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. Why Do We Have Boards? <br />It all started back in New England with the <br />Town Meeting when every spring on a wet, <br />muddy day all of the voters met in the local <br />church (largest building in town) <br />and transacted the annual <br />business and made up a budget. <br />As the towns grew, and the churVa <br />didn't, they started appointing <br />few to act for all in various areas of <br />local government. The American <br />way — APPOINT A COMMITTEE. <br />Thus the Town Council, The Board of Public <br />Works, The School Board, and finally the <br />Playground Board, which was your great- <br />grandfather, were born. <br />The Ideal Board <br />Different organizations and size of board are <br />ideal subjects for the coffee shop or lounge <br />when you are killing time before the next <br />meeting; leave them there. <br />This dicussion is a time waster. You are a <br />member of the only board in your community. <br />It has been set up by law and you and the other <br />6 have the responsibility to provide Park Rec <br />services to your residents. Make the system <br />work and succeed. You live THERE. <br />Board Members — How Do You <br />Get To Be One? <br />There are 2 ways: <br />1. Appointed by Mayor, City or Town <br />Council, County Board, Governor, or <br />some other legal authority, for a specific <br />term. Some can be reappointed, some <br />cannot. 90 plus % of Board members are <br />appointed. <br />2. --Elected by the residents for a specific <br />term of years. (Usually run on the non- <br />partisan ballot.) They can be re-elected <br />depending -upon the voters' attitude. Less <br />than 10% of Board members are elected. <br />Most all in Illinois and North Dakota are <br />elected. There are some in isolated areas <br />in other parts of the U.S. <br />How Big is a Park Rec Board? <br />Park Rec Boards vary greatly in size. There <br />are as few members as 3 in the northeast to 30 <br />in county systems in the midwest. <br />How Long are Park Rec Terms? <br />These run from 1 year to 6 years. You may <br />get a full term or get appointed to a partial <br />term. <br />Re -Appointment or Re -Election <br />All CBMs know their term of office whether <br />appointed or elected. You know the date when <br />You must vacate your seat. Like Cinderella, <br />you either must leave quietly or obtain another <br />appointment or win another election. <br />Should you try again???? This is a personal <br />decision, ONLY you can make it. <br />Remember, if you state early that you are <br />not going to be a candidate again, the other <br />CBMs consider you a "lame duck" at once and <br />your effectiveness drops quickly. <br />Who Gets Paid What? <br />You do not. The great majority of Park Rec <br />CBMs do not receive compensation for serving <br />their community, just like <br />School Board members or <br />Library Trustees. It is no c <br />different than the church or <br />social agency boards you may <br />have served on before. <br />A small minority in some <br />states are paid some insignifi- ; <br />cant token amount set 50 years �. <br />ago that does not cover the gas' <br />to go to the meetings. This runs ' <br />from $10 per meeting to $100 a <br />month in a wealthy western state. <br />Practically all agencies pay Board members' <br />expenses to attend regional, state, or national <br />meetings. And, the decision as to who goes <br />where, and when, is decided among the board <br />members -- with much conversation and <br />sometimes emotion. <br />10 11 <br />