These past two years the BWNA board has experienced change, including adding many new board members. With COVID creating two years of business that was not as usual and the new board composition, members voted to hold a half-day board retreat to get to know each other, learn the rules of the organizational road, and set goals for the upcoming year.
The retreat was held in October, outside for everyone’s COVID-related safety. Amalfi’s allowed the group to use its outdoor space in the morning prior to opening, providing room to spread out. Thank you, Amalfi’s!
Alison Stoll from Central Northeast Neighbors coalition facilitated the workshop, with board training provided by CNN-provided consultant Dr. Paul Leistner. Board member Tim Gillespie presented an ice-breaking activity that encouraged board members to learn something new about fellow members. Some had never met in person, making this meet-and-greet an extra fun activity.
Dr. Leistner and Ms. Stoll provided an overview of Portland’s unique neighborhood association structure, including the history, guidelines, requirements of serving on a neighborhood association board, and a brief overview of best practices for by-laws, policies, and roles and responsibilities of board membership.
Much of the session focused on goal setting, with board members brainstorming ideas. The team used feedback from a neighborhood survey taken last year that asked respondents to prioritize how BWNA should spend its available funds. As a starting point for goal setting, board members picked their top two choices to focus on for the year. All the ideas were captured to be considered as the board moves forward. The board identified the following in order of preference:
- Neighborhood clean-up, Adopt-a-Block concept, and community festival at Wilshire Park;
- Music in the Park, block party, neighborhood clean-up event with Beaumont PTA, and garden tour; and
- Street murals, family-focused event, dogs of Beaumont, neighborhood yard sale, volunteer day with three main volunteer activities, and block party tool kit.
Do you see something that interests you? Do you have other ideas about what the BWNA board can work on this year? Email your thoughts to Patty Nelson at President@BWNApdx.org.