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NLC Board Seeks to Enhance Member Engagement, Advocacy
by Cyndy Liedtke Hogan
The NLC Board of Directors approved a series of recommendations designed to enhance NLC’s service to members and federal advocacy during the group’s meeting at the Congress of Cities in San Antonio.
The Board approved a report of the Governance Task Force, which included several recommendations that affirm or clarify NLC practices. The actions do not change the NLC bylaws.
The Governance Task Force was created in early 2009 by then-NLC President Kathleen M. Novak, mayor of Northglenn, Colo., to look at ways to increase member engagement and service to members while also maximizing the effectiveness of NLC’s federal advocacy.
“We wanted to ensure that all elements of NLC’s governance process are purposeful — that we know ‘to what end’ we are working,” Novak said during the Board meeting. “The group talked as much about what we wanted to keep as what needs to be changed.”
The most notable recommendations include increasing the number of years a member may serve on the NLC Board, allowing former Board members who are elected officials to apply for appointment on NLC bodies such as policy and advocacy steering committees, changing the structure of the Advisory Council to allow more purposeful engagement of NLC members with Board experience and examining all committees, councils and panels.
The recommendations are the first part of the process; the coming year will include implementation of and communication to members about the changes to NLC’s governance structure.
Under the approved recommendations, Board members may run for a second two-year term with a maximum of four years lifetime service. The terms do not need to be consecutive.
The Governance Task Force and the Board felt it was important to allow for more time on the Board of Directors because one two-year term limits the expertise that members can offer in decision making and the high Board turnover can detract from meaningful work.
The task force and the Board also wanted to capitalize on the engagement and expertise of former Board members. Former Board members who are elected officials may apply for appointment on any NLC bodies under the approved recommendations.
In addition to service on committees, the task force and Board want to find the best way to use former Board members throughout NLC. This includes changing the current Advisory Council structure to make the best use of those members’ talents.
The task force also recognized how important committees, councils and panels are to member engagement and networking. The recommendations include examining NLC’s groups to make sure they add the most value to NLC and its goals of federal advocacy and serving members.
New NLC President Ronald O. Loveridge, mayor of Riverside, Calif., established a task force chaired by Novak that will come up with specific recommendations and an implementation strategy on the best way for committees, councils and other groups to serve NLC’s mission and engage members.
“We recognize and value the importance of member engagement and involvement in NLC,” said Loveridge. “We want to make sure we are taking full advantage of members’ talents and expertise while also serving NLC’s mission as the go-to place for and about cities.”
Details: A list of the recommendations and more background about the process of the Governance Task Force will be available shortly on www.nlc.org. For more information, contact Martha Moss at moss@nlc.org.
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