Conflict of Interest

Trustees should avoid all situations that involve conflict of interest (or the appearance of a conflict of interest) between their personal or professional interests and those of close friends or immediate family members, or organizations they are associated with, and the interests of Land Trust. The immediate family is defined as spouses, significant others, parents, children, and siblings. No Trustee shall derive financial advantage from her/his connection with the Lake Champlain Land Trust.

A Trustee may not vote on any issue if he/she, or a close friend or family member, or an organization that he/she is associated with would financially gain or lose because of the outcome of the particular decision.

Disclosure

1. Any actual or appearance of a conflict of interest on the part of a Trustee shall be disclosed to the other members of the Board of Trustees and made a matter of record through a yearly disclosure form and at the time a conflict arises during board or committee deliberations.

2. Any Trustee who has an actual or an appearance of a conflict of interest on any matter should not vote or use her/his personal influence on the matter. The minutes of the meeting should reflect the disclosure, that the nature of the interest was made and that the member abstained from voting.

3. The foregoing requirements should not be construed as preventing the Trustee from briefly stating her/his position in any matter or from answering pertinent questions of other Trustees since her/his knowledge may be of great assistance. In such cases, the member should recuse him/herself when the vote on the matter is called. However if a person recuses him/herself he should leave the room during the discussion and vote on the issue unless requested to remain by the full board.

4. The Trustee recusing him/herself shall be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a board or committee meeting.

Procedure

1. All Board and committee members will, on an annual basis, disclose on an appropriate form, any significant professional, contractual or potential financial and/ or fiduciary interests that may bring her/him in conflict with Land Trust interests. Similarly, when nominated for office, prospective Trustees should disclose to the organization any personal affiliations that could be construed to be related to the Lake Champlain Land Trust and its activities.

2. These forms shall be reviewed by the Board Chair and kept on record in the Land Trust Office.

3. In the event there is a disagreement between a Trustee and another Trustee as to the existence of a conflict of interest the disagreement will be resolved by a vote of the board.

Examples of Proper Procedures

• For example: if the Board of Trustees is exploring the possible acquisition of land abutting a Trustee’s home, the Trustee should disclose this potential conflict immediately. The Trustee should share pertinent information about the land with the Board but should recuse him/herself when the Board votes on the acquisition.
• For example: a Trustee should not recommend that staff hire a friend or relative.
• For example: a Trustee should not receive a commission or fee for working for the Land Trust. (for example, as a financial advisor, attorney, consultant, etc.).

  These are only examples and not an exhaustive catalogue.

Confidentiality

Trustees should keep information learned during the course of Lake Champlain Land Trust activities in confidence when the information concerns the administration and activities of the Land Trust that are not generally available to the public. For example, Trustees should not disclose a possible conservation project until the Land Trust has gained site control and preliminary approvals from State and local entities.

Signature

I have read the above Land Trust Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy and have listed below any potential conflicts of interest I might have with Land Trust.

_______________________________________________ ______________
Name/ Date