Title
Special Recognition - Proclamation Recognizing 2025 as the Year of Cooperatives
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a Committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Proclaim 2025 as the Year of Cooperatives in Olympia.
Report
Issue:
Whether to proclaim 2025 as the Year of Cooperatives in Olympia.
Staff Contact:
Susan Grisham, Assistant to the City Manager, 360.753.8244
Presenter(s):
John A. McNamara, Co-Director, Northwest Cooperative Development Center
Background and Analysis:
Cooperatives (co-ops) are businesses that are democratically owned and controlled by their members. They operate across many sectors, including food, housing, retail, energy and finance. In Olympia, co-ops are a vital part of the local economy, supporting inclusive participation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development.
The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, emphasizing the global significance of the cooperative model as a means of advancing equity, local leadership, and community resilience.
Olympia is home to a growing number of cooperative businesses and is supported by organizations such as the Northwest Cooperative Development Center and CoSound, which provide training, technical assistance, and advocacy for cooperative development in the South Sound region.
This proclamation brings attention to the vital role Cooperatives serve in the Olympia community.
Attachments:
Proclamation