WAPOR Conflict of Interest Policy

Adopted by the WAPOR Council on April 11, 2024

The purpose of the following policy and procedures is to prevent the personal interest of Council members (Officers and Committee Chairs) and staff members, from interfering with the performance of their duties for WAPOR or result in personal financial, professional, or political gain on the part of such persons at the expense of WAPOR.

Definitions:

Conflict of Interest (hereafter, Conflict) means an actual or potential conflict, or the appearance of a conflict, between the private interests and official responsibilities of a person in a position of trust. For the purposes of this policy, persons in a position of trust include staff members, Council members of WAPOR. Council means the elected body of leadership (Officers and Committee Chairs) and other appointed members as designated by the Executive Council. Staff Member means a person who receives all or part of her/his income from contract or payment from WAPOR.

POLICY AND PRACTICES

1. Full disclosure, by notice in writing, shall be made by the interested parties (i) in the case of a Staff Member, to his or her supervisor and (ii) in the case of an Officer or a Council Member, to the full Council in all actual or potential conflicts of interest, including, but not limited to the following:

  1. A Council member is related to another Council member or staff member by blood, marriage or domestic partner
  2. A staff member in a supervisory capacity is related to another staff member whom she/he supervises.
  3. A Council Member, a Council member’s spouse, domestic partner, blood relation, business partner, or the Council member’s organization stands to benefit from an WAPOR transaction, or a staff member of such organization receives payment from WAPOR for any subcontract, goods, or services other than as part of her/his regular job responsibilities or as reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred as provided in WAPOR policy.

2. Following full disclosure of an actual or potential conflict of interest or any condition listed above, the Council shall determine whether a conflict of interest exists and, if so, the Council shall vote to authorize or reject the transaction or take any other action deemed necessary to address the conflict and protect WAPOR’s best interests.

3. An interested Council member, officer, or staff member shall not participate in any discussion or debate of the Council, or of any committee or subcommittee thereof, in which the subject of discussion is a contract, transaction, or situation in which there may be a potential or actual conflict of interest. However, they may be present to provide clarifying information in such a discussion or debate unless objected to by any present council member.

4. Anyone in a position to make decisions utilizing WAPOR’s resources (i.e., transactions such as purchase contracts) – who also stands to benefit from that decision – has a duty to disclose that conflict as soon as it arises (or becomes apparent); s/he should not participate in any final decisions.

5. A copy of this policy shall be given to all Council members, Officers, and staff members upon commencement of such person’s relationship with WAPOR or at the official adoption of this policy. Each Council member, officer, and staff member shall sign and date the policy at the beginning of her/his term of service or employment and each year thereafter. Failure to sign does not nullify the policy. Council may vote to expel the officer, staff member or Council member who refuses to sign this policy.

6. Each Council member, officer, and staff member at the beginning of their term shall sign a statement which affirms that such person:

  1. Has received a copy of this conflict-of-interest policy,
  2. Has read and understands the policy,
  3. Has agreed to comply with the policy, and
  4. Understands that WAPOR is a nonprofit corporation and in order to maintain its federal tax exemption it must engage primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes.

The WAPOR Councilor Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form

This form must be filed annually by all specified parties, as identified in the WAPOR Conflict of Interest Policy Statement (ratified by the WAPOR Council on April 11, 2024).

I have no actual or potential conflict of interest to report.

I have the following conflict(s) of interest to report (please specify):

The undersigned, by their affixed signature, note their understanding of the implications of this policy.

Signature

Printed Name                                             

Date