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The Central
Role of the Council Member |
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As a member of the Northside Planning Council, you are
a Northside community leader. You are essential to the
effectiveness of the NPC. As a coalition of Northside
organizations, the NPC draws its influence and resources
from each of its member organizations; it is only as strong
as the organizations that comprise it. As a representative
of one of those organizations, you serve as a direct link
to that power. You act as a liaison to all of the people,
talent, and resources of the organization you represent;
this connection is the crucial element that enables the
NPC to understand the needs of our community, to harness
its energy, and to act accordingly.
There are many ways for you to take an active role in
the work of the NPC, depending on your time, your interest,
your skills and your resources.
BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES
LIAISON WORK: NPC members should
be in regular communication with the organizations they
represent. The flow of information between the NPC and
its member organizations is a critical factor in the NPC’s
effectiveness, and the role of each representative is
to facilitate this communication. Members should be gathering
information from their organizations to share with the
NPC, and they should also be disseminating information
they learn through the NPC to their organizations. There
are various ways to do this, including attending the organization’s
board and membership meetings, contributing to the organization’s
newsletter, sharing information at monthly NPC meetings,
passing information along for publication in the Northside
News, forwarding announcements over an email list, and
spreading the word through individual conversations.
COMMITTEE WORK: NPC members are expected to serve
on at least one committee each year. At any given time,
the NPC has various committees/task forces that address
timely issues and develop strategies. This gives members
the opportunity to work with other council members, to
deepen their understanding of Northside issues, to develop
recommendations for action, and to further the goals of
the NPC. Examples of committees include the Membership
Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Lakeview Library
Expansion Committee, and the Executive Committee.
MEETING ATTENDANCE: Attendance at regular NPC
Board meetings is an essential responsibility of a planning
council member, although it is understood that Board members
may occasionally have conflicts that require them to miss
a meeting. Please notify the planning council staff in
advance when you will be unable to attend a meeting or
if you know you will be arriving late. According to the
NPC Bylaws, more than two consecutive unexcused absences
will be interpreted as a de facto resignation from the
Board.
WAYS TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED
ISSUE RESEARCH: monitoring/researching and reporting
on specific issues or strategies of interest, which might
involve Internet research, reading documents/newspapers,
attending meetings, etc. Example: learning about affordable
housing challenges and opportunities on the Northside
to help develop a plan for the NPC’s involvement.
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ADVOCACY:
leading an issue campaign, including coalition-building, strategizing,
and implementing tactics such as talking to public officials
and/or giving public testimony to decision-making bodies.
Simple advocacy issues can include tactics such as writing
letters and making phone calls. Example: presentations done
at a Common Council budget hearing for the Lakeview Library
expansion that led to a $75,000 addition to the budget to
cover the capital costs of construction.
SPECIAL EVENTS: helping coordinate/carry
out special events and other community activities, managing
logistics (food, room setup, etc.), recruiting/ coordinating
volunteers, invitations, etc. Examples: assisting with
community forums sponsored by the city/county designed
to solicit feedback from Northside residents on a specific
issue, such as the North Mendota Parkway; or organizing
a neighborhood candidate forum for an upcoming election.
LIAISON TO EXTERNAL GROUPS:
representing NPC by attending specific meetings or events,
either in observer or active participant/liaison roles,
and reporting back to NPC. Example: serving on a citywide
commission or committee around a specific issue, such
as high speed rail.
MAKING PRESENTATIONS: making
presentations on NPC or Northside issues/projects to
other organizations (including neighborhood organizations).
Example: assisting with the planning council presentation
at a Common Council retreat for the city Alderpersons.
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING: making
intentional efforts to contact and develop “working”
relationships with your neighbors and Northside community
leaders, pastors, principals, business people, etc,
in which you explore mutual interest/garner support
for Northside interests. Example: meeting with the President
of a school PTO to learn about areas of mutual interest
that could possibly result in membership in the NPC.
ORGANIZING: helping organize
meetings, develop organizational structures, recruit
and train leaders/members, plan and implement activities
– in your own or other neighborhoods. Example:
working with your neighborhood association to plan and
implement a neighborhood watch program.
HANDS ON: doing hands-on
communications work like making phone calls, distributing
flyers or petitions, stuffing envelopes, etc.
DIRECT ACTION: participating
in or helping organize letter writing campaigns, petitions,
rallies, boycotts, marches, demonstrations, etc, in
support of NPC/Northside issues/priorities.
FUNDRAISING: soliciting
donations/contributions at any level – grant-writing,
leading a capital campaign, going door to door (selling
goods or asking for contributions), asking neighborhood
businesses to donate goods, bake sales. Example: joining
the Lakeview Library fundraising campaign.
MENTORING: mentoring/providing
advice and assistance to new NPC members or other neighborhood
leaders, either 1:1 or working with a small group.
WRITING: Writing/editing articles
for NS News or other NPC needs (brochure, etc).
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