Serving on Local Boards
2022 Summerby Ashley Kent
who is the MSU Extension Local Government Center Associate Director.
Have you ever considered serving on a board?
Is there a need for more leaders in your community?
Are you serving on multiple boards?
The Reimagining Rural program, hosted by MSU Extension Community Development, featured speaker Ben Winchester, a rural sociologist from the University of Minnesota Extension. In fall 2021, he reported research findings that concluded 1 in every 22 adults in Montana must serve in a leadership role on a community board to meet the minimum demand for local leadership positions across the state. That’s a lot of board service. Without the willingness of local leaders to volunteer their time and skills for these roles, many communities would find themselves without integral non-profit or service districts.
We often hear of people in rural communities serving on multiple boards simultaneously. They care about the well-being of their communities and want to ensure current and future generations continue to enjoy the benefits of living in small towns. Recently, Montana has experienced an influx of new residents who are equally excited about becoming involved in their new communities and giving back in the form of volunteer board service.
COMMON QUESTIONS AND BEST PRACTICES
Volunteering to serve on a board for the first time can be exciting, scary, and overwhelming. People often want to contribute to their community but are intimidated by the rules, responsibilities, and requirements of board service. Here are some tips and best practices based on common questions received during Local Government Center trainings:
- Recognize the difference between representing constituents and expressing personal opinions
- Ensure all board members have an opportunity to discuss and recognize the board’s purpose and shared long-term vision
- Have a clear understanding of the roles, responsibilities, legal requirements, and expectations of service for a particular board (public vs. private)
- Maintain clear, consistent communication with those represented by the board
- Ensure all citizens, members, etc. have an opportunity to engage in the decision-making process prior to final action
- Understand good meeting management and how to utilize parliamentary procedure for effective decision making
- Provide easily accessible information related to the board’s processes, structure, information, and decisions
- Fairly enforce decisions and guidelines to ensure all citizens or members are represented and treated equally
- Be proud of your willingness to step forward and serve your community in this capacity
MSU EXTENSION LOCAL GOVERNMENT CENTER
The Montana State University Extension Local Government Center (LGC) provides training and technical assistance for public boards across Montana. Several publications and online resources are available at msulocalgov.org, and the LGC offers a variety of in-person and online education workshops ranging from open meeting laws and the public’s right to know and participate, to leadership development and highly effective teams. For more details, see the LGC website or contact us at 406-994-6694 or ashleykent@montana.edu.