4.3a ERMUSR 02-13-2024ERMU Board Self -Evaluation Questions — 2023
Organizational Purpose: The Authority and Purpose Policies category in ERMU's Commission
Governance Policies provides clearly defined guidelines and direction for decisions and planning.
When making decisions on immediate action items and when planning for future needs the
commission's decisions consistently align with the organizational purpose, mission, vision, and
values.
2. Commission Purpose: As adopted in Commission Policy G.2 Commission Purpose and consistent
with policy G.4e Core Customer Services, the commission's principal purpose is to ensure that
the organization achieves the desired results for the intended beneficiaries at acceptable costs
through acceptable means. In other words, the commission achieves the right things for the
right people at the right costs in the right way. The commission has consistently demonstrated
compliance with this policy through governance and oversight.
3. Relationship with the City: Although governed autonomously from the City of Elk River, ERMU is
part of the city government. The commission and council have aligned responsibilities to serve
the community. The commission has demonstrated alignment with the council in ways that
realized opportunities for greater value while maintaining their fiduciary responsibilities to
ERMU customers through both action and support consistent with Commission Governance
Policy G.2o Commission — City Council Relationship and Roles.
4. Preparedness: Consistent with policy G.2b Governing Style, Commission members devote
appropriate attention, time, and energy to governing effectively by taking advantage of
opportunities for continuing education, development, and industry networking; and,
commission members are present and engaged during official meetings prepared to perform
their assigned duties, participate in discussion, and make decisions in a manner consistent with
policy G.2e Commission Member Conduct.
5. Ethics: Commissioners demonstrate behavior consistent with ERMU's standards of high ethical
conduct and governing style as adopted in the Commission Governance Policies including
policies G.2b Governing Style and G.2e Commission Member Conduct.
6. Process: Official meetings are conducted professionally consistent with Robert's Rules of Order, -
and, commission members' demonstrated behavior is consistent with the defined officer roles
and responsibilities adopted in policy G.2f Commission Officer Roles, Responsibilities and
Succession.
7. One Voice: It is the responsibility of the commission to engage in discussion to fully explore
topics to make the best decisions possible with the information available at the time. Even if the
commission does not have consensus, it is the responsibility of the commission to support the
m
majority vote of a quorum of the commission members on any official action of the commission
body. The commission body's actions demonstrate "one voice" consistent with adopted
Commission Governance Policy G.3a Controlling Authority.
8. One Direct Report: The commission body has one direct report. As adopted in Commission
Governance Policy G.3c General Manager Accountability, the commission as a body and the
commission members individually will never give direction to anyone other than the General
Manager, and will refrain from evaluating, either formally or informally, the job performance of
any employee other than the General Manager.
9. Organizational Performance: The commission effectively monitors organizational performance
utilizing either internal or external methods measuring performance against expected outcomes
(for example, the annual budget) and clearly defined goals (for example, the Utilities
Performance Metrics Scorecard) as established in Commission Governance Policy G.3d
Monitoring Performance of the General Manager and G.5 Goals and Results.
10. General Manager Performance: The commission conducts annual performance evaluation and
goal setting for the General Manager comparing personal performance and conduct in relation
to commission policies and clearly defined commission expectations in a manner consistent with
adopted policy G.3e General Manager Performance Planning and Evaluation.
11. Customers: The commission demonstrates consideration for external stakeholders though
effective governance and oversight consistent with policies G.4d Customer Interests, G.4e Core
Customer Services, G.4p External Communications, and G4.q Community Involvement.
12. Employees: The commission demonstrates consideration for internal stakeholders through
effective governance and oversight consistent with policies G.4f Employee Interests and G.4g
Organizational, Staffing, and Compensation.
13. Planning: The commission demonstrates the ability through governance and oversight to plan
for immediate and future needs by effective budgeting and planning consistent with policies
G.4cStrategic and Business Planning and G.4h Financial Planning and Budgeting.
14. Assets, Risk, and Compliance: Consistent with adopted policies G.41 Protection of Assets, G.4m
Corporate Risk Management, and G.4n Legal and Regulatory Compliance, the commission
effectively protects ERMU through governance and oversight ensuring the protection of assets,
mitigation of risks, and legal compliance.
15. Environment: The commission demonstrates environmental stewardship through governance
and oversight, and through thoughtful consideration of environmental consequence of
operations and decisions in a manner consistent with policy G.4o Environmental Stewardship.
::
Questions 16-20: open ended questions
16. Start: With respect to the commission's performance, what should the commission start doing
to be more effective?
17. Stop: With respect to the commission's performance, what should the commission stop doing to
be more effective?
18. More: With respect to the commission's performance, what should the commission do more of
to be more effective?
19. Less: With respect to the commission's performance, what should the commission do less of to
be more effective?
20. Other: Are there any additional comments regarding the commission's performance?
m