School of Government makes available 'Model Code of Ethics'

"A Model Code of Ethics for North Carolina Local Elected Officials" is now available for purchase through the School of Government's Web site. The publication, developed by the SOG, NCACC and N.C. League of Municipalities, is intended to help local elected boards and their staffs develop codes of ethics that meet the requirements of state law.

In 2009, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law requiring all North Carolina counties, cities, unified governments, local boards of education, sanitary districts and consolidated city-counties to adopt by Jan. 1, 2011, a resolution or policy containing a code of ethics to guide actions by the governing board members in the performance of their official duties as members of that governing board.

The publication includes a model code with optional provisions, as well as commentary and discussion questions that boards are encouraged to use in developing and interpreting their own codes. The book is designed to be clear and unambiguous, simple, and easy to read and use.

As of early April, the 69-page publication was available for purchase ($30) and download as a PDF. The SOG is also accepting advance orders for the hard copy publication, which is scheduled to become available by the end of April.

For details and/or to order a copy, click here.

Session Law 2009-403 (H1452) also requires affected governing boards to receive two hours of ethics training. For a listing of ethics training opportunities, visit www.ncacc.org/ethicstraining_2010.html. Six events held in conjunction with NCACC and NCLM district meetings will be held in April.

There are several opportunities for county commissioners to earn Local Elected Leaders Academy (LELA) credits in May.

School of Government faculty member A. Fleming Bell II will present two regional "Rules of Procedure" workshops aimed at small- to mid-sized boards. Topics of discussion will include types of meetings, agendas, motions, actions by the board, voting, debate, ratification of actions, quorums and closed sessions. Participants will also discuss common practices and legal standards for comment at public meetings.

The sessions will be held Tuesday, May 4, at the Land-of-Sky Regional Council in Asheville, and Wednesday, May 5, at Foothills Higher Education Center in Morganton. Registration begins at 9 a.m., and the seminar runs from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Contact Vickey Wade at (828) 227-3442 or vwade@wcu.edu for more information. A registration fee of $25 covers the cost of the break and materials, including Bell's Suggested Rules of Procedure for Small Local Government Boards.

The School of Government will offer its Manager Evaluation and Board Assessment program May 6 at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville. Participants who complete this program will learn how to develop a successful evaluation process and how to avoid the pitfalls common with board self-assessments and manager evaluations. The registration fee is $175. For more information, contact Catherine Cunningham at (919) 843-6518 or cunningham@sog.unc.edu.

North Carolina Sea Grant will be offering another course in its Leadership Training series May 6. Growth and Sustainability Strategies will be held at the Currituck County Cooperative Extension Facility in Barco. The course is designed to help local governing boards effectively engage in processes that integrate community water quality protection goals with growth and redevelopment.

To register, e-mail your name, local government affiliation, address and telephone number to Lauren Kolodij at laurenk@nccoast.org or call (252) 393-8185 by April 28. There is a $20 registration fee that covers breaks, lunch and the meeting notebook. For questions about the conference, contact Gloria Putnam at (919) 513-0117 or Gloria_Putnam@ncsu.edu.

The School of Government will offer its Essentials of Economic Development program May 12 at the Ramsey Regional Activity Center at Western Carolina University. The one-day course is designed to help local, regional and state officials understand the fundamentals of economic development in the current regional, national and global economic climate. The workshop will help participants understand what is required to make their communities attractive for investment in the new economy. Participants will examine various economic development strategies and consider how governments, along with the nonprofit and private sectors, can help facilitate the process of creating jobs and wealth.

If you have questions, contact Carla Stowe, program manager, at (919) 843-8176 or cstowe@sog.unc.edu.

Elected officials can earn six credits toward their commitment to continuing education through the Local Elected Leaders Academy (LELA) recognition program by attending any of these workshops. For more information, visit www.ncacc.org/lela.html.