Executive Council

Role and Function

Coalition of National Park Service Retirees MISSION STATEMENT:

We, a coalition of National Park Service retirees, will speak and act for the protection of America's national parks and for the enjoyment of them in such manner that does not impair their resources nor their intended values and purposes.

The Executive Council is the steering committee for the Coalition. The Council is charged with developing the direction and focus of the organization to accomplish the mission. It will develop and carry out a strategic plan to accomplish the mission. It will provide oversight to the Coalition's work assuring that the organization's decisions and actions are effective, efficient and in concert with mission, guiding principles and broader interests of the organization and its members. The Council will lead the Coalition by communicating with its members, identifying key issues to work on, and broadening the work of the organization through its membership. The Council is the principal method of governance of the entire organization. The Chair of the Council will coordinate the activities of Executive Council members and the work of Coalition members. Council members will represent the organization as required with other organizations, the media, the National Park Service and Department of Interior. Council members may be asked to represent the organization before Congress or during informational visits to Congressional offices.

Role and Function Statement for Executive Council Chair

General Responsibilities

The Chair is responsible for ensuring that the Council and its members:
• are aware of and fulfill their governance responsibilities;
• comply with applicable laws and bylaws;
• conduct Council business effectively and efficiently;
• are accountable for their performance (see note 1).

In order to fulfill these responsibilities, and subject to the organization's bylaws, the Chair presides over meetings, proposes policies and practices, sits on various committees, monitors the performance of Council Members and Officers, submits various reports to the Council, to funders, and to other "stakeholders;" proposes the creation of committees; appoints members to such committees; and performs other duties as the need arises and/or as defined in the bylaws.

Accountability
The Chair is accountable to the Council or Members as specified in the bylaws. The Chair may delegate specific duties to the Founding Director, Officers, Council members and/or committees as appropriate; however, the accountability for them remains with the Chair.

Specific Duties

Meetings
The Chair ensures that an agenda is planned for Council meetings. This may involve periodic meetings with committee chairpersons and the Founding Director to draft annual and meeting agendas and reporting schedules.

The Chair presides over meetings of the Council. In this capacity, the Chair:
• chairs meetings according to accepted rules of order for the purposes of
o encouraging all members to participate in discussion;
o arriving at decisions in an orderly, timely and democratic manner;
• votes as prescribed in the bylaws;
• assures minutes of meetings are appropriately distributed.

Council Committees
The Chair serves as an ex-officio member of Council committees. In this capacity, the Chair's role is
• to serve as a voting member of the committee (if specified in the bylaws);
• to negotiate reporting schedules;
• to identify problems and assist the committee chairperson to resolve them, and if necessary, to bring them to the attention of the Council.

Council-Staff Relations
The Chair is the primary liaison between the Council and the Founding Director. In this capacity, the Chair:
• meets periodically with the Founding Director;
• ensures that periodic performance reviews of the Founding Director are conducted.

Community Relations
The Chair ensures that the organization maintains positive and productive relationships with media, funders, donors, and other organizations. In this capacity, the Chair serves as primary spokesperson for the organization.

Signing Officer
The Chair is normally designated by the Council and/or bylaws as one of the signing officers for certain documents. In this capacity, the Chair may be authorized or required to sign or countersign checks, correspondence, applications, reports, contracts or other documents on behalf of organization.

Council Development
The Chair ensures that structures and procedures are in place for effective recruitment, training, and evaluation of Council members.

Fund Raising
The Chair ensures that structures and procedures are in place for securing the resources required by the organization. Depending upon the organization, this may require the Chair to play a leadership role in fundraising campaigns through personal contributions of services and money.

Other Specific Responsibilities
• Represents Coalition in Congressional hearings, DOI and NPS meetings, and with media contacts. Delegates to appropriate Coalition members those activities in which the Chair cannot personally participate.
• Serves as the primary spokesperson on behalf of the Coalition to the media, elected officials and other entities.
• Provides periodic updates to Coalition members on important Coalition developments.
• Oversees revisions to Coalition’s strategic plan.
• Oversees Coalition’s financial status and requests or recommends audits or other financial analyses as appropriate.
• Manages implementation of annual work plan with EC members.

Delegation
Depending upon the organization's needs and its bylaws, the Chair may establish or propose the establishment of committees of the Council, and may assign tasks and delegate responsibilities to Council committees and/or directors.

Note 1
This document uses the word "ensure" to convey the intent that accountability for the specified responsibilities lies with the Chair but it is not necessarily the Chair who carries out the activity. Indeed, we expect that many of these responsibilities will be delegated to Council committees, staff, or others including experts retained for a specific purpose. The word "ensure" is not intended to imply any additional source of legal duties beyond those that are required by law.

Role and Function Statement for Founding Director

General Responsibilities
The Founding Director is responsible for carrying out the “day to day” business of the Coalition, consistent with the bylaws, responsibilities of other officers and delegated responsibilities.

Accountability
The Founding Director is accountable to the Chair and to the Council, in accordance with the bylaws and the Coalition’s Role and Function Statements.

Support to Executive Council

• Develops a draft of Coalition’s annual work plan for EC approval.
• Assists in the development of Coalition documents for EC approval that will be used in the Coalition’s work.
• Supervises CNPSR Administrator.
• Recommends needed revisions to Coalition’s strategic plan to EC.

Financial Management

• Develops the Coalition’s annual budget for EC approval.
• Manages the day-to-day finances of the Coalition.
• Recommends strategies to the EC to manage the Coalition’s finances prudently.
• Works with Treasurer to maintain Coalition financial records.
• Works with Treasurer to submit timely and accurate annual federal and state tax forms.

Signing Officer
The Founding Director is designated as one of the signing officers for certain documents. In this capacity, the Founding Director is authorized to sign or countersign checks, correspondence, applications, reports, contracts or other documents on behalf of the Coalition. Routine invoices, payment of travel for Executive Council members and purchases or supplies are paid without additional review or approval; non-routine items or single expenses in excess of amounts established by CNPSR policy require review and approval by the Executive Council or the Chair.

Fund Raising
The Founding Director is designated by the Executive Council to implement the Coalition’s Fund Raising plan.

Membership Services

• Assures maintenance of accurate membership rolls.
• Recommends strategies to EC for attracting new members to Coalition.
• Coordinates annual elections for EC membership.
• Manages the Coalition awards program.
• Manages the Coalition’s website.

Role & Function Statement for Treasurer

General Responsibilities
The Treasurer monitors the financial condition of the coalition and oversees the financial administration of the organization, including receipts, disbursements, investments, and performance against budget.

Accountability
The Treasurer is accountable to the Executive Council and Chair as specified in the bylaws and the Coalition’s Role and Function Statements.

Responsibilities
The treasurer should have good analytical skills and experience and ability in financial management and budget preparation.
• Presents to the Executive Council an annual budget for the organization, developed in concert with the Founding Director and the Chair.
• Serves as a voting member of the Executive Council.
• Oversees and reviews for approval all actions and policies with financial implications. This includes preparing Coalition administrative policies for review and approval by the Executive Council.
• Monitors budgetary performance of the organization, recommending modifications as needed.
• Prepares/oversees/approves monthly and annual reports of the financial affairs of the organization for the Executive Council.
• Approves investment vehicles for the organization reserves in investments that fully protect the principal.
• Reviews monthly financial statements and all annual tax returns.
• Recommends audits or other analyses of the Coalition's finances to the Chair or Executive Council for approval.
• As a full member of the Executive Council, the Treasurer is also responsible for monitoring and engaging in NPS issues and events as agreed upon and assigned by the Executive Council or Chair.

Signing Officer
The Treasurer is designated as one of the signing officers for certain documents. In this capacity, the Treasurer is authorized to sign or countersign checks, correspondence, applications, reports, contracts or other documents on behalf of the Coalition. Coordinates signing of routine invoices, payment of travel for Executive Council members, purchases or supplies and other expenditures with Founding Director in accordance with Coalition policies and delegated responsibilities.

Fund Raising
The Treasurer works with the Chair and the Founding Director to ensure that structures and procedures are in place for securing the resources required by the Coalition.