Spring is in full swing! We know you had a great start to the year and are looking forward to continuing the momentum. Whether you operate on a fiscal or calendar year, here are three things you can do now to ensure 2015 continues to be great year!
1. Make sure you are complying with the Brown Act and Public Records Act. Has your staff and board been trained recently on Brown Act compliance? If you have new board members, now is the time to be sure they know what they can and cannot do. Are your agendas created and posted in compliance with the Brown Act? Did you know Brown Act bodies cannot hold discussions by email? Or that agendas must be posted online? Does your staff know their responsibilities in the event of a Public Records Act request? If you answered no – or even are not sure – about any of these items, protect yourself and get trained!
2. Prepare for (or submit) your annual report. Every district has to submit an annual report to its jurisdiction, city or county. Have you thought about what you’ll put in that report? Are you prepared with statistics, photos, and next years’ budget? Do you know the legal requirements for the report’s content (and have you considered recent court decisions and changes in the law)? The annual report is your chance to show stakeholders just how valuable their investment in your district really is.
3. Think about renewal. It may be next year, or it may be nine years from now – but you should always be thinking about your renewal. Take pictures, gather statistics, and most importantly – check in with your stakeholders. Are they satisfied with the services? Will they support your eventual renewal? And if your district expires in 2016 or 2017, think about starting your renewal now. New laws and legal challenges have made the renewal process more complex and time-consuming, plus starting early will help ensure you don’t have a gap in funding.
