There's no shame in admitting that sometimes you're not sure of

your responsibility as a board member. Being a board member is a

volunteer position, and few associations offer training that

provides in-depth guidance for well-intentioned but inexperienced

board members. That's why you need a model code of conduct for

your board members.

If you don't think that a simple list of guidelines would help

your board, think again. "The general consensus is that a model

code is a good idea, and we find them really helpful," says

Elizabeth White, a shareholder and head of the community

associations practice at the law firm of LeClairRyan in

Williamsburg, Va.

"For a lot of board members," Elizabeth told us, "when they vote

to approve a code of conduct, it makes them stop and think. But

it also gives the rest of the board and management something to

point to when a board member starts straying outside the

appropriate lane. It gives them something objective to evaluate

behavior against. It also prevents board members from saying,

'I didn't know that was inappropriate. I didn't know accepting a

Christmas gift from my landscaper, who also happens to be the

association's landscaper, wasn't proper.'"

To view the 10 points of our model code of conduct for HOA

board members, go to our new article.

Best regards,

Matt Humphrey

President