The job of the Main Street board member is one of the most crucial roles in achieving downtown transformation. To meet revitalization goals, everyone needs to be reading from the same playbook to work together like a finely-tuned machine.
The composition of a Main Street board should include diverse perspectives and expertise to ensure success. Ideally, a Main Street board includes:
- Property owners offer a unique perspective, particularly on property mill levies and incentive options, and can help encourage their neighbors to spruce up their properties.
- Retailers have the pulse on foot traffic and frequently are interested in promotional events.
- Banking and finance representatives bring an understanding of accounting, and often fill the role of treasurer. Local lenders also often know which businesses are expanding and can provide insight into the local market.
- Design professionals, such as architects, landscape architects, and planners, are ideal for design-related projects and technical issues, and historic preservation professionals bring specialized knowledge to the table.
Other potential members include residents, marketing/media professionals, local businesses, community organizations, historic preservation organizations, chambers of commerce, local government, and schools.
Main Streets are generally working boards, actively involved in solving issues, while focusing on strategic goals and work plan items. The board’s job is not to invent things to keep the program manager busy.
All board members should advocate the mission, establish policy and vision, support the manager, network with colleagues, inspire confidence, attend monthly meetings, and contribute to discussions.
Each board should include a variety of board member types:
- Workers get things done (volunteer at events, follow through on assignments, support the manager, volunteer at events)
- Wisdom brings special knowledge or expertise (design, finance, marketing)
- Worriers keep the program on point (evaluate progress, keep finances in order)
- Wealth connects money and resources (donate money and time, recruit volunteers, make contacts)
The executive committee (chair, vice chair, treasurer and secretary) plays an important role in guiding the success of a Main Street program. It can provide an opportunity for free-flowing discussions and brainstorming that are not always an option during a more structured board meeting. For that reason (and more), the leadership team should be as diverse as the board itself, including those who can provide planning and initiate projects, provide services or information, and provide connection to money or funding resources.
The roles of your leadership team should clearly define who does what.
- President/Board Chair: bridge between board and program manager, coordinates decision-making process, chairs board meetings, accountable for the organization
- Vice President/Vice Chair: supports and shares duties delegated by president/chair, assists in monitoring committee activities
- Secretary: keeps the records of the organization, prepares meeting minutes
- Treasurer: pays the bills, prepares monthly financial reports, maintains the financial books and records in preparation for an audit
An executive committee can ease the burden of the full board; however, care should be taken so that other board members do not feel excluded from the information being discussed. For instance, if a policy is being considered, the full board can make a recommendation to have the executive committee work on that issue; once it is polished, it goes back to the full board for review and discussion.
Board leadership should rotate to build the number of people who know the program from a variety of angles and help lessen the chance of burnout.
Note: Smaller programs may be able to handle the daily management of Main Street without an executive committee. Another committee could be a burden that simply adds a layer of bureaucracy. In this case, there’s no need to officially establish the executive team as a separate committee.
Involving more people with board activities accomplishes a number of things: it brings in a diverse perspective, it adds to your volunteer base, and it can provide a means to recruit new board members.
An “Emerging Leaders” group brings in a youth perspective and involves Main Street’s next generation.
An Advisory Committee cultivates insight from community leaders who may not currently be available for full-time involvement, but can provide a sounding board for ideas or help with a fundraising push.
Find other potential candidates in your own contacts, friends’ contacts, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Identify what your organization needs before approaching candidates: What is the organization’s long-term vision and priorities? What skills does the board have, and which does it need?
Create a recruitment packet with an overview of the program vision, strategy, and goals, as well as a board member “job description” and estimated time commitment. Conduct formal interviews, and have a board member agreement form that outlines duties and expectations.
Have seasoned veterans mentor new board members.
While sticking to term limits is important in adding vitality to the board, retain “retired” members for committees, task forces, and special initiatives.
Read and review your bylaws — these are the rules of the game that keep your board functioning. and your organization stable and predictable. While unique to each organization, bylaws should include the size of the board and how it will function; roles and duties of officers; rules and procedures for holding meetings, appointing directors, and electing officers; meeting requirements including quorum definition, voting, and rules of order; conflict of interest policies and procedures; and financial powers, such as contracts and budgeting.
In addition to your bylaws, be sure to review your program’s annual work plan, memorandum of understanding with Colorado Main Street, board contact list, position descriptions, and your program’s organizational chart.
Your Main Street manager is likely to have extensive resources that can help elevate your efforts. Online, be sure to visit Colorado Main Street and Main Street America.
Boards play a critical role in communicating with local and state elected officials. Have an “elevator speech” ready to talk about the impact of your program. Also, be sure you know where to draw the line between lobbying and educating on behalf of your Main Street. Public funds cannot be used for lobbying, but educating is encouraged.
Those programs within a public entity (municipality, DDA, etc.) may be governed by Colorado statute. Learn more in the Colorado Municipal League’s Handbook for Appointed Boards and Commissions.