Memo - Board and Commission Orientation
. Administrative Services -
Office of the City Manager
Memorandum
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Steven C. Mielke, Hopkins City Manager
Date: September 3,2002
Su bject: Board and Commission Orientation
The purpose of this agenda item is to determine an outline and a date for Board and
Commission Orientation.
The Council has been seeking a better process for helping our Board and Commission
(B&C) members "get up to speed" faster. We have in the past tried to hold training
. programs in the past with mixed, but generally poor results. In an effort to revitalize this
effort, I am forwarding a slightly different agenda, which hopefully will stimulate interest
in the members to attend and participate.
While I am sure the following Ijst is not complete, I would suggest the following as
agenda topics, in no particular order:
. A review of the Vision and Mission Statements.
. An overview of planning tools/documents,
. A discussion of the Council's expectations of B&C members.
. A testimonial on what it is like to be on a board or commission.
. A review of current activities/issues of all B&C's.
. Questions and answers.
. The role of staff liaisons.
It is my hope that if we focus more on current events/activities and less on the "how to
do the job" content, we will attract more participation.
I would suggest that we accomplish this during a one-evening session served with a
meal. I would invite new and current board members, as well as current Council; select
past Council and/or Board members and staff liaisons that can participate in the
orientation,
. I would also select an evening meeting with food and beverage, perhaps at the Hopkins
Center for the Arts.