4.5 Board Members' Code of Conduct

The Board commits itself and its members to ethical, businesslike, and lawful conduct, including proper use of authority and appropriate decorum when acting as Board members.

1. Members must act with loyalty to the ownership, unconflicted by loyalties to staff and other organizations, including holding more than one elected office at any one time, and unconflicted by any personal interest as a member of a person’s family.

2. Members must avoid unlawful conflict of interest with respect to their fiduciary responsibility.

A. Board members will not use their Board position to obtain employment in the organization for themselves, family members, or close associates. Should a Board member apply for employment, he or she must first resign from the Board.

B. A successful candidate shall tender his/her resignation from district employment upon election, effective upon taking the oath of office as a Board member.

3. Board members may not attempt to exercise individual authority over the organization.

A. Members' interaction with the Superintendent or with staff must recognize the lack of authority vested in individuals except when explicitly Board authorized.

B. Members' interaction with public, press or other entities must recognize the same limitation and the inability of any Board member to speak for the Board except to repeat explicitly stated Board decisions.

C. Except for participation in Board deliberation about whether reasonable interpretation of Board policy has been achieved by the Superintendent, members will not express individual judgments of performance of employees or the Superintendent.

4. Members will respect the confidentiality appropriate to issues of a sensitive nature.

5. Members will be properly prepared for Board deliberation.