Updating Our Bylaws

The Oryana Cooperative bylaws provide the framework for Oryana’s governance process, members’ rights and responsibilities and legal requirements under Michigan Cooperative Law. Our current bylaws have been revised and updated over many years and have fallen behind the times and are not in sync with the many changes in cooperative governance, Oryana’s growth, and changes in membership.

The currently active version, can be found HERE.

The world in which Oryana operates has evolved, and our Bylaws need to reflect these changes. Your Oryana Board Commissioned board members to form a Bylaws Review Committee that has embarked on a full review of the coop’s bylaws. They have been supported by experienced cooperative consultants and attorneys and sought and received peer input to ensure that our revised Bylaws meet best practices and legal requirements for Michigan Food Cooperatives. We’ve tried to identify opportunities to clarify and simplify language and we’ve included updates to accommodate modern governance processes, the size of the organization, and the interests of our growing member base.  

As required, the final step is to present the proposed bylaws revisions to the members in preparation for a vote of the membership to accept the proposed bylaws at our April Annual Meeting (voting will be available to members by both electronic ballot and at the Annual Meeting by paper ballot).

To read an executive summary of the proposed changes, click HERE.

Feel free to contact the board with any questions or comments. [email protected]