MINUTES

BOARD GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

ELISHA D. SMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES

JANUARY 10, 2017
 

 

Called to order at 8:37am by Englebert

 Present:                       Englebert, Golz, Halverson and Wicihowski         

Also Present:               Director Lenz, and K. Dreyer (Administrative Assistant)

 

Public Comment/Communication: 

None

Consent Business

Motion made by Golz, seconded by Wicihowski to approve the Board Governance Task Force Minutes of November 15, 2016.  Motion carries unanimously. 

Discussion/Action Items

Board of Trustees Development

Committee members agreed that the board’s teen representative should have a position description with more opportunities for participation.

They also agreed on a list of skills, knowledge, influence, and characteristics to be used as a guide for board development:

  • Diverse age range
  • Mix of genders
  • Diverse representation of the population of Menasha
  • Resources:  availability for active participation
  • Community connections:  corporate, education, media, philanthropy, small business, social services, Leadership Fox Cities, PULS (Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce group of young professionals)
  • Qualities:  leadership skills, willingness to work, personal connection/passion for the library’s mission
  • Personal Style:  leadership skills, good communicator, strategist, visionary
  • Areas of expertise:  entrepreneurship, financial management, fundraising, knowledge of city government, marketing/public relations, representative of our community, education, technology

Term limits will be revisited after a few years.

Committee members also agreed on these guidelines:

  • Demographics the current board has in abundance: careers in education, Caucasian, 35 years of age and older
  • Demographics the current board needs to strengthen:  minorities, younger members, influential people
  • Professions/industry/areas of influence the current board needs to strengthen:  marketing/promotions, fundraising, small business owners

The committee will provide the full board with this recommendation to promote purposeful board recruitment, including the current vacancy and any future appointments, keeping in mind that board appointments are ultimately the mayor’s, with common council approval.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 14, at 8:20am.  Agenda items will be board orientation and fundraising.

Adjournment

Motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:10am was made by Wicihowski and seconded by Halverson.   Motion carried unanimously.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Dreyer, recording secretary

Board Minutes