Here's a clip form the Hartford, CT Courant regarding an election line-up for the 14th state house district.

"The Democratic challenger is Hugh Brower. Brower, 47, has served as a member of the South Windsor Inland Wetlands Agency/Conservation Commission and the town's transit and highway advisory commission. He's on the board of the Connecticut Trolley Museum."

Sloan

We have had (and currently have one) town councillors on the museum board, but not as a result of deliberate recruitment. They have a special place, though, since they are so well connected with what is happening in the town.

Steve Hunter
RMEO
Smiths Falls, Ontario

True, but he or she has to declare a conflict of interest when any issue comes up at a council that directly effects the railway museum. Same should go at your meetings when issues come up that relate to the city. That could hurt you when it comes to getting grants or favours from the city.

There is one long time councilor on the St. Thomas, Ontario city council that is definitely a friend of the ECRM and supports us 100%, but he refuses to become a member of the museum to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. I'm sure once his political career is over he'll probably join the museum.

One of the reasons I became a politician was to improve my chances of getting on Museum boards. However, while in many cases, the insiders may publicly wish that local politicians could be enticed to serve, they often also wish that one of themselves become that politician! I've found that full time politicians (also, leading business people and Captains of Industry) are more interested in paying board positions, like at corporations and large national charities. However, if you just want their name on your letterhead, the price is less.

Absolutely! With the wrong individual, problems could arise. The councillors who have also been board members have been excellent at declaring conflicts wherever one could be imagined, whether or not a real conflict existed. As a board, we also think about such things- either in relation to our personal business or that of others.

We do not deliberately seek councillors or other politicians, but as long as they bring experience, knowledge, interest, and ethics that will benefit the museum we certainly don't discourage them.

We, too, have a number of local political types who are great supporters and would love to serve on the board, but prefer to stay on the outside for these reasons. In their own way, they are very helpful.

All in all, it's been a good thing for our museum, but it could be quite the opposite if the wrong political type joined the board- or if the wrong type of person, who happened to be a board member, entered politics with the hope of pushing projects through! It's all about ethics!

Steve

Although not a voting member of the BofD we have had a city councilor sit as a liaison since our charter grant. After 25years as a councilor our first liaison stepped down from city politics. She became our first "life member". We called her our "den mother". For us it has been a most positive experience. Our "new' city liaison, although not as enthusiastic as the first, has continued to support us at city hall.
http://www.fvhrs.com

We had no politicians but had some high profile railroad folks who were of tremendous help to us in dealing with the roads we ran over.
For a volunteer group, it enabled us to go places and do things that we would never have been able to.
These folks remain our friends even though the Association is dissolved.

Sitting on the BOD of CT Trolley and a 35 year member, I find the possibilities interesting if an existing museum member / board member runs for and wins a relatively high political office. What doors would be opened if a board member becomes a state or federal representative? It will be interesting to see what happens if he wins.

1st thing a museum whose board member becomes a politician finds is that he has a lot more claims on his time than just museum and family.