Bill Sims Board Statement

2013 Statement for Bill Sims seeking CMCM Member Board position

On which Board committee/s would you be interested in serving?
Finance, Investment, Board Development/Governance

Name any Boards or Advisory groups on which you have served in the past:
CMCM Board, Convenor’s Board, Sausalito Library Foundation Advisory Board, Progressive Perspectives Board, Citizen’s Reach Out Board, Next Generation Board

Name any organizations with which you are affiliated:
Democratic Central Committee of Marin, ACLU, CMCM, Sausalito Library Foundation, Progressive Perspectives, Citizen’s Reach Out

As a board member, what areas below could you contribute expertise
Legal, Non-profit Administration, Strategic Planning,


Please list other Non-Profit/Board Experience:
I taught courses in Tax Exempt Organizations in LLM (tax) program at Golden Gate Law School, prepared application for 501(c)(3) status for CMCM and 6 other organizations, file federal and state tax returns for Friends of the Sausalito Library and the Sausalito Library Foundation and handle any IRS issues that arise for these organizations.

Why do you want to serve on the CMCM Board of Directors?
I have served on the CMCM board as Treasurer since the organization was founded and am currently part of the CMCM team that is working to negotiate renewal of a contract with the MTA that will (hopefully) provide adequate funding to carry the organization through the next 5 years in good fashion. The CMCM team has been struggling with these negotiations for well over a year now, and I would like to stick with the job until it has been successfully completed. I believe adequate funding and a workable contract with the MTA is essential to lay a foundation for the long range success of CMCM.
The CMCM board is an excellent one, and it has been my pleasure to serve with the many outstanding individuals that volunteer their talents to CMCM.

What relevant experience do you bring to this board position?
I and several other board members have been with CMCM from the beginning, and our “institutional memories” complement the energy and fresh perspectives that newer board members have brought to CMCM.

What is your vision for CMCM and how will you achieve it?
Starting from nothing, under Michael Eisenmenger’s leadership CMCM has accomplished amazing things in 5 short years with very little money. With adequate funding and a reasonable contract, I think CMCM can become a powerful force in the Marin community – the glue that builds community and brings Marin together – Marin’s town hall – Marin’s Commons – the center of Marin’s social, artistic, and political life.

My plan for getting there is simple. Get Michael some adequate funding, a reasonable contract with the MTA, and a bit of freedom from short sighted politicians with no vision, and let him run with the ball.

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