Requirements:
Each Board member should have or provide one or more of the following:
A demonstrated interest in the program’s purpose and its goals.
Specific experience in or knowledge of administration, finance, program development, advertising, public relations, district business activity, communications, design, or economic development.
Representation of a public or private sector organization in, or segment, of the district.
4‐10 hours per month of available time.
Be prepared to make a financial commitment, and contribute 4 ‐ 10 hours a month to the program.
Downtown revitalization program boards typically meet monthly for 60 ‐ 90 minutes. In addition, Board members are usually expected to serve on one of the standing committees of the downtown program.
Board Responsibilities:
The board has the final responsibility for the success or failure of the downtown revitalization program. The Board members are jointly responsible for:
Policy Administration:
Establishing and/or continuing the legal existence of the program.
Ensuring that the program fulfills legal requirements in the conduct of its business and affairs.
Adopting policies and procedures, which determine the purposes, governing principles, functions and activities, and course of action for the program.
Assuming responsibility for internal policies governing the program.
With the Executive Director, develop an annual work plan of goals, objectives and activities for the program.
Funding and Financial Management:
Approving and monitoring the finances of the program.
Helping raise sufficient funds to ensure that the program can meet its objectives.
Authorizing and approving an annual audit or financial review.
Assuming responsibility for all expenditures necessary for the operation of the program (other than those responsibilities delegated by the Board to the Executive Director).
Public Relations and Advocacy:
Understanding and interpreting the program’s work to the district.
Relating the services of the program to the work of other organizations and agencies.
Giving sponsorship and prestige to the program and inspiring confidence in its activities.
Serving as advocates of economic development through historic preservation in the district.
Maximizing volunteer involvement in the district revitalization effort.
Planning and Evaluation:
Setting direction for the organization and providing measurable objectives to get there.
Regularly reviewing and evaluating the program’s operations and maintaining standards of performance.
Monitoring the program’s activities.
Counseling and providing good judgment on plans of committees and of the Executive Director.
Oversight:
Ensuring that committees are working on programming that meet the organization’s goals and objectives.
Approving committee workplans to meet vision, goals, and objects, and authorize autonomy in implementing approved activities as long as committees stay within budget and timeframe.
Monitoring to ensure committees are on track with approved projects and activities.
Supporting the work of the committees by volunteering time and expertise in support of their efforts.
Personnel Management:
Selecting, hiring and evaluating the Executive Director.
Supporting the Executive Director and ensure they have the tools needed to accomplish their job.
Approving policies governing personnel administration.
Participating in recruitment, selection and development of board members as advised by the nominating committee.
Ensuring there are volunteer development policies and procedures in place.
Individual Responsibilities:
Understand the mission of the local Main Street program and promote the goals and activities of the organization to constituent groups and to the district as a whole.
Stay informed about the purpose and activities of the organization in order to effectively participate in board discussions. Offer opinions honestly, without reservation, and in a constructive way.
Encourage orderly, systematic and incremental implementations of the organization’s work plan, discouraging the Board from being distracted by secondary issues or projects not included in the program’s annual agenda.
Attend regular monthly meetings of the board or to notify staff when absence is necessary.
Support Board decisions, even when you may differ personally with the majority decision.
Actively participate on task forces as necessary as well as one standing committee or other designated post.
Attend as many training programs and workshops as possible provided by Oregon Main Street and the National Main Street Center each year.
Respect the need for the Executive Director to report to only one “boss.”
Understand that the day to day operations of organization beyond volunteer opportunities fall to the Executive Director.
Only commit time to the Main Street organization that you can realistically afford.
Delegate responsibilities to committees when appropriate.
Promote unity within the organization and seek to resolve internal conflicts.
Be familiar with the budget and take an active part in the budget planning process.
Know and approve all policies and programs.
To identify when there may be a potential conflict of interest and ask for the Board to decide when to excuse from discussions, decisions, and votes.