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Given the signficant percentage of the Northern Star Council operating income that derives from foundation grants and distribution from council endowment, our budget has seen significantly reduced income that will continue on a downward trend for the next few years - as a result of the market losses in 2008.
We managed about $300,000 in cuts through budget efficiencies and some overdue district mergers, but the next $400,000 (for a total of about 6% of budget) in cuts required program restructuring.
In order to make the best possible decisions, within a strategic planning framework and in order to build confidence and ownership in the decisionmaking process, the board appointed a Program Assessment Task Force.
This group was charged with reviewing the revenue and cost models within the operating budget, familiarizing themselves with a three year budget forecast, and critiquing a program assessment tool that broke council operations into about 20 different cost centers.
The program assessment tool gave each cost center an appropriate share of budget revenue generated, assigned an appropriate share of program costs, and ranked cost centers one through five on a "mission score" (five being high.)
The Task Force next examined a staff work product that established budget cutting scenarios at $500,000, $1,000,000, and $1,500,000 for use in current or future years, flowing in part from the program assessment process.
The Task Force shaped the final recommendations to the council budget committee and board of directors, based on their perception of prioritization of various programs and services, and the best means to protect core programs within a balance of restricted income sources, impact in the community, and long term viability and relevance of council operations.
Represented on the Task Force were council committee members, district chairs and commissioners, advisory board members, and board of directors members.
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In order to ensure that our board is perceived by the public and our customers as engaged, effective, and transparent; in 2009 the Southern New Jersey Council created a new position, Vice President for Corporate Governance. The vice president and his committee are all corporate leaders in the community and serve on no other council committees. Some of their responsibilities include:
1. Audit committee
2. Nominating Committee
3. Annual review of all council rules and operating procedures.
4. Annual internal membership audit.
5. Risk management and insurance
6. Annual renewal of board and staff conflict of interest declarations.
7. Ensuring that the council by-laws are followed and periodically reviewing the by-laws for recommended updates or changes.
In short, the committee is a group of dedicated community leaders tasked with ensuring transparency, ethics and openness in all we do.
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