DRAFT AGENDA for May 7, 2009 WILD ONES 2nd QUARTER Executive Committee MEETING
7:00 kick offf
7:01 – 7:20 Committees SFE Task Force report – Mark Charles SFE Committee re-start suggestions – Mark Charles, Carol Web Committee – Donna Membership Committee – present a plan for start up and issues to address – Carol Marketing Comm - Carol the Bad Committee Chair Others that need to be more active? Who covers Board policies, functioning, etc.? See Attachment 3 = letter from Karen Syverson
7:20 – 7:30 Financial – how are we doing vs. budget? Donna/Marty
7:30 – 7:35 Plans for 2009 and 2010 meetings, including annual meeting w/ strategic planning session (+ 30th Anniversary celebration?) – Carol (see Attachment 1)
7:35 – 7:45 Niagara Chapters: update and proposed resolution – Joe
7:45 – 7:55 Proposed Wild Ones statement of vision and values – Carol still looking for comments by email (share w/ whole Board pls) or at this XO Comm; see Attachment 2
Other agenda items to discuss as time allows: Wild Center update - Joe, Donna, Bret; possible sub-issues: WDNR negotiations re: restoration; paying Leslie; Future plans for new National Board officers; next president = ??? Establishing a “deer policy” per Janet Allen request; send to a committee?
Attachment 1: 2009 meeting plans
Q2: May 23 in Cleveland OH; start time = 9:00 EST (to be confirmed) Carol and Donna fly in Thursday evening and plan to meet Friday on various efforts; others welcome to join us!
Q3: July 25 (right, Donna?): Flint, MI hosting
Plans for Q4 and annual meeting in Milwaukee *Friday, Oct 16 PM 4th Qtr board meeting at Mequon Nature Preserve about 8 miles from Cardinal Stritch University Cost to national: $50 Saturday, Oct 17 PM Annual meeting during lunch hour of the Milwaukee Chapters Conference 11:45AM-12:45PM Cost $0.00 Photo contest, Oct 17 Pat is checking to see if there is someone from the Milwaukee Chapters who will chair a Silent Auction function on Saturday to help defray cost of photo contest room. Cost $225 *Saturday, Oct 17 PM Strategic Planning meeting at Mequon Nature Preserve Cost $50 or $150
*We'll have to figure out what we want to do for meals before/after meeting
Attachment 2: DRAFT Vision statement – pls get this off the www.for-wild.org web site, documentation for the Q1”B” meeting.
Attachment 3: letter from Karen Syverson re: WO Board Governance/Functions
Dear Carol,
I have been trying to get a handle on the governance policies of the WO Board. The Bylaws outline the structure and roles board members play. I have the list of Board Member Duties and the list of ideas from the last strategic planning session. (Were these ideas adopted as goals or policy?) I have a list of the committees and what each one is working to do. It seems that a lot was done legally to incorporate and set up this non-profit organization. I’ve also gone through the Chapter Guidebook on the website.
The Board Member Duties refers the “Responsibilities of Membership” which is “to subscribe to and abide by Policies set forth by the Board of Directors” At first I thought this was board policy but it is for the membership to follow board policy..... the policies set up for chapters to follow is quite clear. However, I cannot find a listing of what policies the board has developed for itself as a governing body. It seems that the Executive Board takes care of most of the business and the rest of the board hears and reviews what actions are being taken and works on a committee. Donna is an ex-officio member of the Board and Executive Director (or CEO) but I am not sure what she is required to do, what autonomy she has, or what is her “job description” (Although I ‘m sure she should be earning three times whatever she is earning.)
It seems that over the years as this organization was struggling to get established that the whole board was in charge of running Wild Ones...Donna was hired to handle a lot of the administration, and the roles of who set policy and who did the work or “following through” was all wrapped up together. As for the committees...some seem to be doing the work carrying out the business of Wild Ones such as the Journal or Communications committee, and the SFE committee and merchandise committee and some seem to be advisory with the role of bringing information to the board, some such as Rob Ryf listed as National Librarian is out of date...I don’t think he does this.
Am I on the right track in understanding how the board functions? Would there be some value in having a handbook of adopted Board Policies or Board Governance handbook to let new people know how to step in and do what needs to be done.
I don’t mind if you share this letter and concerns with other members of the board. Maybe others have more information or suggestions on what I need to know. ... just wanted you to know what I’ve been thinking.
Karen Syverson
______
Two books I’ve read and looked over for a guide into my role as a board member. Carver, John; Boards that make a difference, a new design for leadership in nonprofit and public organizations, Jossey-Bass Publishers 1997
My review: rather tedious reading, but very definite ideas for the role of a board and board governance. ... I think it is a good start for conversation on what is workable for a board.
Board Source book: The Nonprofit Board Answer book, a Practical Guide for Board members and Chief Executives, Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2007.
My review: The Board Source book seems to be more in line with the type of practices that we have on the Wild Ones Board... a question and answer format... practical advice... However, having read John Carver’s book first, I noticed suggestions about the difference in Ends (Policy development) and Means (implementation and how things get done) that the book mentioned, but didn’t emphasize as much as Carver did.
------I also read over the link you send out: http://www.carvergovernance.com/pg-np.htm
I found these things on the website: The Corporate Fund Website Board Governance Board Self-Assessment Kit http://www.thecorporatefund.org/board_self_assessment_kit.asp
Reference for guides to building Nonprofit Board of Directors http://www.business.com/guides/building-a-nonprofit-board-of-directors-1320/
Many topics and links from this page. Lots of background info from Setting up Board Roles and Responsibilities to Evaluating Performance of Boards…. http://www.managementhelp.org/boards/boards.htm http://www.authenticityconsulting.com/ \http://www.authenticityconsulting.com/npod/
Karen Syverson