League of Women Voters of Mountain Lakes

Citizen's Nominating Committee Review Consensus

December 1984


The local program for the years 1983 to 1985 included the following; a review of the Citizens' Nominating Committee (CNC).  The scope of this item was "to review how, in fact, the Citizen's Nominating Committee has functioned since its incorporation, its effectiveness, if the League should participate, and whether the Committee has operated according to its by-laws.  As a result of this review, to recommend procedural changes, if any, that would improve the effectiveness of the Committee".


A committee started meeting to study this item in February, 1984.  At a League meeting on April 12, 1984, no consensus was reached.  A committee, with some new members, continued to review the CNC.  Two meetings of the League were held to discuss this study item in December, 1984.  On December 11th, eleven members were present and at the evening meeting on December 13th, fifteen members were present.


The members at both meetings did not feel that major revision of the by-laws was necessary.  The members affirmed the purpose in the present Article II of the by-laws:


The purpose of this Committee shall be to:
1.   Inform the Mountain Lakes citizenry of the number of vacancies to be filled on the Board of Education any year.
2.   Serve as a clearing house through which any qualified person desiring to serve on the Board of Education may make his or her name known to the voting public.
3.   Receive recommendations for nominations to fill vacancies on the Board of Education of Mountain Lakes and assist nominees with filing petitions.

Members agreed that the LWV should recommend to the CNC that they should review the procedures of the Committee and the League should make specific recommendations to the CNC.  These recommendations include that:


  1. The CNC should not nominate candidates for the Board of Education, as is implied in the name CNC, nor select or endorse candidates.  Rather, the primary purpose is to encourage residents to run as candidates for the Board of Education.


  2. The name should be changed to reflect this purpose.  Candidates Search Committee was suggested.  A minor change in the by-laws would be needed to accomplish this.


  3. The CNC needed to enhance their visibility and to educate the residents of the Borough concerning the important function of the CNC.  The Committee could use the announcement of the change of name as an opportunity to publicize the CNC and to encourage residents to run.  Newspapers, the Home and School Bulletin, and the Borough Newsletter should be continued to be used for publicity.  A letter to each resident could also be considered.


  4. In addition to publicity to residents, education of the organizations that send representatives is essential.  The morning group favored a LWV sponsored social gathering in the spring with the head and representatives of each organization invited.  The evening group preferred that, in addition to a descriptive letter to each organization, school board members and CNC members speak at spring board meetings of the organizations concerning the purpose of the CNC and the importance to the Borough that good candidates be encouraged.  The organizations should be encouraged to send representatives who will be active on the CNC and to consider for representatives all their membership, not only their board members.  Organizations that do not have a spring board meeting should be requested to print an article in their bulletins.


  5. To obtain better representation at CNC meetings, the CNC should follow up by letter and telephone to organizations failing to send representatives.


  6. Members of the CNC themselves also need to be better informed regarding the function and procedures of the CNC and the duties of members.  The term should continue to be two years.  To help members function more effectively the first year, prior to the first meeting, each member should be mailed a job description, by-laws, CNC procedures, and a copy of "What A Good School Board Member Does".


  7. In addition, a job description for the chair of the CNC should be prepared.  This should include a calendar of when certain jobs need to be done.  The members, and especially the chairperson, should be encouraged to attend school board meetings.


The consensus of the League also included the following:

  1. The goal of the CNC is to encourage enough residents to run so that there are at least two candidates per slot.


  2. The CNC will not dissuade anyone from running.


  3. To reduce distinctions between candidates encouraged by the CNC and other candidates, the committee should discontinue the practice of signing petitions (PM group).


  4. There should not be members at large on the CNC; two representatives from all civic organizations are adequate if publicity is emphasized and improved.  Furthermore, the LWV should not send representatives to CNC because the League should be separate from the selection process so that we can retain our impartiality in Candidates Forums and in publication of candidates' fact sheets.


  5. CNC calendar should include:
    1. A final meeting in the spring to review and revise procedures.
    2. An early fall meeting.  Consider starting before November.

  6. As was done in earlier years, prior to proposal of a candidate, CNC members should submit a data sheet with pertinent background on the individual.  The CNC should be well informed concerning qualifications of each prospective candidate before she is contacted.


  7. A school board member should address the first fall meeting of the CNC to describe the duties and attributes of a good school board member and to emphasize the time commitment required.


  8. When the CNC contacts residents to encourage them to run, they should provide information on the position, including "What a Good School Board Member Does".  They should apprise the prospect of the time commitment.  CNC should consider a personal approach rather than phone calls.


  9. The practice of interviewing prospective candidates should be discontinued because the function of the CNC is not to select or endorse candidates.


  10. LWV recommendations should be presented to this year's CNC.


Respectively submitted,


Jill Knowles, Chairman
Lynn Goldthwaite, Vice-Chairman
Doren Greene
Diane Reitman
Jane Runte