Two Seats Open Up on RCPC Board
by Ronnie Spitzer
The Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC) has two board seats that are currently open and available to be filled by board appointment. Michelle Boyd and Matt Levy have resigned from the board as they have both relocated outside Rockridge. Michelle and Matt were elected in April 2021 for terms ending in 2023. Therefore, the board will be pleased to consider volunteers for the two open positions.
Prospective board members must be at least 18 years old and live within the RCPC boundaries. For those who are not familiar with Rockridge boundaries, you can view the map and boundary description on the RCPC website at: rockridge.org/boundaries. An explanation of board members’ expected time and service commitments, along with the membership eligibility requirements, is posted below.
If you are interested in serving on the board, please send the following to info@rockridge.org:
1) Your name, address, and contact info, including proof of residence (photo of driver’s license or DMV ID card).
2) A letter of interest including a brief summary of your personal and professional experience; your interest and purpose in serving on the board; anything else you’d like the board to know about you.
The deadline to inquire is Thursday, September 30, 2021.
INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
Following is a general description of typical time commitments and an approximation of time for each. The most usual time commitments are for board meetings, Town Hall meetings, committee meetings and board reports, board (local) retreats and general preparation. Unpredictable amounts of time are called for from time to time for board participation in events such as Out and About (annual), the RCPC Kitchen Tour (biennial), the Halloween Parade (annual), and other board activities. Participation in these events is generally in terms of shifts of time, usually about two hours.
General time commitments:
Board meetings: 2-1/2 to 3 hours/month for 12 meetings/year. Attendance at board meetings is strongly encouraged. Excused absences are understood. A board member can be removed for missing two consecutive meetings without explanation.
Town Hall meetings: 2 hours/every other month for 5-6 meetings/year. Attendance at Town Halls is strongly encouraged. Board members take turns hosting these.
Committee participation: there is an expectation of participation in at least one but not more than two committees. Meetings: 2-3 hours/month, depending on committee activity. Time is specific to committee needs and community activity.
Staffing RCPC Board elections: the post of Election Officer requires 4-5 hours/week in the month leading up to the election, and 15 hours for managing voting and vote counting. Other board members who are not candidates are expected to staff voting locations on either Thursday evening or Saturday afternoon (election times), about 5 hours on each day, and count votes on Sunday after the Saturday voting time, also about 4-5 hours.
Other, periodic volunteering as needed in community events and on Board projects. However, participation in the Board’s primary fundraiser, the biennial Rockridge Kitchen Tour, is mandatory. Event participation is somewhat flexible, depending on the event. For example, although participation in the Kitchen Tour is mandatory, different activities and times are available to meet that mandate
Two board retreats per year, usually on a Saturday. One is held immediately after April elections, and another in the fall to plan for the next calendar and fiscal years.
General preparation time: 2 hours/month with reports and e-mails in preparation for board meetings and on-line discussions.
Overall time commitment: about 10 to 12 hours per month, varying with circumstances. Note that meetings are generally held in the evening. The occasional “unpredictable” times for the periodic events would most often be on weekends.
An ideal board member will have one or more of the following:
Skills:
Prior board experience
Local government experience (Oakland/Alameda Co. experience a plus)
Nonprofit management
Website development and maintenance
Social media
Meeting facilitation
Event planning and fundraising
Accounting/bookkeeping
Knowledge base in:
Land use and/or property development
Urban (village) planning
Transportation
Education
Public Safety
