BOARDMANSHIP....            Relating to Taxpayers By Dr. Ted Flickinger, CAE IAPD Executive Director and Managing Editor

There are a variety of techniques or methods to use in developing a good rapport with the taxpayers. Here are three basic ingredients to productive and harmonious communication with the taxpayers to gain and retain their support for public parks and recreation. First, an agency must conduct its affairs in a manner that wins public respect and the support assuring its integrity in the community. Board members have a vital role in an effective public relations program. As citizens in a community, they are excellent sounding boards. They can also discount rumors, put out "brush" fires, and, as good role models, improve the agency's image. Second, the agency must welcome suggestions and constructive criticism. Third, the agency must represent the interests of the entire community responsibly and responsively. The chief executive officer should conduct surveys and have his/her staff monitor citizens' comments, inquiries and suggestions. This information will help the board ensure that a reasonable and an equal amount of money is going to programs that serve different segments of the population.

Citizen involvement can take many forms such as those listed below.

Advisory Participation - The citizen contributes information to the decision-making authorities without becoming directly involved in policy related matters.

Public Hearings - The public hearing is a common method of gaining citizen input that usually centers around a singular topic. Citizens are invited to react to agency proposals or provide points of view on specific topics. Although such meetings are not usually held on a regular basis, many agencies tend to schedule public hearings as a matter of standard operating procedure. "Resident meetings" is a term often used to describe a public hearing on issues that affect citizens in a small, definable unit within a larger community (e.g., residents of a townhouse complex, etc.).

Task Forces or "Ad Hoc" Committees - Generally, these formally appointed groups are assigned a definite task to be completed in a relatively short period of time, and they are then disbanded. Their role is primarily to gather information and report their findings to the appointing group, usually with a recommendation pertaining to a policy issue.

Participation at Regular Board Meetings - The Board should set rules for audience participation. Board meetings are public meetings, but they are not meetings of the public. A citizen should be able to express his concerns within a reasonable period of time, three to five minutes. The board should agree to a time on the agenda for citizen participation with a time period for each speaker, so all wanting to participate are given a chance.

Volunteers - Citizens contribute time and expertise, and they become involved in the day-to-day operations of the agency. Note: Board members who take off their "official hats" and volunteer in an agency program gain new and helpful insights about the agency's purpose, philosophy and goals. I want to caution the board member who does volunteer in a program. You are another volunteer. Do not attempt to use your influence as a board member.

Neighborhood Advisory Councils - These groups usually represent individual neighborhoods within a given community by giving advice about citizen needs and interests to agency staff. Such councils tend to be found in agencies which have highly decentralized operations.

The creation of representative neighborhood and community area citizen councils/advisory committees has been beneficial for park and recreation agencies and boards. Consequently, more agencies are committing more of their board and staff leadership and resources to bringing the individual citizen into the mainstream of agency services.

This emphasis on citizen involvement has created the need for board and staff training programs and operational procedures; agencies should effectively organize, educate and help operate the broad variety of citizen groups being formed in support of parks, recreation and leisure services.