CONCORD, N.H. — Spring may not have fully sprung yet for some of us, but there’s one thing we know for certain will happen this time of year: the ROC Association elections.
Resident-owned communities (ROCs) in the Mountain West region of the country will select a fellow leader to directly represent ROCs on the ROC Association and the ROC USAⓇ Board of Directors.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the ROC Association, it was started by two community leaders, Natividad Seefeld from Park Plaza Co-op in Fridley, Minn., and Lois Parris of the Lakes Region Co-op in Belmont, N.H. Both were appointees to the ROC USA Board of Directors when they saw the potential of a large national network of local communities if we were to formalize an organization and develop an election process for ROCs.
Membership is free to all of the now 217 ROCs that are or once were under contract with a Certified Technical Assistance Provider trained and certified by ROC USA Network.
Communities elect Directors to the ROC USA, LLC Board of Directors, helping ensure not only community involvement in the governance of ROC USA — our national nonprofit supporter — and a strong voice in the planning and shaping of ROC USA’s work. One Director is elected from each of three regions and serves a two-year term, and staggered elections are held every other year.
Directors take part in all ROC USA Board meetings (usually held in Washington, D.C., three times per year) and the annual ROC Leadership Institute. The Institute is a four-day conference that brings together 100 ROC leaders from across the country for training, networking and more. Directors’ expenses for all these events are paid for by ROC USA. All that is required is a Director’s time and dedication.
We strongly encourage committed community leaders to run for a Director position. They need not be members of your community’s Board of Directors, but they must be nominated by your Board of Directors. Each ROC may nominate one candidate.
Ballots with all nominees will be distributed this summer. Each ROC Board of Directors gets one vote for the Director representing its region. A quorum will be confirmed, votes will be tabulated and the results will be posted afterwards on on myROCUSA.org.
We are happy to host a call-in session to answer any questions of those considering running for the ROC Association Board of Directors. You are also welcome to email any of us or Paul Bradley, President, ROC USA, LLC at pbradley@rocusa.org.
Nomination forms can be found here: 2018 Candidate Nomination form and 2018 Candidate Nomination form (Spanish)