Call for Nominations for MEA’s Board of Directors Election
MEA is seeking members to run in the upcoming MEA Board of Directors election. Newly elected Board members will take office in September 2021 for a two-year term.
MEA is a MEMBER OWNED and MEMBER OPERATED organization. MEA has a tradition of robust participation and representation from our members, and that continued active involvement is critical to our success. So if you are interested in the governance of your Union, or if you have an interest in community service or politics, or if you simply care about the future of our City and want to get more involved with helping to shape that future, we encourage you to run for a seat on MEA’s Board of Directors.
MEA members from every City Department are entitled to representation on the Board. Each department is allowed to elect at least one Board member, with larger departments having more Board seats allotted.
MEA’s Board of Directors meets the second Wednesday of every month and makes decisions on behalf of more than 5,000 MEA-represented City employees.
MEA Board members attend Board meetings on City release time. While this makes it a little easier to participate in the meetings, please remember that Board members have other expected time commitments that are on their own personal time. In addition to attendance at all meetings, some activities may be after work or on an occasional Saturday.
Being elected by your co-workers to represent them on the MEA Board is an honor as well as a responsibility. Please be sure you are willing to do that job by reading the information below which explains some of what MEA Board members do.
Required Duties of a Board Member
- The Board makes decisions on behalf of all MEA-represented employees Citywide—not just your Department.
- The Board is responsible for approving the budget and setting policy on MEA issues and activities.
- Board members are expected to participate in committees, functions and events that MEA sponsors on City time as well as their own personal time.
- Board members are expected to keep MEA staff and leadership apprised of employee concerns and issues in the workplace.
- Board members vote to elect representatives to the Board’s Executive Committee, who along with MEA’s elected Officers oversee the day-to-day operations of MEA.
- Board members must attend monthly Board meetings. After three unexcused absences, a Board member will be removed.
Qualifications of a Board Member
- Prospective Board members must be an MEA member in good standing for at least one full year (since June 2020).
- Prospective Board members must be nominated by having a petition signed by at least 10 MEA members in their department (if you are from a small department with less than 10 members, please contact MEA for what you will need). Due to COVID and remote work arrangements, prospective Board members may also collect “signatures” in the form of email messages from colleagues supporting their nomination to the board.
- Each Board member will serve a two-year term beginning in September 2021. Board members will be sworn in on September 8, which is the regularly scheduled MEA Board of Directors meeting for September.
If you feel you would like to have a more active voice in your Union’s business and activities, please fill out the petition and your candidate statement and submit them to MEA by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 9, 2021. Candidate statements (150 word maximum) should convey why you wish to be elected and what you feel your qualifications are. A department-by-department election in those departments with more candidates than allocated seats will then begin via MEA’s website later in July.
Thank you and good luck! Please contact MEA (619-264-6632) with any questions.