Electronic Board Meetings: An Implementation Guide

1
Electronic Board Meetings An Implementation Guide

• Using the Internet to enhance the governance
  process.
• Presented by
• Artie Ioannides Emerald Data Solutions

2
Panel Introduction

• Kathy Arnette Superintendent of Schools Walton
  County Public Schools, GA
• Philomena Pete, Chairwoman, Board of Education
  Walton County Schools, GA
• Donna Freise, Assistant to the Superintendent
  Genoa-Kingston Public Schools, Il
• Dr. Richard Leahy, Superintendent Genoa-Kingston
  Public Schools, Il
• Ralph Chiumento Jr., Board Member Spackenkill
  Union Free School District, NY

3
Governance Issues

• An effective board understands what the
  community wants and explains to the community
  what it believes to be in the best interest of
  children. - Eugene R. Smoley, Jr. Effective
  School Boards
• Collaboration requires a level of trust and
  confidence in the relationship that allows people
  to work together to achieve a greater good.
  Building collaborative relationships is easier to
  talk about than to accomplish. Carl W. Smith
  executive director of the MABE School Board News
  October, 2000
• For organizations to succeed and endure, three
  cultures must coexist at the board level and
  throughout the organization a culture of trust,
  a culture of collaboration and a culture of
  performance. Harold McGraw III April, 2003
  American School Board Journal
• Our viewers care about issues of corporate
  governance Pamela Thomas-Graham President and
  COO of CNBC

4
Basic Communication Structure
5
Benefits of eGovernance

• Provides structured and open communication
  between administration, board and public
• Gives board members tools to make better
  decisions
• Reduces the expense of distributing and
  maintaining agendas, meeting documents, policies
  and procedures
• Gives staff and public access to accurate and up
  to date policies and procedures
• Efficiently conforms to FOIA, open records and
  sunshine requirements

6
Common eGovernance Needs

• Meeting Agenda creation and distribution
• Maintenance and publication of meeting minutes
  and voting records
• Right to know or open records requirements
• Maintenance and publication of policies and
  procedures
• A master calendar of meetings and events

7
Technology for Paperless Meetings

• Computers for Board Members
• Network Connections in Board Room (wireless)
• Projection equipment for Board Room for public
• Internet Access at Board Members Homes
• Secure Document Database Server
• Backup and Archive Procedures
• Provision for Web Access to Public Documents

8
Document Delivery Options

• email Attachments (PDF or other Format)
• Data CD
• Static html via the web
• PDF via the web
• Dynamic Document Database

9
email Attachments

• Low Cost
• email is ubiquitous
• Most users have email and know how to use it
• Uses existing resources and competencies
• Provides good audit trail

• Attachments can be Difficult to Open
• Revisions Require Resubmission of Packet
• Board Member Responsible for Keeping Searchable
  History
• Can be Difficult to Annotate
• Internet email is Not Secure
• No Provision for Public Access
• Risk of Open Meeting Violations with Reply All
  Feature

10
Data CD

• Reduces paper
• Less costly to distribute
• Great archival qualities
• Cannot be modified or changed
• Easy to store
• Easy to produce

• Requires Entire Packet to be Assembled Prior to
  Distribution
• Requires Physical Delivery of CD
• No Provision for Public Access
• Revisions requite redistribution
• Hard to search all files across several CDs

11
Static Web Site html

• Eliminates most paper
• Can provide public access
• Uses existing competencies and infrastructure
• No physical delivery of packets
• Accessible via the web from most internet
  connected computers

• Usually requires IT staff to assist with
  publication of documents
• Requires document publisher to learn HTML, FTP or
  new publishing tool
• Not secure
• May require programming to support search
  features
• Links may need to be manually maintained
• Hard to replicate data

12
PDF Via the web

• PDF viewer is free
• Easy to create PDF documents
• Can be read by most computers
• Difficult to modify
• Documents have excellent fidelity
• Can be easily printed

• Single packet document can be large and slow to
  load or download
• Multiple documents require maintenance of links
• Requires HTML front end for access
• Searching across multiple documents can be
  difficult

13
Dynamic Document Database

• Links are dynamically created
• No need to get IT to help with publishing
• Supports any file type
• Easy to search entire database
• Provides access based on ACL
• Provides full replication
• Easy public access
• Structured workflow conforms to legal
  requirements
• Most secure

• Can be costly
• Requires careful planning and implementation by
  IT
• May require more than one server

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What it Takes

• Document Database Technology
• Document Delivery
• Document Publishing
• Security

15
Document Database Technology

• Should use document-based database technology
  such as IBMs Lotus Notes or Microsoft SharePoint
• Store agenda items and policies in document
  database
• Securely store rich documents, attachments and
  media in a single encrypted data store

16
Document Delivery

• Server should use a single data store
• Automatically create two virtual web sites
• One for the public
• Password protected private for Board Members and
  staff
• Allows tremendous flexibility
• Highest level of security
• Instant access to most up-to-date information.
• Accessible from any web browser

17
Document Publishing

• Publish to the document store database using
  custom interface
• Screens and interface should be intuitive and
  easy to use
• Publishing should take place with little or no IT
  intervention
• Easy text entry with support for cut and paste
  and importing form other documents
• Rich formatting including font, paragraph and
  list options
• Full support for attaching documents directly to
  agenda items

18
Governance Tools Take Note

• Board members need ability to annotate
• Board members should locally annotate any
  document
• Annotations should be private for each board
  member
• Should not be shared between board members or
  with the public

Board Members can enter notes directly on any
document.
19
Governance Tools Search

• Allows Board Members and Designated
  Administration to search for documents in the
  database
• Saves time of administrators while giving board
  members access to valuable information
• Ability for public and staff to view active
  policies and public agenda items
• Can review published bids and pricing considered
  in the past
• Board members can search for related issues

20
Governance Tools Public Feedback

• Consider a provision for the public to provide
  input on any pending agenda items.
• Allow the public to enter feedback on pending
  agenda items.
• Feedback only prior to the meeting
• Allow board members to review prior to action on
  any item
• Only board members should read the comments
• Not accessible to the public

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Software Solution Should Include

• Secure Publishing
• Custom Publisher Software
• Easy Web Interface
• Compete Database Replication
• Public Access

22
eGovernance Demonstration
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More Information

• Emerald Data Solutions1351 Dividend Drive, Suite
  BMarietta, GA 30067
• [phone]Metro Atlanta 678-303-3500Fax
  678-303-3535
• Email BoardDocs_at_emgrp.comhttp//www.boarddocs.co
  m