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Presentation - BoardsStrategic Focus Area: Partnerships Strengthening Our Partnership with Southlake Boards & Commissions NOTES: Mayor, Members of the City Council: This presentation has been developed to initiate a discussion on the very important topic of Council’s partnership with its boards and commission. As Council’s foot soldiers, board members play a very important role in vetting and making recommendations on public policy. Southlake’s boards and commissions do an outstanding job – they are dedicated, intelligent, and innovative and our goal is, of course, to sustain the positive and productive working relationship between Council, boards and staff. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss how Council can work with its boards in a strong partnership to meet community goals. 1 Strategic Interest Partnerships: The active promotion of alliances through community involvement focused on giving time, energies or talents to individuals and groups for the enrichment of the Southlake community and its strategic affiliations. Teamwork: Recognizing the importance of working together to meet our citizens’ needs, communicating clearly, sharing resources and information freely. NOTES: By way of framework, it is important to note that City Council has identified “Partnerships” as a strategic focus area, or priority, for the City of Southlake. By forging strong partnerships, Southlake can effectively leverage the many talents of local residents and business leaders, enriching the overall growth and development of our beautiful community. Furthermore, Council has adopted “Teamwork” as a corporate value. All those who work for the city – whether in a paid or volunteer capacity – are expected to work together effectively so that our citizens get the services they want and deserve. It is in this context that Council can and should regularly examine its ongoing relationship with its Boards. 2 The High Value of Boards & Commissions Broadened vision Unique experience Diverse skill sets NOTES: The City of Southlake is the perfect example of a diverse and talented community. Residents come from all parts of the globe and have extensive experience in business, law, medicine, entertainment, financial management, etc. By tapping into the very large and deep talent pool in Southlake, City Council has been able to create very competent boards to advise them on city business. In short, board members are an important part of Team Southlake and a highly valued one at that. 3 Strengthening our Partnership with Boards Honoring the nature of their work Ensuring they understand how they “fit” Giving them strong direction Developing board leadership Monitoring their work, helping as needed Holding them accountable NOTES: What does committing to having strong relationships with our boards look like? The slide on the screen highlights a few areas Council might want to consider. We will look at each one individually, and discuss how the City Council can work to address each of these areas to take our relationship with boards from very good to great. 4 Honoring The Nature of Their Work Board activities should be ~ Part-time Commensurate with their role as volunteers Conducted with adequate information A positive experience Celebrated, appreciated NOTES: City board members are first and foremost volunteers and their time should be respected and generously appreciated. The more they understand about the position, expectations and goals for the board, the higher the likelihood for success. And we clearly want our boards and the individual members to be highly successful. 5 Honoring The Nature of Their Work Go Forward Plan Fully implement volunteer program Software to track hours Other Hold annual appreciation event Other? NOTES: As we think about how we can better honor the boards we work with, here are a few ideas that come to mind, although I am sure there are others. We are already working on implementing software that will centralize information related to volunteers. This software will allow us to… As you know, we already offer a reception for boards and commission members as a way to say “thank you” for the numerous hours they contribute on the city’s behalf. In the past, we have thanked them for their work with trinkets or logo shirts. This event has worked well, but there may be other items to consider as well. 6 Ensuring They Understand How They “Fit” How are roles & responsibilities defined? Defined by State law Defined by City Charter Defined by City Ordinance Defined by City Council How do boards carry out their responsibilities? Assist with developing City strategy and master plans Make critical decisions to implement strategy and plans Provide financial oversight (if assigned) Advise on matters of public policy NOTES: Perhaps nothing is more important to ensuring the success of a board or the members who serve on it thank understanding the role they play and the limits that should be applied to their activities. Understanding these issues “up front” helps manage a board member’s expectation about their experience and notices them to areas they should avoid. As noted on the slide, the role of the board is always defined, whether by State law, city charter, ordinance, or Council. Simply stated, going beyond the role has the potential to create numerous problems for staff, Council and the Board member. It is very important that the role of the Board member and the board he or she serves on be clearly defined so that there is no confusion and so that we avoid unnecessary conflict. 7 Ensuring They Understand How They “Fit” Go Forward Plan Provide formal orientation packet & session Develop Southlake Academy One-on-ones Others? NOTES: So how do we ensure that Board members understand how they fit? The first idea is to expand on our developed orientation process. Currently, each Department Director develops and provides orientation to its boards in their own way. Perhaps we could standardize the presentations to ensure that consistent information is flowing and that we convey important information from the Council about your expectations. Perhaps we could develop a packet of materials to provide to new Council members when they come on board. Another idea is one that came to us from another city. Essentially, the city offers a course that people can attend in PREPARATION to apply for Board places. One-on-one interaction and communication is often the most effective form of communication. Perhaps some system could be developed to have new Board members meet with key staff members or Council to discuss their role and responsibilities in more detail. All of these ideas are intended to convey information to board members before there is a problem that creates bad feelings and ill will. 8 Giving Them Strong Direction Strategic Management System Southlake 2030 Citizen Survey Departmental Business Plans Budget Operating Capital Special Revenue “Off Line” Initiatives NOTES: To ensure that our boards function at the highest possible level, they need to fully understand what is expected of them. It is so important that they understand our strategic management system since it provides the framework for everything they do. Likewise, Southlake 2030 will have several elements, or master plans, that will guide our work and priorities and board members should be very familiar with its final contents. The Citizen Survey should be a “must read” for every appointed official so that they understand our community preferences. Likewise, there needs to be a clear understanding of the work plan to address the survey issues that Council chooses to pursue. Although Department Directors do not report to board members, there is value in sharing the department’s work plan and budget so that board members have a level of awareness of the priorities that have been set for the department, performance targets and budget allocations. Board members are often involved in the budget process at some level, so staff and Council should make every effort to ensure that the board understands the financial environment and the importance of the budget for advancing the master plans. Occasionally, board members develop ideas for programs, policy, etc. that are not related to established policies and procedures or master plans. It is of upmost importance for Council to establish the process by which these items will be pursued. Without a clear process, frustration can ensue by board members who want things done, staff who doesn’t have the resources to accomplish the request and isn’t sure how to proceed and Council who may or may not support the initiative. 9 Giving Them Strong Direction Go Forward Plan Develop board member job descriptions Identify Council direction/oversight methods Incorporate boards into communication plan Set aside time for strategy/plan briefings Put board briefings into budget calendar Set up process for handling “off line” issues Others? NOTES: The screen shows some ideas for improving our efforts to provide board members with strong direction. You may have ideas as well. The bottom line is that the Council is responsible for moving the city forward in its strategic direction and the boards are – in most cases – there to support this effort. Whatever we can do to provide them with the direction they need to meet your expectations will solidify the relationship and get you the results you are looking for. 10 Developing Board Leadership The Effective Chair Protects against verbal attacks Solicits opinions from reticent members Protects new thoughts from being rejected prior to fair evaluation Discourages finger-pointing, blame Keeps discussion focused Manages the meeting Encourages alternative ideas Moves the meeting along Coaches board members as needed Common Chair Mistakes Uneven treatment of members Failure to manage timing Allowing the meeting to drift Becoming engrossed in an issue Ignoring input from dissenting members Not explaining process to audience Failure to apply “rules” consistently Lecturing audience or fellow members NOTES: Board Chairs are a critical component in leading the board to achieve the desired results, but they are also very important in how other board members feel about their experience. Given that board members are volunteers, I am assuming that it is our goal to provide them a fulfilling and satisfying experience. Board chairs are the key to making service a positive experience for everyone giving their time. As with other key positions in the city, I believe ongoing training and development is a MUST for everyone who agrees to serve in a leadership position with a board. There is a lot riding on their ability to work effectively in this role. 11 Developing Board Leadership Go Forward Plan Board Chair training program Board Chair roundtables NOTES: Providing training, bringing board chairs together to discuss issues of major importance, and working closely with each should be a high priority. The communication should be very strong. 12 Monitoring Board Performance How well does the board perform its duties as prescribed under federal, state or local law? How well does the board advance the strategic interests of the community, as defined by City Council? How well does the board adhere to the city’s articulated values when managing its own activities? Does the board serve the city or expect the city to serve the board? NOTES: Given the volunteer nature of boards it is sometimes difficult to discuss the need to monitor the performance of the board and its members, but Council must give this due consideration. Coun cil members cannot be everywhere at once and cannot fully vet and make every decision. And in some cases, it is not even appropriate to be involved with their work! That being the case, your appointments to board and commission positions are of critical importance. It is impossible to know whether a certain appointment is appropriate unless you monitor the activities, deliberations, and decisions of your boards. But how can you do this? 13 Monitoring Board Performance Go Forward Plan Review meeting minutes or tapes Board reports to City Council Joint meetings Board self-assessments Other? NOTES: Keeping a finger on the pulse on the activities of the many Boards in Southlake is tough. There is a lot going on! But there are ways to keep the lines of communication open and improve our processes to promote strong teamwork between the Council, boards and staff. In whatever way you deem appropriate, it is important to make sure that Boards are functioning in the way you deem appropriate. 14 Monitoring Board Member Performance Attending meetings Meaningful contribution and involvement Effective working relationship with staff, Council Asserting alternative views Attending orientation/training Advancing master plan goals Avoiding conflict of interest NOTES: Successful boards enjoy success because of the people who serve. High functioning board members are essential, and it is incumbent upon the Council to know how each appointee is performing. The commitment that they bring to the job, how they work with their peers, their willingness to explore ideas, their knowledge and commitment to master plan goals and their attention to conflict of interest issues are just a few of the critical performance elements for a board member. 15 Monitoring Board Member Performance Go Forward Plan Review attendance logs Board chair discussions Observation Board reports to City Council Self-assessment Other? NOTES: How will Council look after its appointees? How will the boards monitor their own members? How can we further the culture of high performance that has been established with our boards? This question depends on Council’s perspective on the matter. Once you decide what your goals are for your boards and board members and determine how well they are performing against those goals, you will have a clear picture of what you need to do. The purpose of this presentation was to start the conversation. The staff stands ready to assist you in any way you deem appropriate. 16 Strengthening Our Partnership with Southlake Boards & Commissions Next Steps? NOTES: The purpose of this presentation was to start the conversation. The staff stands ready to assist you in any way you deem appropriate. We look forward to strengthening the good cooperation that is in place today to achieve best in class status with our partnership. The next few slides will not contain audio, but provide you with a brief description on the numerous Southlake boards should you wish to review that information. Thank you for your time! 17 Board Description Slides Follow 18 Building Board of Appeals The Building Board of Appeals conducts hearings for appeals of the decisions made by the Building Official as it relates to interpretation of the various building codes, appeals regarding veto of a contractor's registration, and confirmation of substandard buildings prior to demolition. 19 Crime Control & Prevention District Board of Directors The Crime Control and Prevention District Board of Directors oversees the funding generated by the ½ cent sales tax. The Board considers proposals submitted by staff for projects and ultimately adopts an operating and capital budget. Typically the budget addresses one-time, non-recurring expenses. 20 Joint Utilization Committee In May of 1993, the City of Southlake and the Carroll Independent School District forged a partnership focusing on sharing assets and providing services to the taxpayers of Southlake in the most efficient way. This concept, known as "joint utilization," allows the two taxing entities to share services and/or facilities to the maximum extent possible, saving tax dollars in the process. Resolution Number 93-42, which established the JUC, charged the committee with the responsibility of exploring opportunities and methodologies of entering into joint use projects between the City and Carroll ISD. 21 Library Board The purpose of the Library Board is to act as an advisory board to the Council in matters relating to establishing and operating a public library. 22 Mayor’s Advisory Committee The Mayor's Advisory Committee provides a forum for pastors from area churches to discuss and stay aware of events in the City that affect their congregations and provide a forum for the City's police chaplaincy program. 23 Metroport Teen Court Advisory Board The purpose of the Metroport Teen Court is to act as an advisory board to the Teen Court in matters relating to policy and procedures.   24 Parks & Recreation Board The purpose and object of the Parks and Recreation Board is to act as an advisory board to the Council in matters relating to city parks and recreation programs.   25 Planning & Zoning Commission The purpose and object of the Planning and Zoning Commission is to act as an advisory board to the Council in matters designated by ordinance and state law.  Except for matters relating to city parks, which are delegated by the Council to the Parks and Recreation Board, the Commission shall advise the Council on matters relating to zoning, public improvements, civic improvements, city planning, opening, widening and changing of streets, routing of public utilities, controlling and regulating traffic upon the public streets and ways of the City and such other matters relating to City improvements as the Commission and the Council may deem beneficial to the City. 26 Senior Advisory Commission The Senior Advisory Commission advises the City Council on issues important to Southlake's senior citizen population, including programs at and operation of the Senior Activity Center. 27 Southlake Arts Council The Southlake Arts Council serves as an advisory board to the City Council on all matters relating to public art including visual art and performing art programs and facilities, the use of city funds for art projects and facilities, and the creation of a performing arts facility. 28 Southlake Business Council The Southlake Business Council's mission is to promote a future for local commerce that is vibrant, socially responsible and focused on sustained economic growth in Southlake. 29 Southlake Parks Development Corporation The purpose and object of the Southlake Parks Development Corporation is to administer the city's SPDC half-cent sales tax and apply it toward capital projects related to city parks. 30 Southlake Program for the Involvement of Neighborhoods The purpose of SPIN is to provide a vehicle for facilitating communication between residents and the City staff. 31 Southlake Youth Action Commission The Youth Advisory Board was created in 1994 by City Council (ordinance no. 610) to generate broad-base public awareness of and support for youth. The name was later changed to the Southlake Youth Action Commission, commonly refereed to as S.Y.A.C., on October 20, 1998 (ordinance no. 723). S.Y.A.C. is advisory in nature, is to evaluate current issues affecting youth in Southlake and bring them to the attention of the City Council and other Boards and Commissions as necessary. The Commission participates in community service projects to encourage youth to make a difference in the community through volunteerism. 32 Zoning Board of Adjustment The purpose of the Zoning Board of Adjustment is to act on individual site requests for relief from the literal interpretation and enforcement of the Zoning Ordinance. 33