Learning Communities (Hubs) : Municipal Governments & Agencies
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 Subject : Policies and Policy Development.. 12/18/2022 12:16:59 PM 
Matthew G Carpenter
Posts: 14
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
This section is for sharing and discussing policies, policy development, and related issues. Of interest to elected and appointed officials, as well as staff.

John Carver wrote an article specific to developing municipal policies (attached) and includes some illustrative Ends policies, the highest of which are:

CITY OF BURTONS ENDS
The City of Burton exists so that residents and visitors in the municipal area have the essentials of pleasant civic life at a reasonable burden of monetary and personal costs.

A. The city will be a safe, orderly, attractive environment in which to conduct commerce and to enjoy personal and interpersonal life...

B. Combined cost to citizens and visitors of taxes, user fees, loss of freedom, and other impositions will be no greater than that of comparable municipalities providing essentially similar benefits...

C. City benefits are intended primarily for residents and, where any
priority-setting is applicable, secondarily for visitors.
(Full Ends are in the attachment)

 Subject : Re:Policies and Policy Development.. 12/18/2022 12:19:19 PM 
Matthew G Carpenter
Posts: 14
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AAATA) has been using Policy Governance since 2017. Our Policy Manual (attached), board meeting videos and minutes, bylaws, and board recruitment materials are available on-line here https://www.theride.org/about/leadership/board-directors .

Like the City of Burton in the article by John Carver, our board went through several iterations of their Ends while separating outcomes from activities. They specifically rejected the phrase “quality of life” as being too vague. Our original Executive Limitations policies included inadvertent backdoor means prescriptions which we are still ironing out five years later.

 Subject : Re:Policies and Policy Development.. 06/01/2023 10:08:26 AM 
Matthew G Carpenter
Posts: 14
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Has anyone attempted to create policies regarding carbon neutrality or reducing an organization's emissions? It seems like a Means but we can't find a good example.
 Subject : Re:Policies and Policy Development.. 08/31/2023 10:40:05 AM 
Matthew G Carpenter
Posts: 14
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
FYI: Our Board has just adopted a new environmental sustainability policy as an executive limitation. See it below:

"2.11 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
The CEO will not cause or allow organizational practices or activities that are inconsistent with achieving environmental sustainability.
Further, without limiting the scope of the above statement by the following list, the CEO shall not:
1. Operate without measures to minimize, reduce, and eliminate emissions including greenhouse gasses and air pollutants.
2. Allow organizational operations that are inconsistent with the achievement of carbon neutrality.
3. Operate without processes that minimize material and energy consumption and provide for proper disposal of waste.
4. Allow operations which do not minimize harmful local ecological impact."

https://www.theride.org/about/leadership/board-directors/board-documents
 
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