FLOW Area September 14, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 District updates bylaw on trustee qualifications, ethics by Frank J. McMahon The Ramapo Indian Hills Board of Education has updated its bylaw on the qualifications of trustees, prohibited acts, and ethics. The changes pertain to the residency of board members, the requirement of each member to undergo a criminal history background check, and the school district’s code of ethics. The updated bylaw will require a board member to be a resident of Franklin Lakes, Oakland, or Wyckoff. A trustee must be a resident of the borough or township he or she represents, and must have been such a resident for at least one year immediately preceding his or her election or appointment. The updated bylaw also requires each trustee to possess the qualifications required by law and be bound by the provisions of the state’s School Ethics Act. To be qualified, a board member must be a citizen of the United States who has not convicted of a crime or offense under state law. To fulfill this requirement, each member, within 30 days of his or her election or appointment to the board of education, must undergo a criminal history background check investigation for the purpose of ensuring that the member is not disqualified due to a conviction of a crime or offense pursuant to state law. According to the updated bylaw, trustees will be reimbursed for the cost of the criminal history record check, including all costs for administering and processing the check. The updated bylaw also contains several other requirements and prohibitions that were part of the existing bylaw. For instance, a trustee must be able to read and write and must be registered to vote in the district and not disqualified from voting according to state law and cannot concurrently hold office as mayor or a member of the governing body of any of the three towns served by the regional school district. No trustee or member of his or her immediate family (a spouse or dependent children residing in the same household) can have an interest in a business organization or engage in any business, transaction, or professional activity that is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his or her duties in the public interest. In addition, a board member cannot use his or her official position to secure unwarranted privileges, advantages, or employment for him or herself, members of his or her immediate family, or others. No trustee can undertake any employment or service, whether compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to prejudice his or her independence of judgment in the exercise of official duties. In addition, no board member or member of his or her immediate family or business organization in which he or she has an interest can solicit or accept any gift, favor, loan, political contribution, service, promise of future employment, or other thing of value based upon an understanding that the gift, favor, loan, contribution, service, promise, or other thing of value was given or offered (continued on page 10)