Free training helps Big Island boards run meetings more efficiently

Kuʻikahi Mediation Center is holding a free Brown Bag Talk today, Jan. 15, offering a one-hour virtual workshop titled "Robert Rules! Your Procedural Pathway to Better Board Meetings." Presenter Jon Henricks leads the Zoom session from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., billed as a practical, interactive discussion on using Robert’s Rules of Order to simplify and streamline nonprofit and community board meetings.

Open to the public and provided free of charge, the lunchtime event is part of Kuʻikahi’s Brown Bag Lunch Series, which aims to give local organizations and community leaders tools for governance and conflict resolution. Attendees were invited to request the Zoom link via the mediation center’s contact channels ahead of the session. The format emphasizes accessible, actionable techniques rather than legalistic detail, making it suitable for volunteer-run boards and neighborhood associations across the Big Island.

Efficient meeting procedures matter for island organizations that operate on tight volunteer hours and constrained budgets. Streamlined meetings reduce administrative overhead, lower the risk of procedural disputes that can drain leadership capacity, and help boards focus limited time on program delivery and fundraising. For community nonprofits that rely on grants and donor confidence, clearer governance practices also improve credibility with funders and public partners.

The session's focus on practical pathways to procedural order ties into broader local governance challenges: many community boards juggle diverse viewpoints, fluctuating membership, and limited staff support. Robert’s Rules, when applied in a pragmatic way, can standardize motions, debate, and voting so committees avoid repeated procedural back-and-forth that stalls decision making. By reducing meeting friction, organizations can improve responsiveness to service needs across Big Island County, from social services to cultural groups and land-use advisory committees.

Beyond immediate time savings, better board processes influence long-term organizational resilience. Consistent procedure helps preserve institutional memory as volunteer leadership turns over, lowers liability from governance lapses, and supports strategic planning that attracts sustained funding. For island groups that must stretch every dollar and volunteer hour, these governance gains translate directly into more reliable community programs.

For boards and community leaders who missed today’s session or want follow-up material, Kuʻikahi Mediation Center’s Brown Bag Lunch Series continues to position governance and conflict-resolution skills as practical tools for local stewardship. Adopting clearer meeting rules now can help Big Island organizations run smoother meetings, resolve disputes faster, and focus on delivering services to their communities.