HomeMy Public PortalAbout19930111 - Agendas Packet - Board of Directors (BOD) - 93-01 Open Space
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Meeting 93-01
SPECIAL WORKSHOP MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A G E N D A
3:00 P.M. 330 Distel Circle
Monday Las Altos , CA
January 11 , 1993
(3 : 00) ROLL CALL
CLOSED SESSION - (Personnel Matters -- Board-Management
Relationship Review)
(8 :00) ADJOURNMENT
Open Space . . .for room to breathe 20th Anniversary 1972.1992
330 Distel Circle . Los Altos, California 94022-1404 . Phone:415-691-1200 • FAX: 415-691-0485
General Manager:Herbert Grench Board of Directors:Katherine Duffy,Robert McKibbin,Teena Henshaw,Ginny Babbitt,Nonette Hanko,Betsy Crowder,Richard Bishop
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Open Space M-93-01
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
MEMORANDUM
January 6 , 1993
TO: Board of Directors , Management Team, George Sipel
FROM: H. Grench, General Manager
SUBJECT: Proposed Agenda Topics for Board-Management Relationship
Workshop
Our Board-management relationship workshop will be held Monday,
January 11 from 3 : 00 P.M. to 8 : 00 P.M. Stan has concluded that we
can hold the entire meeting in closed session. Proposed agenda-
discussion topics proposed by Board members, management team, and
George Sipel are listed below as "food for thought" as you prepare
for the meeting. George, who will facilitate the meeting, may want
to change the order of the agenda-discussion topics .
Proposed Agenda Topics
1 . Introduction of new Board and staff members
2 . a) Review and update of norms for the meeting
b) Review guidelines for Board-staff working relationships
(see attached)
3 . a) How Board members view their role as a Board
b) How staff views the role of the Board
This topic was suggested at our April 9 , 1992 workshop as a
future agenda topic.
4 . Report on employee organizational improvement program
- How have budget cuts affected staff morale? (B . Crowder)
- Should staff reorganization proceed? Does staff feel
comfortable with present staff level (as cut) ? (B. Crowder)
- Pluses-minuses of team organization - are management
meetings winding down? is staff too involved and encumbered
with committees (task forces) and meetings? (G. Babbitt)
- Feelings on the plus-minus of an assistant general manager
(G. Babbitt)
5. Board-staff relationships
a) Board-staff relationships still need improvement . Still
feeling that Board does not trust staff findings-
recommendations. (September 1992 employee workshop)
b) Board communicating directly with staff . (September 1992
employee workshop) How do individual phone numbers
affect Board-staff relations? (B. Crowder)
c) Any unappreciated requests of the staff by the Board?
I (G. Babbitt)
I d) Any areas staff feels Board is out of touch - lacking
understanding? (G. Babbitt)
e) Other instances of confusion in Board-staff roles
6. Monitoring staff progress on specific items
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? . Problem solving - Identify a specific problem and work on it
at the workshop
8 . Open discussion
t. 9. Potential Board study session, workshop, or agenda items
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a) Bike patrol (G. Babbitt)
b) ISTEA cooperation with other agencies (P. Siemens)
c) Review of policy regarding notifications of preserve
neighbors (P. Siemens)
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d) Possible establishment of advisory boards (P. Siemens)
e) Other
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GUIDELINES FOR BOARD-STAFF WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Accepted by Board of Directors
November 20, 1991
Amended April 9, 1992
General
1. Board may go to any staff member for information only.
2 . If information request requires preparation, the request should be
made to the General Manager or a program leader who may confer with
the General Manager or his/her supervisor.
3 . Board members are encouraged to give lead time and put requests in
writing.
4 . Board requests for use of staff time should go through the General
Manager or a program leader who may confer with the General Manager or
his/her supervisor.
5. Board information to staff should be routed through program leaders.
6. Staff will evaluate all new Board-suggested projects for consistency
with established goals, effects on other projects and available staff
and financial resources. The staff will estimate the cost of doing
these projects, will review them with the management team and will
communicate the information to the Board. It is understood that cost
estimates' may be "rough" .
I. Management reports and recommendations to the Board should convey
staff concerns that are not covered by the recommendation particularly
on personnel matters.
8 . The Board and management will not surprise each other with important
information.
9 . Staff will actively support Board decisions.
10. The General Manager will advise the Board of times when it is felt the
Board has gotten into administrative detail. This subject will also
be monitored by discussion at future Board-staff workshops.
11. Management will set a P P positive example for other staff for Board-staff
relations.
12 . Board and staff to respect each other's personal time.
Meeting-Related
1. The Board will refrain from publicly reproving staff members.
2 . The Board chair will gavel down members of the public who criticize
staff.
3. The Board will acknowledge unscheduled employee presentations but will
defer action, discussion or response, but may request information from
management.