Commissioner Appraisals

A Self Appraisal

What is Self-Assessment

• Relationship with board members• Relationship with ED and staff• Relationship with performance• Ways to improve• What are our strengths• What are our weaknesses• Where do we go from here?

Relationship with Board

• Are we prepared for meeting?• Adequate time to review?• Questions answered?• Board friction• Cliques• Free to discuss and give opinions• What happens then?

Board Actions

• Is everyone prepared ahead of meeting?• Is everyone given the opportunity to ask

questions?• Is everyone on-time?• Do we make good use of our board meeting

time?

BY LAWS

• Do we follow these?• Do they need changing

Rules of Order

• What do we use?• Are they designated in By Laws?

OPEN MEETINGS

• Do we follow the law?• Executive sessions?• Agenda published• Notice of meeting?• Committees?

Relationship with Staff

• Who attends meetings?• Do we give them adequate notice?• What information do I need and who do I call?• Any restrictions by board or executive staff?• Have we delegated responsibility?• How do we monitor?• Day to day activities?

Relationship with Performance

• Do we get clearly presented issues, including both sides of the story?

• Do we have adequate time to prepare, get answers, and take action?

• What policies do we review?• What policies do we need?• What about the Executive Director appraisals?

Board and Staff Roles

• Board roles: hire the director, monitor progress, ask questions, pass policies

• Staff Roles: implement policies, make reports, generate ideas to help the HA, day-to-day activities, hiring, termination, discipline

Policies

• Who generates the ideas?• How are they passed?• When do they go into effect?• Is the communication good?• How long before they are implemented?• Do we review the policies?• Which ones do we need?

PHA Planning

• Five year• Annual plan• Board retreats• Board education• Action plans: measurable indicators• Monitor the progress• Address HUD requirements and local needs

Monetary Management

• Budget planning• Budget passing procedures• The audit procedures• Finance/audit committee?• What reports do I need?• Reading the audit.• Working with the auditor• Asking the right questions

Board Practices

• Do we meet too often, or not often enough?• Advance notice of meeting/agenda/materials?• Opportunity to ask questions• Start on time?• Dealing with visitors• The agenda• Opportunity to discuss

Other Board Issues

• Term limit?• Qualifications to become Chair?• Knowledge of HUD rules, PHA rules, By-laws?• Do we take the advice of our attorney?• Unanimous votes all of the time?• Does a negative vote carry over to the next

item?• Are we in this for politics?

More Issues

• Do we start on time?• Do we know in advance if we are not going to

have a quorum?• Do we comply with open meetings and public

records laws?• Agenda and materials: how far in advance do

we get?• Privacy and confidentiality issues

The Meeting

• Do we follow the agenda?• How do we deal with visitor comments?• Is our time being used in a good manner?• Do we have good discussion and opportunities

to openly discuss agenda items?• Do we have opportunity to ask questions?• Do we have block voting?• Do we have a pre-meeting work session?

Board Members

• Is our board a cross-section of our community?

• Do we have an opportunity to make suggestions for replacements?

• Do we need any certain background for board positions?

• Do we require training after appointment?

Working With the Director

• Do we jointly recruit?• Do we have a job description?• What about a contract?• Do we have an annual appraisal? If so, what

kind and is it used and/or helpful?• Do we give feedback to director and can

director discuss issues openly with us?

The Director

• Finance issues• Implementing issues• Continuing development for benefit of PHA?• Flexibility to take actions?• Makes regular reports as requested• Directs and supervises staff: fair, unbiased,

hiring, termination, discipline, annual appraisals, helps supervisors and staff

Our Attorney

• Do we keep him/her involved?• Do we feel free to ask questions: in and/or

out of meetings?• Does he/she have time to review policies

before they come to the board?• Do we have time when legal cases are

discussed?• Do we follow his/her advice?

Our Insurance

• What policies do we have?• Are there any suggested additions?• Can I prove that I have coverage?• How do we work with our insurance

company?• AND, the lawyers who represent them in our

cases?

Board Assessment

• Do we (all or a few) understand policies and procedures?

• Do we have cliques that might influence another person’s independent thoughts?

• Do we take an active part in evaluating reports and policies?

• Do we keep informed about PHA issues?• How can we improve our operations?

What Are Our Strengths?

What Are Our Weaknesses?

What Suggestions Do I Have?

What Tools Are Available?

• Professional organizations?• Non-profit assessment tools?

Getting Started

• The first step.• Doing the survey.• Getting the results.• Evaluating the results.• As a board: IMPLEMENT CHANGES• AND: Stress the good things we are doing.