Chairperson(s) Role:   The Chairperson co-ordinates the Vertical Watch Program and provides the important link among the residents, property management, security personnel, police and other comunity agencies.

The chairperson should be available at least part of every day or every other day to answer questions about the program from floor captains and others. This need will be greatest during the program's start-up phase. As everyone becomes more familiar with the program, there will be fewer questions, and the time the chairperson needs to devote to the project will decrease.

Because of these demands and the importance of the position, the chairperson should be someone who does not work full-time. In some buildings two people share the responsibilities. This works as long as the individuals involved keep in close contact and share information.

Chairperson's Primary Responsibilities:

Organizing floor captain meetings, general meetings, special meetings.

Related tasks include:

   · notifying members of meetings and related agendas by delivering flyers.
   · booking the meeting room.
   · ensuring that community resource people will attend.
   · inviting guest speakers

At the meetings:

   · Chairs all meetings
   · Take minutes of meetings, (or finds someone to take minutes), and distributes the minutes to
     participants and interested parties.

Other duties include:

   · maintaining and up-to-date members' list
   · seving as a go-between with police, security personnel, property management, community
     agencies and residents
   · The Chairperson may edit and oversee the production and distribution of a newsletter for
     members. In this scenario, typing is a definite asset.
   · The Chairperson or the crime prevention officer write to City Hall to request the Vertical
     Watch signs.

The signs will be erected by City staff if they are on City property. In privately-owned buildings, the chairperson arranges to have the signs put up by property management.

The chairperson may be ready and willing to take on these and other tasks single-handedly. It is often better to share the workload as much as possible with other members. Involving others gives them a greater sense of being part of the program. Besides boosting members' morale and level of commitment, job sharing also frees up more of the chairperson's time and energy. An effective chairperson knows the value of sharing the workload, and also realizes the importance of following through to ensure work that is assigned to others is performed well and on time.