Board Committees

Purpose: 

To provide leadership and guidance in specialized areas that can be dealt with more effectively by a smaller group than the full Board. 

Duties and Responsibilities 

• Each Committee is accountable to the full Board for establishing measurable goals and objectives 

• Contribute to the efficient operation of the organization 

• The Board President shall appoint the Chair of any committee 

• Make recommendations to the full Board and provide the information the Board  needs to make a sound decision 

• Committees should not meet when there is no business to complete, or when the work of the committee is finished. 

Rationale 

The purpose of committees is to free the full Board from having to deal with specialized or complex issues so it can concentrate on its broad policy-making responsibility. Committees are also a good proving ground for potential Board leaders and can be a catalyst for Board member involvement. 

To keep Board member interest and commitment, committees should only meet when there is business to accomplish. It is also a good idea for the Board to reorganize committees on an annual basis. If the Board decides that a committee has served its purpose or accomplished its specific goals, it should be disbanded. 

ODH has two types of committees – standing and temporary.  

Standing committees deal with ongoing functions necessary for the operation of the Board and organization and must consist of two or more Board members.  

Temporary committees are established to deal with a specific task or issue and disband once its work is completed. Temporary committees may either be a full committee or a sub-committee of a standing committee.