After months of negotiations, a Consent Order was registered with the BC Supreme Court between Randy Pearson and the Peninsula Co-op.
Pearson, a Saanich farmer, filed a complaint following the June 2009 Co-op board election, claiming the election of directors was conducted contrary to the Co-op’s rules of association; was conducted in bad faith and in a manner that was oppressive to many co-operative members that were in opposition to the board of directors and senior management’s plans to have eight acres of land rezoned and developed for a new store.
An arbitrator’s ruling that declared the Peninsula Co-op’s June 24, 2009 election of directors null and void was appealed by the Co-op and a stay of proceedings was issued.
“The agreement reached will prevent the Co-op from using the resources of the Co-op, including paid staff, to influence and help elect incumbents over challengers as they did in 2009,” said Pearson. “An independent auditor firm will manage the next election of directors and provide election security.”
“We are no longer going to hold elections at our annual general meeting,” said Co-op board member, Gordon Denford. “Part of it is the fact that we have 50,000 members all the way up the island to Duncan and we wanted to make the voting process available to all our members.” A resolution to that effect was passed at the June 2010 AGM, Denford added. The new rules allow the Co-op to hold elections prior to the AGM and have ballots available at a variety of sites.
“The balloting process will now be available to a much broader number of our members,” Denford said.
“The agreement provides a basis for greater convenience and member participation in the democratic process, however the onus is on the Co-op board and management to ensure every effort is made to bring the ballot box to each and every community in the South Island area, from Duncan to Sidney,” Pearson said.
The Peninsula Co-op annual general meeting is scheduled for June, in the weeks prior to that time Co-op members will vote for six directors. “Three will be for the regular three-year turnaround and the other three will be one-year terms only,” said Denford. The three one-year terms will fulfill the duties of members Ron Gaudet, Cathie Ounsted and Mike Fecteau, whose election was declared void, though they have been allowed to remain on the board during negotiations.
“It’s been a frustrating and sometimes tedious process,” said Pearson. “However I feel this is a partial victory to bringing better governance to the Peninsula Co-op. There is still lots to do, including changing the Co-op’s plans to develop on prime farmland in Central Saanich.”
“We are happy that we’ve been able to persuade Mr. Pearson that we have addressed the problems that he raised,” said Denford. “Now, let’s get on with life.”
editor@peninsulanewsreview.com