ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF PARK DISTRICTS BARBARA STRAUS, President Commissioner, Olympia Fields ROBERT L. COLE, President-Elect Commissioner, Decatur WALDON O. DEGNER, Vice-President Commissioner, Palatine PETER J. KOUKOS, Vice-President Commissioner, Highland Park DON G. PRINDLE, Vice-President Board Member, DuPage Co. Forest Preserve HAROLD C. HAWKINS, Treasurer Trustee, Springfield JOHN GENSLER, Sergeant-at-Arms Commissioner, Naperville GERALD E. WERNICK, Past President JOANNE L. BAKER Commissioner, Rockford JULIA F. CRANE Commissioner, Homewood-Flossmoor BRUCE L. LARSON Commissioner, Urbana ROBERT S. NICHOLS Commissioner, Bensenville BONNIE W. NOBLE Trustee, Peoria MORGAN C. POWELL Commissioner, Champaign RUTH POWERS Commissioner, Downers Grove SCOTT RANDOLPH Commissioner, East St. Louis SUSAN RIZZO Commissioner, Park Ridge BARRY N. SHORE Commissioner, Northbrook NORMAN P. SMALLEY Commissioner, Elmhurst IAPD HEADQUARTERS Suite 206 St. George Building 300 East Monroe Street Springfield, Illinois 62701 phone (217) 523-4554 DR. THEODORE B. FLICKINGER Executive Director HARRIS W. FAWELL General Counsel BILL BODINE Business Manager PETER M. MURPHY Director for Government Services LOUISE HERNDON Administrative Secretary

The 1980 Conference has something for everyone. We hope all park forest preserve and conservation district commissioners and trustees are planning to attend the 53rd Annual Conference at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare November 13-16, 1980. We believe it is absolutely necessary for board members to have an opportunity to attend the State Conference and compare notes, exchange opinions and discuss experiences face-to-face. Through the transmission of ideas, we experience advancement and growth. Not all education can be engendered by correspondence and reading alone. Therefore, we could not effectively exist without our State Conference.

The 1980 Conference will provide concerned commissioners an opportunity to examine the latest developments and issues confronting the park, recreation and leisure services field. As we look ahead to the 1980s, the challenges which we will face include: increasing needs for closer-to-home recreation, preserving parkland from encroachment, supporting the creation of new open spaces, federal grant money limitations, new state legislation, alternate sources of funding leisure services, citizen involvement in the decision-making process, energy shortages, changing clientele (generally older society, declining birth rates, decreasing family size) and changing living patterns.

The IAPD is recruiting thousands of citizens to support parks, recreation and open spaces in Illinois. With a coalition of citizens we will have the power to get our goals accomplished much faster.

Sometimes the news media, taxpayer groups and misinformed citizens criticize commissioners for attending a State Conference. The best way you can counter such critics is to bring back reports of information you have learned, especially information relevant to local problems. You should also identify the items of information you expect to obtain at the Conference that will benefit the park, forest preserve or conservation district you represent. We believe most citizens will respect commissioners/trustees who take time from their busy schedules to attend conferences to become better informed and to seek solutions to local problems. Perhaps you will want to send a news release to the local media or invite news representatives to a board meeting to receive a briefing on the State Conference. We recognize that elected policy-making board members, responsible for millions of public dollars, cannot operate in a vacuum. What you learn in the inservice training programs at State Conference can save your district thousands of dollars as well as improve services to all residents.

A well-informed and effective board member produces accountability/credibility desired by citizens today. To get the most out of the State Conference we suggest the following:

1. Review the conference program in advance, summarize your needs (your questions on each topic) and develop a daily schedule. Share your schedule with fellow board members so different sessions can be covered by each member and written or oral reports can be compared following the Conference.

2. Attend as many sessions as possible. You will certainly pick up at least one idea that will be worth the time you have spent.

3. Get acquainted with other commissioners. Join the "bull sessions" after the formal sessions are over. Don't be afraid that you are not as informed on particular subjects as are others—you may be surprised. Talk and listen.

See IAPD . . .Page 35

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IAPD . . .From Page 29

4. Consult with a board or staff member of IAPD if you have a particular problem not addressed in a session. The staff or board members will more than likely be able to assist you or put you in touch with individuals most qualified or experienced in a specific problem area.

5. Bring your business cards and request business cards of those you have contacted at the Conference. This will give you an opportunity to follow up on previous discussions.

6. After the Conference prepare a succinct report for fellow board members and perhaps also make it available to concerned citizens and the news media.

The future of park districts depends, of course, on our input in State legislation. But just as important, the park district system is dependent on lay control (elected citizens) who are well-informed public officials—your attendance at the State Conference needs no apologies.

Exchanging opinions and discussing experiences face-to-face at the State Conference is indeed a necessary activity for a responsible board member concerned with the well-being of the park, forest preserve or conservation he/she represents.

I will look forward to visiting with you at the 53rd Annual State Park and Recreation Conference where we will observe our proud past and analyze the challenges of the future.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 35 September/October 1980