FOLMC Board Intake Form

Thank you for volunteering to serve on the FOLMC Board of Trustees. Your service is vital to FOLMC’s success! So that you get the most out of your Trustee experience, please take a moment to review the following expectations for Trustees and signify your agreement.

I understand that my Responsibilities as a Trustee are to:
● Read with a goal to understand FOLMC mission, vision, and values.
● Attend board meetings and committee meetings as outlined below.
● Determine how FOLMC carries out its mission through short- and long-range planning and
evaluation of performance and accomplishments.
● Review the annual budget, major expenditures, Form 990, and investment of funds for the effective oversight of the organization.
● Review, revise, and adopt the Executive Committee's recommendations for policies and procedures.
● Be alert to community needs that can be addressed by FOLMC’s mission, objectives, and programs.
● Assist in Fundraising, promotion and outreach, including asking my company to make an annual
contribution, identifying potential new donors, and helping to sell tickets to fundraising events.
● Serve as an active advocate for the organization within the community.
● Stay informed about FOLMC activities and finances by reading FOLMC and MCPL enews, print newsletters, and annual reports.
● Record FOLMC meetings in your calendar, RSVP to FOLMC events in a timely manner, and honor commitments.

I understand that the Term and Time Demands of a Trustee are to:
● Serve on the Board for up to three years or the balance of the unfinished term, with an option to renew for another three-year term.
● Serve a maximum of a third three-year term, pending a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees. Terms begin on January 1.
● Actively participate (i.e. attend) in at least 75% of board meetings(four board meetings annually
on the third Wednesday of February, May, August, and November for approximately 2 hours).
● Participate on at least one (but no more than three) committees (average of four meetings per year per committee, pending the respective work agenda; dates to be scheduled as determined by committee).
● Carry out task work outside of board and committee meetings and participate actively in those meetings.
● Attend an orientation session to become familiar with the mission and activities of FOLMC as well as your role as a board member.
● Represent the FOLMC Board of Trustees by attending programs (ticketed or free) sponsored by FOLMC each year, as well as one or more programs per year that are sponsored by another organization (e.g. community festivals, town halls, and forums).

I understand that the Financial Expectations of a Trustee are to:
● Make a monetary contribution to FOLMC in an amount commensurate with the organization’s Give & Get Policy.
● Maintain current membership as a Friend of the Library.
● Actively participate in FOLMC fundraising activities (i.e., selling tickets, recruiting members, planning events, soliciting donations, etc.).

I understand that the Criteria for Nomination and Renewal are that Trustees:
● Live, work, or have a vested interest in Montgomery County, Maryland.
● Demonstrate an understanding of the cultural and ethnic diversity within Montgomery County and actively represent the interests of all communities.
● Demonstrate commitment and interest in Montgomery County Public Libraries.

I understand that without full engagement and active participation from all Trustees, the Board cannot ensure that the organization fulfills its mission. Should I be unable to participate as outlined in this Commitment Agreement, I agree to contact the Board Development & Governance Committee Chair with my concerns for guidance. Should I demonstrate continued inability to fulfill my responsibilities as a
Trustee, I will expect to be contacted by the Board President and/or the Executive Director to discuss next steps, which may potentially include a request to vacate the Trustee position.

I accept the above commitment as an understanding of my role and responsibilities as a member of the Board of Trustees.

1. As part of the Duty of a Board Member, the Board Member hereby agrees that they will never disclose any confidential or proprietary information of FOLMC, or its subsidiaries or affiliates, to any person, firm, corporation, or other entity (other than to appropriate persons in the FOLMC organization), or use any such confidential or proprietary information for their own purpose or for the benefit of any other person, firm, corporation or other entity except FOLMC.

2. For the purpose of this Agreement, the term “confidential or proprietary information” shall mean all information about or relating to FOLMC or any subsidiary or affiliate of FOLMC which:

a) relates to specific matters such as member information, employee information, government contracts, inventory information, member lists, existing or potential members, board policies and procedures, board meeting discussions, intellectual property, bidding, pricing and credit techniques or strategies, FOLMC costs, market studies, marketing plans and strategies, financial information, and methods relating to FOLMC business, electronic or paper data, computer software programs, as they may exist from time to time, which Board member may have acquired or obtained by virtue of that position with FOLMC or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates; and

b) is known only to Board member or others in a confidential relationship with FOLMC or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

3. Upon resignation or other departure from the Board, Board Member agrees that they will promptly deliver to FOLMC all manuals, keys, policies, customer lists, manuals, letters, notes, notebooks, reports, and copies thereof, as well as any and all other confidential or proprietary information and any and all other materials, supplies, or equipment belonging to FOLMC that they may have in their possession or under their control.

4. Both parties agree that any provision of this Agreement that may at any time be prohibited or unenforceable by law shall be ineffective only to the extent and for the duration of such prohibition, and such un-enforceability shall not invalidate the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

5. All notices, requests, demands and other communications will be in writing and will be deemed to have been duly given if delivered or mailed, first class postage prepaid to the address listed in this form.

6. This Agreement shall be binding upon FOLMC, its successors and assigns, and upon Board Member and her/his heirs, administrators, representatives, executors, successors, and assigns.

7. Board member agrees that s/he will promptly offer his or her resignation, but no later than three (3) days, after notification by the Board that their actions have violated the provisions of this agreement.

I have received and carefully read the Conflict of Interest Policy for Board members, employees, and volunteers of FOLMC and have considered not only the literal expression of the policy, but also its intent. By signing this affirmation of compliance, I hereby affirm that I understand and comply with the Conflict of Interest Policy. I further understand that FOLMC is a charitable organization and that in order to maintain its federal tax exemption it must engage primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes.

Except as otherwise indicated in the FOLMC Disclosure Statement and any attachments, I hereby state that I do not, to the best of my knowledge, have any conflict of interest that may compete with or be seen as competing with the interests of FOLMC nor does any relative or business associate of mine have such an actual or potential conflict of interest.

If any situation should arise in the future which I think may involve me in a conflict of interest, I will promptly and fully disclose the circumstances to the President of the Board of Trustees or to the Executive Director, as applicable.

I further certify that the information set forth in the Disclosure Statement and any attachments is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief.