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A
Monthly Council Merger Update for Girl Scouts and the Community |
Issue
#1 • April, 2008
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Welcome to Girl Scouts of Greater Los
Angeles Realignment News!
This is a historic time for Girl Scouts. Six
Los Angeles area Girl Scout councils began a
merging process in October, 2007 to build a
single Girl Scout council serving all of Los
Angeles County and parts of San Bernardino
County. The new council will be
formed by Dec. 1, 2008.
We are proud to present you with the
inaugural issue of Girl Scouts of Greater Los
Angeles Realignment News. Produced by the
realignment development and communications sub-committee
under the direction of the Council
Realignment Committee, Realignment News
is collaboratively published by the six
merging councils.
Realignment News gives us one voice
as a new council so that we can share timely
and accurate information. Issues will appear
monthly, and in times of "breaking news,"
special editions will also be distributed.
Take the Governance Model Survey
The Governance Sub-committee of the Council Realignment
Committee is seeking input in deciding between two
policy influencing systems. A policy influencing system
is the process that gives members a voice in important
decisions made by the council, such as selection of
candidates for the nominating committee, board of
directors, national council of delegates and changes to
the by-laws.
Your input is appreciated. Please provide feedback via
a survey
available here
and at
www.girlscoutsla.org.
Responses will be accepted until May 2, 2008. |
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Connect Online!
Visit the Girl
Scouts of Greater Los Angeles
Realignment Web site
as we share the news of our
exciting, dynamic council taking
shape.
www.girlscoutsla.org.
Online Now:
Latest CRC Report
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Committee Forms to Merge Greater Los Angeles Councils
As part of
the GSUSA planning and implementation process, a Council
Realignment Committee (CRC) has been established.
It is
made up of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Board
President, and one other board member from each aligning
Girl Scout Council.
The CRC is charged with leading the merger process.
The vast amount of Girl Scout Council experience and
business expertise of this team will ensure that the new
council is developed in adherence to GSUSA realignment
guidelines, as well as the legal and governance aspects
of the GSUSA realignment. |
GSUSA Approves Greater Los Angeles
Council Realignment
Girl
Scouts of the USA’s (GSUSA) National Board of Directors
recently voted to endorse a plan to realign 312 councils
into 109 high-performance, community-focused councils.
This
change was approved by GSUSA with the goal of creating a
streamlined infrastructure that will facilitate the
greatest impact on girls’ lives nationwide and to be
able to deliver on the promise of our mission: to build
girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the
world a better place.
In Fall 2006, the GSUSA National Board of Directors
approved the alignment of six Greater Los Angeles Area
Girl Scout Councils:
Angeles Girl Scout Council,
Girl Scout Council of
Greater Long Beach,
Girl Scouts - Joshua Tree Council
(southeastern portion),
Girl Scouts - Mt. Wilson Vista Council,
Girl Scouts - Spanish
Trails Council, and
Girl Scouts of the San Fernando Valley will form one high-capacity,
community-focused Girl Scout council.
The new structure will make the most effective use of
resources to better serve local communities and create
more opportunities in Girl Scouting for even more girls.
Girls and adults can
expect the full continuation of quality program delivery
and volunteer services during the realignment process.
Beyond that, girl members and adult volunteers will see
expanded programs, greater access to camps and other
program facilities, more opportunities for girls, and
increased visibility for Girl Scouts in the community.
This new council will encompass all of Los Angeles
County and a small portion of San Bernardino County and
will serve approximately 50,000 girls and nearly 22,000
adult volunteers from the start.
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Council Realignment Committee
The
Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles Council Realignment
Committee (CRC) includes 18 representatives from
the six merging "legacy councils."
Sub-Committees Support
Council Realignment Committee
(CRC)
Some 50
volunteers and staff are serving on one or more of the
following sub-committees to provide
high-level expertise and support.
The subcommittees are
appointed by and are accountable to the Council
Realignment Committee and will provide recommendations
to the committee per the subgroups' charges.
Development and
Communication Sub-Committee
The
Development and Communications Sub-Committee coordinates
all internal and external communications on behalf of
the CRC. The sub-committee will review current
development practices, identify new opportunities, and
monitor grant submissions during the merger process. The
group will provide recommendations for a development and
communication plan and structure for the new council and
how to align the councils' existing communication and
development functions.
Service Delivery Sub-Committee
The
Program/Service Delivery Sub-Committee will review and
select a model for program and the delivery of services
of the new Girl Scout Council.
This
sub-committee is primarily concerned with developing
methodology for merging the service delivery systems and
preparing systems for the future program operations of
the new council. This sub-committee monitors the method
of merging all service delivery operations of the new
council, which could include membership, program, adult
development, product sales and Girl Scout shops. The
sub-committee has divided into subgroups for program,
membership and adult development/training.
Finance Sub-Committee
The
Finance Sub-Committee will review and select a model for
financial affairs of the new Girl Scout council. This
sub-committee is primarily concerned with developing the
methodology and monitoring the merging of all fiscal
operations for the new council.
Governance
Sub-Committee
The
Governance/Corporate Structure Sub-Committee will research, review, and select a governance structure
for the new Girl Scout council and recommend such a
structure to the CRC. This Sub-Committee
will be focused on developing new bylaws, amending the
articles of incorporation, agreeing on the method of
combining jurisdictions to form the new council and
overseeing the preparation of appropriate legal
documents.
Human Resources Sub-Committee
The Human
Resources Sub-Committee's primary responsibility is to
lay the framework of and make recommendations for the
new council’s human resources philosophy, policies, and
business practices. They will be focused on development of
a framework and methodology for integrating the current
HR practices of the merging councils into a single high
capacity human resources program.
Technology Sub-Committee
The Technology Sub-Committee is primarily concerned with
all activities related to technology planning efforts on
behalf of the CRC. This committee is primarily concerned
with developing a technology plan for the new council
and the methodology for merging the current technology
systems and data of each of the existing councils.
Nominating Sub-Committee
The Nominating
Sub-Committee is an interim body charged with developing
and presenting to the delegations of each of the six legacy
councils, a single slate of nominees for the officers of
the board of directors, members-at-large, and the
board development committee for Girl Scouts of Greater
Los Angeles. This working group is a sub-committee of
and is accountable to the Council Realignment Committee.
CEO Search Sub-Committee
The Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) Search Sub-Committee’s primary charge
is to initiate a search, review prospective candidates
and recommend to the CRC a Chief Executive
Officer for the new council.
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage,
confidence and character, who make the world a better
place. |
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