days a week, and a brunch on Saturdays. The schedule for these meals are as follows:

  * Monday: 7:30pm
  * Tuesday: 7:30pm
  * Wednesday: 7pm
  * Thursday: 7:30pm
  * Friday: 7:30pm
  * Saturday: 10am
  * Sunday: 6:30pm

==== Food Labeling for Co-Op Dinners ====

Dinner cooks must label their dishes with the following information:

  - Their names
  - Any information relevant to member dietary restrictions. The following abbreviations are acceptable:
      - M (Meat-based dish)
      - VGT (Vegetarian dish)
      - VGN (Vegan dish)
      - GF (Gluten-free dish)
      - DF (Dairy-free dish)
  - Any ingredients which appear on the list of food allergens, which is maintained by the [[:documents:officers#kitchen_coordinator|Kitchen Manager]], must also be specifically listed.

<sub>[[meetings:archive:2015-02-15#agenda_item_1|[HM 2-15-15]]]</sub>, <sub>[[meetings:archive:2016-07-24#agenda_item_2|[HM 7-24-16]]]</sub>