Branch Positions
Branch Chair
The branch chair is administrative leader for their branch. Along with their branch council, they coordinate the budgets and operations for their entire branch. The branch chair oversees activity committees to ensure all courses and activities are in compliance with The Mountaineers bylaws, policies, and procedures and that they support The Mountaineers mission and values. They also facilitate and preside over the branch's regular branch council meetings (schedule varies by branch).
The branch chair is also a member of the Branch Leadership Committee (BLC) which consists of all seven branch chairs and is led by the Vice President of Branches, who is a member of the Board. Meetings are held monthly to ensure consistent operations across branches and to oversee the annual updates of activity standards.
The branch chair coordinates the submission of an annual budget with input from all of their activity committees. Once the budget is approved by the Board, the branch chair - in collaboration with the the treasurer - ensures that expenses incurred remain closely aligned with those forecast in the budget. Branches work closely with the finance committee to forecast and review unforeseen expenses or changes in revenue throughout the fiscal year.
The branch chair facilitates communication between the branch activities and will attempt to resolve problems and complaints within the branch, if possible. The branch chair also facilitates communications between branch members, staff, and the Board (through the BLC) and carries unresolved issues or branch issues that may affect other branches to the BLC for resolution.
The branch chair works closely with their branch director, the branch's direct liaison to the Board, to effect good two way communications between the Board and the branch.
Chair elect or Vice-Chair
The chair elect or vice-chair performs the duties of the branch chair any time that the branch chair is unavailable. The BLC charter specifically allows the chair elect or vice-chair to attend BLC meetings in the place of the branch chair and to vote on all items which may come before that committee. In most branches, chair elect is part of a 3-year cycle for branch chairs: chair elect, branch chair, and past chair. This built-in succession planning aids with onboarding and helps spread the branch chair's responsibility over a team of volunteers.
Treasurer
The branch treasurer works closely with the branch chair on the annual budget and works with The Mountaineers accountant to review and process ongoing payments and reimbursements.
The branch treasurer coordinates with all activity committee chairs on their respective budgets and works with the branch chair to submit this information to the Director of Programs & Operations to be compiled across branches. The budget for branches is then submitted to the Board as a part of the annual budget. Once the budget is approved by the Board, the branch treasurer compares actual expenses to the budgeted expenses to ensure that the actual expenses remain closely aligned with those forecast in the budget. The treasurer works closely with the branch chair to address unforecast expenses or changes in revenue.
The branch treasurer presents the financial state of the branch at each branch council meeting and participates in monthly Finance Committee meetings.
Secretary
The branch secretary is the recording officer of the branch and takes minutes at each regular branch council meeting. A draft is subsequently sent to those in attendance for review and comment and the final (revised if necessary) version is then sent to the branch chair for approval at the next meeting. The secretary also records the vote for the slate of branch officers during annual elections.
The branch secretary posts the final version of the branch council meeting minutes to The Mountaineers website after a vote is taken to approve them.
The branch secretary shall preside over any branch council meeting where neither the chair or vice chair are present.
Branch Director
The branch director is the branch representative at The Mountaineers Board of Director meetings and casts a vote where necessary that represents the branch position. The board has five regular meetings a year and two board retreats. Most regular meetings are held at the Seattle Program Center, as is one of the board retreats. The other board retreat is usually held at one of the lodges.
The branch director works closely with the branch chair to ensure that the message from the branch is consistent regardless of its source. The branch director may be asked to report recent Board activities during branch council meetings.