questions on bylaws and conflict of interest.

[Guest Teresa]

I have three questions I need help with.

1. do you feel it is a conflict of interest to have the president, treasurer and BOD all directly related? pres and treas are aunt and nephew and BOD is husband of treasurer?

2. do you feel it is a conflict of interest to have the elected treasurer also be the paid bookkeeper for the club with no other person looking at books?

3. if the club wishes to change the bylaws in regards to the two listed areas of concern, how do you get wording on that bylaw?

Thank you for your time and trouble.

[Chris Harrison]

1,2) That is for you all to determine.

3) Amend the bylaws (following the provisions the bylaws provide for regarding their amendment) to say what you all want them to say.

[Rev Ed]

I have three questions I need help with.

1. do you feel it is a conflict of interest to have the president, treasurer and BOD all directly related? pres and treas are aunt and nephew and BOD is husband of treasurer?

That would be up to your organization to decide, and apparentely the members do not think it is. And I assume you mean a director when you mention a "BOD." Normally "BOD" would stand for "Board of Directors" or all the members of the Board.

2. do you feel it is a conflict of interest to have the elected treasurer also be the paid bookkeeper for the club with no other person looking at books?

Again, this is up to your organization to decide. If the Treasurer wants to handle the day to day responsibilities that are part of his/her duties, I would doubt that a paid bookkeeper would be required. However, this is up to the organization to decide either way.

3. if the club wishes to change the bylaws in regards to the two listed areas of concern, how do you get wording on that bylaw?

First you need to know what the By-laws state about amending them. Then you need to amend the By-law dealing with qualifications to be on the Board to include a qualification "That no close relatives are allowed to serve on the Board at the same time. By close relative this By-law means siblings, spouses, partners, parents, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, children, etc."

As for the bookkeeper issue, the By-laws could be include that the Treasurer is responsible for the financial accounting of the organization. While the By-law about qualifications for the Board are being amended, an addition statement of "No member of the Board shall also serve as a paid employee or contractor of the organization."

[Guest Teresa]

Thank you for your advise. Yes I meant a director not the entire Board of Directors. If no one here sees an issue with conflict, then I am left to assume there really isn't one. I am simply a member, I have worked in a corporate world that does see conflict in these areas and has taken action. I would assume clubs would operate the same. However, it seems perhaps they do not. I do thank you for the input and possible wording. I appreciate your time.