Application deadline January 7
KBAD Seeks New Leaders To Serve on Executive Board
New leaders needed to take KBAD into the future
This year was a landmark year for Hays County Democrats, and that is in no small part due to the members of Kyle/Buda-Area Democrats (KBAD). Our grassroots organization has been fortunate to have fantastic and selfless board members over the years. They have dedicated their time and efforts to the essential work of organizing area Democrats.
This is no easy task to win elections against an entrenched Republican Party, which for decades has amassed power through gerrymandering, cozying up to corporate interests, and stoking anger through outrage politics. While we have shown that Hays County is a "True Blue" County, we still have much work to keep it that way and do our part in electing statewide officials.
Every year, we elect new board members in January to guide KBAD into the future. We seek individuals who can apply their talents, time, and energy to grassroots organizing as KBAD executive board members. The continued success of our action-oriented Democratic organization will depend on our ability to recruit board members who can effectively address the needs of our residents to ensure they will turn out to vote for Democrats in upcoming elections.
Board members generally perform the following activities:
- Attend and participate in regular board meetings (virtually and in person when conditions allow)
- Attend and participate in regular membership meetings (generally every other month in non-election years and monthly during election years)
- Communicate via an online platform with other board members and KBAD members about proposals and projects
- Serve as leaders on various KBAD committees
- Vote on spending decisions and action proposals
- Contribute ideas for projects and events
- Help keep members informed and engaged
Roles and Responsibilities
The following are descriptions of some of the duties and responsibilities of each position on the KBAD executive board. The chair may reassign some responsibilities depending on the strengths, experience, and desires of the individuals holding each position.
CHAIR — The chair calls for executive board or special meetings as needed and presides at all meetings. The chair may also appoint committees, subcommittees or task forces. It is helpful for the chair to be a good communicator to help keep members engaged, to create social media and website postings, and to act as emcee at KBAD-hosted events such as candidate forums. The chair provides reports at meetings of the Hays County Democratic Party’s executive committee and often acts as a liaison between KBAD and the various candidates’ campaigns during elections. The chair also moderates the KBAD Facebook group with the assistance of the secretary and approved volunteers. The chair must exercise good judgment and discernment to help guide decisions of the organization and act on behalf of the organization as needed.
VICE CHAIR — The vice chair presides at meetings and performs the duties of the chair in the chair’s absence, performs other duties as assigned by the chair, and succeeds to the office of the chair if the office becomes vacant during an unexpired term. It is helpful for the vice chair to recommend and develop special projects or other activities of particular interest and to remain involved in all board communications and activities.
SECRETARY — The secretary records and maintains the minutes of all meetings and submits them to the chair within 30 days of the meeting, sends all meeting notices, helps to create and send e-newsletters, and works with an appointed webmaster as directed by the chair to update and maintain the KBAD website. Other responsibilities include sharing or creating social media posts, assisting the treasurer with maintaining membership lists, promoting events and outreach efforts through Mobilize and social media, assisting with technology-related issues such as running Zoom meetings, updating calendar systems, and helping the chair moderate the KBAD Facebook group.
TREASURER — The treasurer collects all dues, donations, and PAC contributions; disburses the organization’s funds as needed; keeps updated records of all monies received; acts as the agent and recordkeeper for fundraising activities; and presents a written report on the finances at all meetings or when requested by the chair. The treasurer must timely file all financial reports required by the Texas Ethics Commission, or any other entity requiring reporting, to ensure that KBAD remains in compliance. Other duties include maintaining a list of dues-paid members, reconciling bank statements, making bank deposits, staying up to date with TEC compliance reporting requirements, working with the KBAD secretary regarding membership renewal notices, checking the PO Box for mail, and creating a member sign-in sheet for in-person meetings. This position requires the ability to work with spreadsheets, attention to detail, and good number sense and organizational skills.
DIRECTORS AT-LARGE — The three directors at-large attend meetings, vote on proposals, and perform other duties as assigned by the chair. Assigned duties depend on an individual’s interests and skill set. For example, one director-at-large may act as events chair, who helps to coordinate logistics for KBAD events such as candidate forums, holiday parties, and special projects as assigned by the chair. Other directors may prefer to be more engaged with social media, data analytics, website blogs, or marketing campaigns, among a host of other possibilities.
Application Process
Any dues-paid members who are interested in serving on the KBAD executive board should submit a brief biography to the nominations committee. Biographies should include, at a minimum, current and past employment information, qualifications for the position sought, and a statement of commitment to the goals and ideals of KBAD and the Democratic Party. Also include any particular skill sets such as database management, website design, graphic design, fundraising, writing, speaking, community outreach, administrative skills or accounting.
Send biographies to Donna Haschke, chair of the KBAD nominations committee, at [email protected]. The deadline to submit a biography is Saturday, January 7, 2023. The election will occur at the KBAD meeting on January 29, 2023.
KBAD New Leaders Mixer Meetings
Sign-up for an in-person mixer at Nate's in Buda on January 3 at 6 p.m. to learn about becoming a new KBAD leader. We'll also host a virtual social hour on Zoom on January 5 at 7 p.m.
Executive Board Structure
Learn more about KBAD's leadership structure by reading our bylaws.
Current Board Members
Learn more about our current board members.