Consider the following "words to live by" for board members who serve park districts, forest preserves and recreation agencies.
A Board Member Commitment
• Know the agency's mission and assist in making policies to achieve the mission.
• Become educated about the history, programs, policies, and services of the agency.
• Assess annually your interest, enthusiasm and performance on the board.
• Advocate for the agency.
• Become educated on issues and solutions to problems
affecting the agency.
• Understand that your role as a board member is to:
Building Board/Executive Relations
• Be loyal and honest with each other.
• Put the park district, forest preserve or recreation agency before your personal goals.
• Don't interfere with one another's responsibilities.
Board Advice Makes Good Policy
1. Individual board members have no authority over the agency, executive or staff.
2. Board members' individual relationship with the public, press or other organizations should not be condoned unless authorized by the full board. (No board
member can speak for the board unless authorized by
that board.)
3. Board members are not to make assessment or evaluations of the executive or staff performances except in
the context of board policy on executive performance. This should be confidential information.
Board Self-evaluation
Evaluate board performance in seven areas:
• Board orientation
Executive's Evaluation:
Standard evaluation forms for executives are available
from the Illinois Association of Park Districts. Contact
IAPD to request one and remember that, ultimately,
the executive must show:
• the agency is in sound financial shape and citizens
are getting the best for their investment;
• the mission and objectives of the agency are being
addressed;
• he hired a competent staff, which produces excellent results;
• he is fully prepared for board meetings; and
• that he follows-up on all tasks and prepares board
members with good information to make intelligent decisions.
Problem-solving in the Board Room
Boards sometimes mistake a problem or don't clearly
identify the problem. The first rule in tackling a problem is to be able to clearly identify it.
Write out the problem. If you can't state the problem
in writing, then you have not clearly identified it. After
identifying the problem (with the facts) then state optional resolutions. The solution to the problem might
6 | Illinois Parks and Recreation
BOARDMANSH1P BITS AND PIECES
be several recommendations combined.
Evaluate each recommendation with variables or criteria, such as how well does this address a community or
group recreational need? How much financial and staff
resources are required, and are there legal issues to consider?
Board President:
Keep Meetings on Time
Many people who serve on a park board today are
busy people and they don't want to waste time. It's up to
the board president to keep the meeting on schedule
and, tactfully, not let board members "who like to hear
themselves talk" waste time at board meetings.
Some presidents set a time-frame for each agenda item.
It's the president's responsibility to run an effective meeting without wasting time.
Boards Should Not Meet
without Executives
I get an occasional call from either an executive or a
board member inquiring about special board meetings
without the executive present. Usually these meetings
focus on the executive's job performance.
How do executives or board members address this
issue? Some executives have contracts that prohibit the
board from meeting without the executive. Meeting without the executive divides the team. The executive is part
of the policy-making team. Meetings excluding the executive destroys the sense of team. The executive needs
to be present to explain his or her decisions. To do otherwise is undermining the executive.
The executive should be the board's number one resource for information. Evaluations should be between
the executive and the board, upfront and documented.
Leave Personal Agendas at Home
There are some individuals who bring personal agendas to board meetings. Some want to change the focus of
the agency. Some want to start a new program or end a
program. Others want to promote their personal recreation, such as golf, tennis, Little League baseball or theater.
You can't let personal agendas dominate or interfere
with the real work of the board. The board must stay
focused on making policy that relates to the mission and
goals of the agency. Board members on their "own" mission often become so narrowly focused, they can't see the
big picture. They often become disruptive at meetings
when the other board members won't go along with
them.
The board meeting is no place for disruptive outbursts
or the self-serving board member.
Dealing with Special Interest Groups
Special interest groups for baseball want more baseball
diamonds. The hockey and ice skating parents want
more ice. The seniors want a new center. Swimmers
want a new pool. Dog owners want a dog park. The list
goes on.
How do you deal with these groups when you have
limited resources?
• First, don't overreact or rush to action. What about
the long-range plan? Each group has a good cause,
but not everything is black-and-white. Don't necessarily yield to "the squeaky wheel gets oiled" principle.
• Seek advice from the public. What's best for the
community?
• Remain objective. Analyze the options and funding
sources. Consider fund-raising drives. Harness the
drive of the special interest group and put them to
work in developing financial resources.
• Try to pull everyone together.
• Update your needs assessment study or conduct an
assessment and feasibility plan.
Boards that Look at the Big Picture
Don't Usually Micro-manage
Think long-range planning.
• What issues need to be addressed that affect the
quality of services offered?
• What policies do the board need to pass to improve
quality or keep issues from being repeated?
• Is there a five-year strategic plan? If so, does the
board and executive frequently review the plan? Is
action focused on what has been completed and
what needs to be done? Is the board monitoring
progress on the long-range plan objectives? Do board
member's self-evaluations show how they have addressed long-range planning?
Considering a Run for Another Term?
You have made major contributions as a board member. You are popular with your fellow board members
and work well with the executive. The public has been
very supportive. Should you run for another term?
Ask yourself these questions.
1. Will I have the time and can I make the commitment to serve?
2. Have I burned out and lost interest?
3. Will my life change dramatically in the next four or
six years? (Family, job and leisure time considerations.)
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- make policy
- hire effective management
- avoid involvement in day-to-day operations
- avoid conflicts of interest
• Commit to long-range planning.
• Board meetings
• Policy making
• Board/executive relations
• Board planning
• Community relations
• Finances
What Should Be Included?
"A quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot."
It's up to the board president to keep the meeting on schedule and, tactfully, not let
board members "who like to hear themselves talk" waste time at board meetings.