Dr. Ted Flickinger IAPD President and Chief Executive Officer

GET ON BOARD

Give Board Members a Job Description

This has happened, maybe even at your agency. The newly elected board member is sworn in and seated at his first meeting. He rubs his hands together with satisfaction and says, "Ok, now that I'm official, let's see what we can do about rescheduling my daughter's soccer league games from Saturday mornings to Sunday afternoons."

The executive and the veteran board members roll their eyes. Somebody's going to need some training.

The Board Manual

In situations like these, it's not necessarily new board members' fault that they don't understand their roles. I have long advocated creating a board manual that can be given to each new board member as part of his or her orientation and training. New board members can be familiarized with the manual before their first meeting so they can be effective from the very start.

A good manual delineates and clarifies the working requirements, relationships and responsibilities of the executive, professional staff and the board. It also provides documentation supporting board decisions, especially in policy matters.

Sections of the manual could include:

1. A preface and general explanation of how to use the manual and keep it updated. The manual should be reviewed by the board annually.

2. Introduction and general history of the agency.

3. Legislative authority, including a copy of the board's authority and highlights of the board's duties and functions.

4. Board composition and function, including: a list of board members with their contact information; a board member job description; summations of policies approved by the board; an annual schedule of meetings, events and work plans for the board; a board code of conduct and a board member's creed.

5. A list of standing and/or special project committees or task forces with functions and members listed. The section would include committee reports on specific projects, as well as a page or two detailing the process for submitting committee reports in writing before board meetings.

6. A description of board/executive relations, which could be in the form of a chart outlining "who does what."

7. Descriptions of the community or population boundaries and the people served by the agency.

8. Descriptions and maps of agency areas and facilities.

9. A section describing the agency's organizational structure, including a copy of the agency's organizational chart.

10. Policies, including those relating to facilities, fees and charges and personnel.

11. A section on agency finances.

12. Board meeting minutes, including copies of meeting agendas, from the past year. (Note: minutes of all meetings from the board's inception should be retained in the central office.)

13. A section describing the status of any current capital development projects.

14. A section containing the executive's monthly reports and any other special reports for the past year.

15. A section explaining significant intergovernmental relationships and contracts in which the agency is involved.

If your agency doesn't have a board manual, perhaps adopting a board member job description will be the first step.

A Job Description is a Good Start

Creating a manual takes some time and effort. But once you have all the pertinent material in one binder, you'll see that board transitions can go much more smoothly, with contentious new members getting up to speed much faster.

Most of the board manual information is unique to each agency. But, if nothing else, having a job description to give to incoming board members - and even to board candidates — will begin board orientation on a firm footing. A sample board member job description follows. Use it as a basis to write your own.

And, if your agency doesn't have a board manual, perhaps adopting a board member job description will be the first step.

6 Illinois Parks and Recreation www.ILipra.org

TITLE: Board member of__________________________ (your agency)

REPORTS TO: Fellow board members and constituents

PURPOSE: To serve the board as a voting member; to develop governance policies, long-range plans, procedures and regulations for the operation of the agency; to monitor finances of the agency, its programs and performance; to protect the assets of the agency; to ensure the effective stewardship and management of the agency's human, physical and financial resources.

TERM:__________________________ (four years or six years)

EXPECTED MEETING ATTENDANCE:
•  Regularly attend scheduled board meetings
• Share the responsibility for effective board leadership (which means participating in meetings and sharing opinions)
• Attend meetings of the committees on which you serve
• Attend board retreats, in-service workshops and other board development activities
• Attend and participate in special events and agency functions as needed
• Attend training and educational programs offered by the Illinois Association of Park Districts

BOARD OBLIGATIONS:
•  Establish policy based on sound research and consideration of pros and cons of each issue
•  Adopt policies so that the organization can run efficiently, effectively, legally and ethically
•  Hire, fire, supervise, evaluate and support the executive director
•  Interpret the agency's mission, values and vision to the public
• Set a strategic direction that adopts goals relating to the mission of the organization
• Secure adequate funds
• Monitor operational and capital finances
• Act as a resource, as a sounding board and as the eyes and ears for the citizens of the community, making sure that the agency is meeting their needs
•  Develop, maintain and update long-range plans
• Adopt a Code of Ethics

SPECIFIC DUTIES:
•  Respect various points of view and participate in decision-making
•  Be well informed about issues and agenda items in advance of meetings
•  Participate in organizational decision-making
•  Represent the organization to the public and to private industry
• Educate yourself about the needs of constituents

RIGHTS OF BOARD MEMBERS:
• To be kept well informed about the strategic plan and agency operations
• To be given well written and useful background information to make decisions on the issues pertaining to the agenda
• To be part of a highly respected organization and to enjoy one another's company and the satisfaction of meeting the park, recreation and conservation needs of all citizens
• To adopt a Board Member Code of Conduct or a Board Member's Creed

Board Member's signature                                                    Date

Executive Director's signature                                               Date

Note: This information is for a board manual and can also be used as information to give to potential board member candidates.

www.ILparks.org March/April 2006 7