What is a conflict of interest on the committee and how must it be handled?

A conflict of interest arises when a committee member has a personal or financial interest in a matter being decided by the committee. Common examples: - A committee member's company is being considered for a contract - A committee member stands to benefit personally from a decision about common property adjacent to their lot - A family member of a committee member is involved in the matter What must happen: 1. The committee member must disclose the conflict to the committee before the matter is discussed 2. The disclosure must be recorded in the minutes 3. The committee member must leave the meeting while the matter is discussed and voted on 4. They cannot vote on the matter Failure to disclose a conflict of interest is a breach of the committee member's duties and can be grounds for removal from the committee. This article is general information only and not legal advice.