Governance Tenets

Purpose

The Partnership does not have bylaws because its initial Steering Committee wanted to focus on projects, rather than on developing a detailed governance structure.  This flexible approach has worked well, but impending changes necessitate planning for the future.  The following tenets are intended to provide general guidance, while maintaining the Partnership’s flexible approach to governance.

Issue:  There are no provisions for the composition or the appointment of Steering Committee members. 
Recommendation:   Continue the current practice of selecting Steering Committee members who are employees of federal, state and local levels of government and universities.

Federal members of the Steering Committee should continue to be appointed by the Office of Federal Financial Management (OFFM), Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President.  The Executive Director of the Association of Government Accountants (AGA) should continue to appoint the remaining members.   This should be collaborative and mutually acceptable to both OMB and AGA.

To the extent practicable, half of the members of the Steering Committee should be federal officials. The remaining members should be comprised of state and local government and university officials.  Maintaining balance is key so as not to appear to favor one set over another.  Members should follow Government ethics principles and strive to represent their field of expertise and not their employers. 

It is recommended that members be appointed to two-year terms and that they may be reappointed.  Terms should be staggered. To achieve staggered terms, half of the current Steering Committee members who want to be reappointed will serve one year terms beginning January 1, 2010.  The remaining members who want to be reappointed will serve two-year terms.  If more than half of the members who seek reappointment want to serve two-year terms, those with two-year terms will be determined by lot.  New members should be appointed so as to achieve a balance between members with one and two year terms.

If a Steering Committee member is unable to complete his/her term, a replacement will be appointed by either OFFM or the Executive Director of AGA, as appropriate. Any Steering Committee member who retires in the middle of a term may serve out the remainder of his/her term with the consent of the Steering Committee co-chairs.

Steering Committee members who miss three consecutive calls and/or meetings may be dismissed by mutual agreement of the co-chairs.

Issue:  The current co-chairs intend to step down during the 2010 National Leadership Conference (NLC) in February 2010.  There are currently no provisions governing the terms or the manner of appointing the co-chairs.
Recommendation:  It is recommended that future co-chairs serve two-year terms, and that the terms begin during the NLCs conducted on even-numbered years, or March 1 of even-numbered years, whichever is earlier. Steering Committee co-chairs need not be appointed from among the members of the Steering Committee. It is further recommended that the current means of appointing the co-chairs be continued: Tom Cooley, the first federal co-chair, was appointed by the Office of Federal Financial Management, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President.  Martin Benison, the first state co-chair, was appointed by the Executive Director of the Association of Government Accountants.

Issue:  The initial statement about the Partnership, limits the Steering Committee to 16 members. 
Recommendation: Given the breath of issues before the Steering Committee, it is recommended that the Partnership be governed by a Steering Committee of no more than 18 members, which will include the co-chairs of the Partnership.

Issue:  There are no provisions regarding the purpose or composition of work groups.
Recommendation:  The Steering Committee may from time-to-time appoint work groups to undertake projects of limited duration.  Work group members may be employed by a government, a university, a non-profit or a private sector organization. 

The Steering Committee co-chairs shall appoint work group members and work group co-chairs.  The Steering Committee co-chairs shall determine the number of members comprising a work group.

In appointing work group members, the co-chairs should strive to achieve balance among the various levels of government and any other affected stakeholders.  Workgroups should bring value-added to the topic and strive for a win-win outcome and set of recommendations.