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 | Keep the girls of today and tomorrow as the focus for every decision. |
| Respect other’s time, opinion and commitment. |
| Accomplish work through volunteer/staff partnerships in an environment of trust. |
| Sign and honor confidentiality agreements and conflict of interest statements. |
| Prepare and provide the necessary tools for each meeting in a timely manner. |
CEO Search Process Defined
The CRC agreed to conduct a national search to fill the CEO position for the
new council. Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) has contracted with Evergreen
Executive Source, LLC to help realigning council groups conduct their CEO search
process. The CEO search committee for our council group will work with
Evergreen to advertise the position and screen initial candidates.
New Council Name Approved
The CRC used the Kepner-Tregoe decision analysis process to determine three
possible names for the new council from all of the suggestions submitted. The three top choices were ranked and
submitted to GSUSA for approval. We have received notification from GSUSA that
the first choice for the new council name is approved. The new council will
be Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland. The other
two choices submitted to GSUSA were Girl Scouts of the Missouri Ozarks and Girl
Scouts of the Ozark Region.
Thank you to everyone that submitted a possible name for the new council.
The third CRC Meeting will be held December 8, 2007 via video-conference.
The Council Realignment Committee met January 11 and 12 at the Girl Scout Council of the Ozark Area service center in Joplin.
Location of the Administrative Service Center for the new council – the CRC approved the recommendation from the Property Sub-Committee that the administrative service center for the new council be located in Springfield. Four regional service centers will also be located in Cape Girardeau, Dexter, Jefferson City and Joplin to provide quality services for our membership. Read the news release announcing this decision.
CEO Search Process – the CEO Search Committee chair updated the CRC on their progress. Over 200 responses were received form the CEO qualifications survey. That data has been compiled and is being used to develop the position posting that the national search firm will use to post the position. The CRC approved the salary range for the CEO position. All information has been submitted to the search firm and the posting should be published soon.
Update from GSUSA – Pat West, our realignment consultant from GSUSA, updated the CRC on information to be considered from GSUSA.
Sub-Committee Reports – the co-chairs of each of the 11 sub-committees gave detailed reports on the progress of their committees to this point. Each requested information they need from other committees or from the five councils. There is a tremendous amount of work happening in the sub-committees at this point and important deadlines are approaching quickly. It is important that all committees stay on task and on deadline to meet the new council start date of October 1, 2008.
In light of the very important work the CRC and sub-committees are doing now to build the foundation for the new council, Constance Bearnes, CEO from Girl Scouts – Heart of Missouri Council, shared a poem she found particularly inspiring. The CRC agreed it is very apropos to our situation and thought others would find it inspiring as well.
Today is ours; let’s live it.
And love is strong: let’s give it.
A song can help; let’s sing it.
And peace is dear; let’s bring it.
The past is gone; don’t rue it.
Our work is here; let’s do it.
The world is wrong; let’s right it.
The battle is hard; let’s fight it.
The road is rough; let’s clear it.
The future is vast; don’t fear it.
Is faith asleep; let’s wake it.
Today is ours; let’s take it!
- Anonymous
The Council Realignment Committee (CRC) met February 29 – March 1 at the Girl Scouts – Cotton Boll Area Council service center in Dexter, Missouri.
Surviving Shell Corporation – Anne Soots, CRC legal liaison and CEO from Dogwood Trails Council, is working with two legal firms to develop the recommendation for the surviving shell corporation. Each sub-committee chair was to provide Anne with due diligence documentation from their area of work at this meeting. A recommendation, with supporting information, for the surviving shell corporation will be brought to the CRC teleconference in March.
CEO Search Committee – Committee Chair Libby Mobley, Board Chair from Cotton Boll Area Council, gave the report. The primary charge of this committee is to initiate a search, review prospective candidates and recommend for hire to the CRC a Chief Executive Officer for the new council. Libby reported that Evergreen Executive Source, the national search firm, had posted the new council’s CEO position through a variety of media. The search firm also recommended that ads for the position be placed in Missouri newspapers and that was approved. All CRC members were encouraged to spread the word about the position posting. Based on the timeline set by the search firm, the final selection of the CEO for the new council was moved from April to May. Plans remain in place to have the new CEO start on July 1.
Product Sales/Delivery of Services Committee – Committee Chair Denise
Stewart, CEO from Otahki Council, reported for the committee. The committee is
to review and select a model for program and the delivery of services of the new
council. The committee is primarily concerned with developing the methodology
for merging the service delivery systems and preparing systems for the future
program operations of the new council. This committee monitors the method for
merging all service delivery operations of the new council, which could include
membership, program, adult development, product sales and Girl Scout shops. The
committee met on January 26 in Willow Springs to begin the review of both the
fall product sale program and the Girl Scout cookie sale program. A work group
was formed for each sale program and members were assigned to the groups.
Fall Product Program – all five legacy councils
currently use QSP/Ashdon Farms as their vendor for the program. The committee
recommended that QSP/Ashdon Farms be retained as the vendor for the 2008 fall
product sale program for the new council. This was approved by the CRC. The
work group will develop a timeline and incentive plan for the fall sale program.
Girl Scout Cookie Program - the work group will develop a
plan for the 2008-’09 Girl Scout cookie sale. Representatives from Little
Brownie Bakers and ABC made presentations to the group in February.
Fund Development Committee – Committee Co-Chair Ann Butts, Board Vice Chair from Ozark Area Council, reported on the work of the committee. The Fund Development Sub-Committee is to review current fund development plans in legacy councils and develop a plan for integrating fund development policies and practices for the new council and provide recommendations for the new council to the CRC for adoption. The committee has outlined the following major tasks:
| Build a consolidated fund development calendar for the new council |
| Write a transitional fund development plan |
| Identify the top 20 donors |
| Identify the strengths of the combined donor base |
Technology Committee – Committee Chair Anne Soots, CEO from Dogwood Trails Council, reported that the committee met in January This committee is primarily concerned with developing a technology plan for the new council and the methodology for merging the current technology systems and data of each of the existing councils. The committee has determined two priorities to have in place on Day 1 of the new council – a new consolidated phone system and a consolidated email system to provide good communication between the new council and all of its stakeholders. She distributed information on the total technology budget of the 5 merging councils, as well as a request for proposal on updating the technology cabling at the five service centers. The committee will submit a total technology plan and budget for the new council by the April 1 deadline.
Governance Committee - Committee members Lindsey Godfrey, volunteer from Dogwood Trails Council, and Val Richardson, board member from Cotton Boll Area Council, presented this committee’s report. The committee is primarily concerned with reviewing and selecting a governance structure, developing the new bylaws, amending the articles of incorporation, agreeing on the method of combining jurisdictions to form the new council, and overseeing the preparation of appropriate legal documents. The bylaws and articles of incorporation from each of the five legacy councils have been reviewed and a draft of the bylaws for the new council has been developed. The committee developed an online survey to gather data from all constituent groups regarding the governance structure for the new council. This data will be used as the bylaws are refined and the governance structure finalized.
Board Development - Committee member Carolyn English, board member from Ozark Area Council, gave this committee’s report. This committee is charged with developing and presenting to the members of the corporation a single slate of nominees for the officers of the new board of directors and members-at-large and the new nominating/board development committee. The committee is making progress in building a diverse slate of nominees from across the jurisdiction.
Property – Committee Co-Chair Mary Daly, board chair from Heart of Missouri Council, presented this committee’s report. The committee is to review and assess all physical assets of the existing councils and provide recommendations for the new council to the CRC. Mary reported that the committee is working to complete inventories on all properties. This information will be used to develop the initial property plan for the new council.
Finance – Committee Co-Chair Anne Brown, board member from Dogwood Trails Council, presented this committee’s report. The committee is to review and select a model for the financial affairs of the new council. This committee is primarily concerned with developing the methodology for merging the current fiscal assets and preparing systems for the future fiscal operations of the new council. This committee monitors the method for merging all fiscal operations of the new council. Anne distributed budget preparation materials and reminded all committee chairs that their budgets are due to the finance committee by April 1.
Human Resources – Committee Chair Ilene Bates, CEO from Ozark Area Council, gave the report. The HR committee’s primary responsibility is to lay the framework of the new council’s human resources philosophy, policy, and business practices. This committee is primarily focused on developing a framework and methodology for integrating the current HR practices of the merging councils into a single human resources program. The committee is working to develop personnel policies for employed staff of the new council, a possible staffing structure and position descriptions, and an employee benefits package for the new council.
Communications - Committee Co-Chair Tina Stillwell, board chair from Dogwood Trails Council, gave the report. This committee’s focus is to develop tactics to align the existing communication functions of the councils, and by ensuring national suggestions and guidelines are followed, engage positive internal and external communications. The committee distributed a press release regarding the posting of the CEO position, is working to develop a crisis communication plan for the new council, is making a determination regarding the production fall publications and is developing a new council fact sheet for the board development committee’s use.
The next CRC Meeting will be held on April
11-12 in Jefferson City, MO.
The Council Realignment Committee (CRC) met April 11-12 at the Girl Scouts – Heart of Missouri Council service center in Jefferson City.
Meeting Highlights
Girl Scouts – Heart of Missouri Council, Inc. was approved to be the
“surviving shell” corporation in the merger process. This is a legal term that
identifies which federal tax identification number will be used in the new
council. Girl Scouts – Heart of Missouri Council’s Articles of Incorporation
will be updated to reflect the change to the new council.
The Communications Sub-Committee presented a new fact sheet and Volunteer Newsletter to keep stakeholders informed about the realignment process.
In August or September, each of the five legacy councils will hold a special delegate meeting to approve the merger plan. The dates for these meetings are:
Girl Scouts – Cotton Boll Area Council – August 26
Girl Scouts of Dogwood Trails Council – August 23
Girl Scouts – Heart of Missouri Council – September 7
Girl Scouts of Otahki Council – August 25
Girl Scouts Council of the Ozark Area – August 28
The CRC approved the initial technology plan submitted by the Technology Sub-Committee. This project plan includes all of the work that is necessary to “tie together” the five service centers technologically and provide good customer service to our membership on Day One of the new council. The plan includes a new phone system, a new email system and a new integrated computer network.
The next CRC Meeting will be held on May 16-17 in Cape Girardeau, MO.
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Last modified: 03/31/08 |