Conflict of Interest Policy

I. Statement of Purpose

The Westport Library Board of Trustees has determined that all Trustees should be subject to a published written policy with respect to any conflict of interest regarding Trustees. The purpose of this Conflict of Interest Policy is to establish the procedures and rules applicable to the identification and resolution of any such conflict of interest.

II. No Actual or Potential Conflict of Interest

No Trustee:

• may use his or her position as a trustee to obtain financial or other gain for the private benefit of the Trustee, the trustee’s family or any organization with which the Trustee is associated;
• shall accept or receive, directly or indirectly, any money or anything of value or any promise for future benefit, from any person or entity that does business with the Library; and/or
• shall have any direct or indirect pecuniary, financial, economic or other material personal or individual beneficial interest with respect to any activity involving such Trustee and relating to the Westport Library Association and the Library.

III. Procedure

A Trustee who discovers that he or she has an actual or potential conflict of interest as described above shall:

• fully, completely and immediately disclose the existence of such conflict of interest to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees; and

• recuse himself or herself from all discussions, deliberations and proceedings relating to the activity that is the subject of the actual or potential conflict of interest.

The Executive Committee shall determine, after a full investigation, whether there is a conflict of interest. If the Executive Committee determines that there is a conflict of interest, it shall take all appropriate and necessary action to resolve and eliminate such Westport Public Library Conflict of Interest Policy 2 conflict.

IV. Enforcement

The provisions of this Conflict of Interest Policy will be construed and enforced by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. All decisions, determinations and actions taken by the Executive Committee with respect to this Conflict of Interest Policy are final and are not subject to review.

V. Amendment

The Library Board of Trustees reserves the right to amend this Conflict of Interest Policy at any time.

Adopted by the Library Board of Trustees May 20, 1998; amended October 17, 2007; re-endorsed September 15, 2010.