How to Host an Effective Board of Supervisors Meeting (Step-by-Step Guide)

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Hosting a board of supervisors meeting requires careful planning and preparation. Follow these simple steps to host an effective meeting for your board.

In order to plan and coordinate strategies and policies for their communities, a board of supervisors must host effective meetings. Many boards lean on board portal software to make these meetings more constructive, organized, and cost-effective. Read on to find out how to leverage technology to host an effective board of supervisors meeting.

What is a Board of Supervisors?

A board of supervisors is a group of elected officials responsible for overseeing county government. The board of supervisors exists within seven U.S. states, and is equivalent to the board of commissioners or city councils in other local governments.

The supervisors host public meetings to discuss ordinances, budgets, and departments that need attention within the county or municipality. The sessions also allow constituents to convey their questions or concerns about resolving issues in their districts.

Organizing an effective board of supervisors meeting is essential because constituents want their elected officials to spend their time working on resolving issues, not discussing them. So, the board of supervisors meetings must efficiently convey a clear and concise direction on prioritizing and resolving issues.

Elements of an Effective Board of Supervisors Meeting

Organization and leadership are the most critical elements of regular meetings for an effective board of supervisors. For example, meeting information for all scheduled meetings should exist on a meeting calendar, so supervisors and the public can prepare to attend. The agenda serves as the meeting’s outline. Agenda items must clearly specify the goals of the meeting and the topics to be discussed. The agenda should be distributed to supervisors and the public prior to the meeting. This allows participants to prepare for questions or votes.

After each agenda item is presented at the meeting, the board should allow time for discussion and questions. Then, the chair will call for a vote, if necessary.

After the meeting, the secretary should send action items and meeting minutes to the supervisors to ensure everyone is on the same page about what was discussed and their follow-up duties.

Board Management Software's Role in Conducting an Effective Board of Supervisors Meeting

The goal of any government entity should be to run efficiently and benefit its constituents. Board management software, like OnBoard, helps leaders make better decisions, prioritize what’s important, and garner public trust.

To simplify meeting preparation, OnBoard includes a drag-and-drop agenda builder with time management features to keep meetings on track. After distributing the agenda, engagement analytics provide insight into which agenda sections receive the most attention and where stakeholders make significant notes and annotations, so board chairs know which items require longer discussion time.

Ultimately, the OnBoard board intelligence platform is designed to work the way you do, addressing real-world needs and reducing complexity so boards and leadership teams can work smarter, move faster, and achieve more for the people they govern.

Getting Started with OnBoard

As the chair of the board of supervisors meeting, you are responsible for leading effective meetings. Board management software helps streamline the process so your board of supervisors can accomplish more.

Not sure which board portal management solution is right for you? Check out our Board Management Software Buyer’s Guide for tips on how to make the business case for board software, then make an informed decision about which board management software vendor is best for your board of supervisors.

Ready to upgrade your board’s effectiveness with OnBoard the board intelligence platform? Schedule a demo or request a free trial.

About The Author

Josh Palmer: Josh Palmer serves as OnBoard's Head of Content. An experienced content creator, his previous roles have spanned numerous industries including B2C and B2B home improvement, healthcare, and software-as-a-service (SaaS). An Indianapolis native and graduate of Indiana University, Palmer currently resides in Fishers, Ind.