Board Members Never—Ever—Fire Staff Members

Dr. Ted Flickinger IAPD Executive Director The board should recognize that complaints about employees go through the executive director, whether they involve supervisory staff/ part-time staff or the janitor.

Recently I heard a story that underscores why board members should not get involved in day-to-day operations. In this case, a board voted to fire a staff member against the executive directors advice. It was a seven-member board and four of the board members were new. Firing the staff member was determined the solution to the complaints board members were hearing.

Well, the situation blew up in their faces. The staff member received a tremendous amount of support from people throughout the community. At the next board meeting hundreds of people showed up and asked several board members to resign. The few staff members and handful of residents who had complained about the staff member suddenly couldn't be found, and the board reversed its decision.

The moral of the story is this: hiring and firing staff members are not the boards job. We also learned from this story the proper procedure for handling complaints. First, the board should recognize that complaints about employees go through the executive director, whether they involve supervisory staff, part-time staff or the janitor.

If somebody wants to lodge a complaint against an employee of an agency, that complaint should be made specifically to the employee involved. There should be a meeting to attempt to develop a satisfactory resolution. If the complaint is not resolved, then the person complaining should put everything in writing and that should be given to the employee's supervisor. A meeting can then be established with the supervisor or a separate conference can be held. If, however, a resolution is not completed, the complainer can present the case to the executive director. The executive director makes the final decision. My advice to the executive director is to at least inform the board so that they are aware of the situation and decisions made.

Common Board Member Traits

Board members most often are recruited for their expertise in a certain technical area, background in the community and willingness to serve. However, in talking with board members over the years, key traits remain constants. To be efficient and effective, the board member must:

• be committed to the mission of the agency;

• do homework and bring valuable knowledge to the board regarding issues on the table;

• be proactive rather than reactive;

• stick to the issues and not personality differences; and

• be a team player and follow the Golden Rule when working with fellow board members and members of the community.

Checklist for Board Effectiveness

Develop your agency's own checklist for board efficiency and effectiveness. Use the one on page 7 to help your board identify its issues and where you can work with the executive director to improving the agency and address its mission.

6 Illinois Parks and Recreation

Give Boards a Fact-finder

Oftentimes board members are asked about different facilities, areas, the agency's budget, and the number of personnel. I recommend compiling this basic information in a fact-finding brochure for board members.

• Basic responsibilities of the board

• Mission of the agency

• Goals of the agency

• Annual budget

• Primary sources of revenue

• Agency establishment date

• Agency fiscal year

• Number of board members and staff

• List of programs and facilities

• Map of facilities and parks

• Total acreage owned/leased

• Number of facilities owned/leased

• Key telephone numbers

Board members should keep this kind of information readily accessible. The fact-finder acts as an at-a-glance supplement to a board member manual.

IAPD PARTNERSHIPS MAKE NEWS • The recently released "Illinois Land at Risk" report (see related article on page 24) is the result of a partnership between IAPD and the nationally renown land preservation organization The Trust for Public Land. • See the IAPD Web site (www.ILparks.org) for a link to Athletic Business magazine's October 2002 lead story on park district facility partnerships, a story developed with IAPD assistance.

CHECKLIST FOR EFFECTIVE BOARD MEMBERS Do you understand and implement your responsibili ties as a board member as defined by your board manual and applications to state law? Yes      No Do you understand board actions in reference to malfeasance and negligence (both intentional and unintentional)? Yes      No Do you understand the agency's budget? Yes      No Do you know the three principal sources of revenue for your agency? Yes      No Have you read at least one IAPD publication that explains board member roles and responsibilities? Yes      No Do you periodically review the mission statement and strategic plan? Yes      No Have you established short-term goals and objectives for your executive director? Yes      No Has your board ever visited another agency of similar size and budget to compare your board and agency operations? Yes      No Do you evaluate how your agency assesses whether or not they are serving the public's needs and offering programs and services that the public wants and can afford? Yes      No

November/December 2002 7