Board Position Descriptions
Chair and Vice-Chair
- Provides leadership to the Board
- Sets the tone and climate for Board activity
- Ensures that the Board meets requirements of trusteeship
- Determines the need for meetings, sets the time, sets the agenda, and chairs meetings according to procedure accepted by the Board
- Pursues knowledge of board and chair responsibilities, appropriate legislation, bylaws, policies, and rules of order through ongoing development and education opportunities
- Encourages collaboration among Board members
- Facilitates the contribution of all trustees to Board business
- Ensures that Board plans are followed, adhering to legislation, bylaws, and policy
- Ensures that proper records are kept and signs adopted minutes of meetings
- Has signing authority for library accounts
- Implements the decisions of the Board, usually assigning specific tasks or delegating to committee
- Ensures that committee chairs are in place, and may appoint committee chairs
Vice-Chair
- Assumes duties of the chair in the absence of the chair
- May have signing authority on library accounts
- May have on-going assigned duties, such as trustee recruitment or orientation
Secretary
- Records minutes of Board meetings and provides copies to trustees at least one week prior to next meeting, together with agendas and other required materials
- Maintains a file of original minutes and copies of reports, correspondence, etc., at the library
- Notifies Board members of meetings
- Handles library correspondence as directed by the Board
- May hold signing authority for library accounts
- Acts as chair if both chair and vice-chair are absent
- Confirms locations for meetings
- Brings required materials (board manual, minutes, and reports) to meetings
- Assists chair in developing agenda
Note: Boards may choose to have a non-trustee recording secretary who may be staff or a volunteer; if staff, duties must be in job description and time is paid.
Treasurer
- Chairs finance committee; prepares agenda for finance committee meetings
- Sets up and/or monitors bookkeeping/accounting procedures
- Is familiar with current accounting practice and applicable legislation
- Submits a financial summary and status report to Board meetings
- Has, with two or three others, signing authority for library accounts
- Prepares, with the senior staff person, an annual financial report
- Ensures that the annual report required by Alberta Municipal Affairs is properly prepared, audited, and submitted
- Maintains a file of potential revenue sources, including application criteria, procedures, and deadlines, and ensures that grants and special funding are correctly applied for
- Presents the Board’s budget and estimate of funds to council and other funding bodies
- Spearheads the development of Board financial policy
- Takes advantage of training opportunities