CHARITABLE NONPROFITS & SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS MUST PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

Washington County has a vibrant history of charitable nonprofit and service organizations that promote underserved residents and important civic events. From the disabled and mentally ill to our libraries, the Whiskey Rebellion Festival and the Washington Symphony, the array of activities supported in the community is impressive.

Nonprofit and service organizations play a vital role in building a healthier, well-rounded Washington County. The leadership of each entity is often the loudest voice to champion the people and causes they serve.  However, in this decade of growing needs and shrinking governmental resources, these organizations are being asked to do more with less. The one area where our citizens can step up, at little financial cost, is in providing human resources as board members and volunteers.

The two obvious questions are: 1) what expertise and background are organizations seeking and 2) how does an interested party get involved? In addressing the first question on needs, former County Commissioner Bracken Burns had some wise and relevant thoughts. Since retiring as commissioner, he has continued to serve on over twenty-five boards, commissions and organizations. While his input may be stretched to the limit, he has been able to perform the valuable function of cross-pollenating ideas among the varied interests he serves.  Over the years, Mr. Burns has concluded that diversity in four areas is the key to maintaining a strong nonprofit or service organization.

Racial Diversity.  All organizations must be sensitive to recruiting minorities to serve on their boards and as volunteers to foster social cohesion and stronger social support networks.  This is particularly important where the community being served includes minorities.  I am reminded of a draft web page developed for a mental health nonprofit on which I have served.  Our sole African American member pointed out that no people of color were depicted on the masthead.  Her input on this and other sensitive matters was invaluable to the social integration of our mission and purpose.

Age Diversity.  Recruiting young adults to serve is difficult. Often both eligible spouses have full-time employment with children. However, seeking out interested young adults is crucial to the survival of our organizations that tend to be “top heavy” with much older members.

Age diversity can bring a richness and new insight to a discussion of critical issues. Bracken would not hesitate to add a college student (or younger) to a board where the participant had a vested personal interest in the business of the organization.  Enthusiasim and a fresh perspective make up for the lack of wisdom that comes from experience.  Moreover, no single age group has all the answers.

Skill Diversity.  An important consideration for both recruiting organizations and individuals seeking a place to serve is the skills brought to the board meeting or volunteer effort. It is important for the professional skills of the charitable board members to be well rounded.  Legal, finance, accounting and business backgrounds are four basic needs for most supervising boards.  No less important are experience in fundraising, communications and marketing, performance management, technology and strategic planning.

Geographical Diversity. The fourth and final diversity factor was not as obvious to me as the others were until Mr. Burns explained. He has found over the years that a board of directors made up of only East Washingon members, when the organization services a much larger area, is a mistake. Washington County has city, suburban and rural communities within its borders. In addition, the Mon valley has its own distinct personality. He strongly believes that when an organization services the entire county, it needs representation from all of these areas.

We have explored the types of individuals who are essential to perpetuate the health of Washington County charitable organizations.  The question now becomes how to match up the requirements of individual charitable nonprofits with those who may be interested in becoming involved. For this dilemma, I turned to the one person who has her hand on the pulse of charitable giving in Washington County, Ms. Betsie Trew.

Betsie is the President and CEO of the Washington County Community Foundation (WCCF).  Under her leadership assets have grown to more than $39 million, with over $15 million in grants and scholarships awarded. Like former Commissioner Burns, she is in a position to understand both the needs of the county’s charitable nonprofits and the available talent pool.

Unfortunately, there is no single database to match up nonprofits with potential board members or volunteers. There is, however, a comprehensive alphabetical list of all organizations which participate in the WCCF Day of Giving on its website. Anyone interested in service work can review the list or a subset by category and click on an entry for contact information. (Goggle: WCCF Charity Search)

Another resource for future board members and volunteers is the training program sponsored by Leadership Washington County (LWC@palwc.org).  LWC has been identifying and preparing future leaders through its program since 1998. After completion of the program, LWC provides participants with opportunities for board membership in order to stay actively involved in the community.

Throughout the past pandemic year, charitable nonprofit boards have been meeting virtually to keep the doors open and to prepare for the new normal. Any organization would be grateful to be contacted by new recruits ready to lend a hand for the greater good.

 

 

UNDERSTANDING JOE BIDEN

 

It is remarkable that an elected official like President Joe Biden can serve in public life for over 50 years and yet remain so misunderstood by most Americans. The Trump wing of the Republican Party and many other conservatives have labeled him as a far-left progressive, ready to take the country down the road of free spending socialism.  On the other hand, progressives see a President who is too eager to compromise with his political foes at the expense of needed social, economic and political reform.

Few observers have grasped the obvious. President Biden is and has always been a liberal humanist in the catholic social tradition, one who does not adhere to any steadfast political ideology. Biden is guided by tolerance toward human differences and is of the opinion that disagreements should most often be resolved through compromise and debate. 

A socialist revolution or a populist tearing down are not in the moderate Biden toolbox.  As so aptly described by Adam Gopnik, in his excellent analysis, The Moral Adventure of Liberalism: “Liberalism is a hatred of brutality, a recognition of the primacy of sympathy as social cement, a feeling for frailty and for mercy and for humanity before dogma.” These are the empathy driven qualities that have defined Joe Biden throughout his career and that remain at the center of his thinking. 

In the first weeks of the Biden administration, those on the right are crying foul, as the President issued a number of executive orders addressing immigration, climate change, LGBTQI rights, health care, the economy, the census and the Coronavirus. These executive orders were not radical policy revisions.  They were promulgated to reverse Trump policies that had imbedded right wing extremism into the bureaucracy. Overall, the orders returned federal policy to moderate pre-Trump positions.

There has also been a great deal of Republican consternation that Biden will utilize the budget reconciliation process (requiring only 50 Senate votes and a Vice Presidential tiebreaker instead of 60 votes) to pass his stimulus bill. The claim is that if Biden wanted to govern as a moderate compromiser, he would avoid this partisan result by working with Republicans to develop a bill that would satisfy both parties.

To his credit, the President has met with Republican leadership and listened to their position on a comprehensive stimulus package. However, he is concerned that further delay would damage the economy and cause unneeded hardship to millions of Americans.  Moreover, the public overwhelmingly supports all elements of his plan.  This approach is not an attempt to use the slim Democratic majority to force through radical new policies. He views the stimulus bill as a practical, necessary move to save the economy.

The concept of political unity has been discussed in many forums since Biden took office. Unfortunately, those who disagree with the President often misunderstand “unity”.  Political unity connotes common agreement on facts and evidence, not necessarily on policies or results. In seeking unity both sides must work to understand the problem, then define the problem and lastly to apply solutions which may differ.

Political adversaries must be willing to agree that the other may be right and to base a final resolution on practical concerns not ideology or partisanship. As negotiations play out over Biden’s term in office, ask yourself whether the White House or the Republicans are basing each of their respective final positions on pragmatic problem solving or on unbending dogma. Over time, Biden will be the clear winner when it comes to encouraging unity.

The President is well aware that there are five distinct groups of Americans with differing political views that must be reconciled to move the country forward. The progressive and conservative political elites are “conviction” factions that have embraced specific ideologies on how to run the federal government. These two groups are well educated, wealthy and make up many of the elected officials and activists in both parties.  They as well as their close allies contribute large sums of money to support the cause.

The next two groups are aligned to one of the two elites through “necessity” as opposed to conviction. First, minorities, recent immigrants, young voters and members of the LGBTQI community see their path to social and economic equality linked to the progressives.  Second, white, middle-class, middle-aged and rural voters have most often hitched their wagon to the nativist, populist positions espoused by Donald Trump. They view this alignment as a necessity to recapture family values, social status and lost economic opportunity.

The fifth group is a coalition of apolitical Independents. Independents favor predictability and minimal, negative impact to their economic interests. This group consists of suburban and upper middle-class voters. Similar to Biden, Independents tend to view government in practical rather than ideological terms.

As the Biden administration progresses, it will find paths away from the destructive tribalism of the last four years. The President will move the country toward unity.  Once the public square is governed by transparent facts rather than lies, disinformation and divisive statements, millions of Americans will discover it is not in their best interest to be at war with each other. 

Underserved urban and rural voters alike will join with Independents in the practical goals of Biden liberalism to defeat COVID-19, to create jobs in the new economy and to rejoin the world community as the leader of the free world.

 

 

 

CULTIVATING THE GREEN SHOOTS OF RECOVERY IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

 

In 2020 the United States was stress tested to its limits by the pandemic, social unrest, the chaotic White House and the disruptive presidential election. It is not too early to look ahead, with some optimism, to what the economic, social and political recovery might look like later in 2021.

Many pundits will tackle this forward-looking task at the national level.  My commentary will attempt do the same for Washington County.  It is my view that with some carefully managed cultivation our local “green shoots” of post-pandemic recovery will flourish this spring and beyond.

First, consider pandemic relief at the local level. For most of us this means receiving our inoculation against COVID-19. Keeping residents informed on the status of the vaccine roll-out has been confusing at best and non-existent at worst. Each state seems to have taken a different muddled path with planning even more obtuse at the local level.

Washington County government and local media must do better.  It is no longer enough to report new COVID-19 infections and the number of deaths within our county borders.  There should now be a daily press release reporting the number of completed inoculations with clear instructions for those eligible to receive a shot, along with locations and schedules. The elderly living alone are often not computer literate to locate and fill out on-line applications. They will require hands on assistance to arrange an appointment and may need help with transportation to receive their inoculation.

Vaccine information may change as conditions and availability are altered. All citizens have a right to be kept informed about the latest strategy. This approach will lower anxiety and increase transparency. It goes without saying that to encourage participation elected officials should be publically vaccinated when it is their turn in the roll out.

Our county leaders must also demonstrate a strong and vocal buy-in toward infection prevention by enthusiastically supporting President Biden’s 100-day mask mandate as a “patriotic duty.” This includes all county residents, even those who have already been inoculated or who have avoided mask wearing in the past as a political statement. Leadership by example and through encouraging words will make a difference in this next phase to defeat the virus. Only the continued simple prescription of mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing will save lives and restore the local economy with minimal delay.

There are several moving parts to Washington County’s economic recovery following the pandemic. First, economic aid must flow freely to the plethora of small businesses impacted by prolonged loss of revenue. To the extent that federal and state programs fall short, the county must be prepared to step in and to offer this aid for struggling employers. When other sources of funding are available the county should provide free services to guide business owners in the application process to receive these funds. 

Fifty-four million Americans have faced food insecurity during the soon-to -be yearlong pandemic.  Washington County has suffered more than its share. County leaders must continue to publicize the continued need for food distribution and financial contributions to the food bank.  County funds should be utilized to supplement private contributions until Washington County has recovered.

Oil and gas companies are experiencing a limited resurgence as OPEC works to restrict supply and support the price of hydrocarbon products. The local fracking industry can benefit from this trend by using common sense to regulate drilling until the economy has a sustained, post-pandemic recovery.

Washington County must look past the “boom or bust” fracking industry and encourage the local development of “new economy” businesses such as renewable energy and technology.  This forward-looking policy will provide for commercial expansion, new employment and a tax base for the next generation of county residents.

 The Washington County court system has sustained significant postponements and delays due to the inability to schedule both criminal and civil jury trails.  It is important that county and state officials work with the courts to hire staff, senior judges and to provide temporary courtrooms to reduce the backlog. The old legal adage that “justice delayed is justice denied” has never been more relevant.

Washington County was fortunate that the civil unrest following the killing of George Floyd and others at the hands of police officers did not erupt into local violent confrontations. However, the past summer of protest should serve as a warning that the county is not immune and should be proactive in addressing racial concerns.  I have long advocated for a county diversity commission as a starting point.  Now is the time to dedicate resources to this initiative.

The public sector including local governments have learned a great deal over the past twelve months.  It would be a mistake to not take advantage of this knowledge to hasten our recovery.  Now is the time to pull out the hoe and plant some “recovery” seeds and “unity” bulbs. Both efforts will surely result in green shoots followed by the beautiful blooms of a new Washington County renaissance.