LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 153

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PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION

(2) Information acquired in the course of carrying
out duties of the Synod shall not knowingly be
used in any way that would be detrimental to
the welfare of the Synod and its agencies.
[1.5.12.1 (b) (2)]

1.5.4.4 Boards and commissions All program boards, commissions, and governing boards may appoint standing
committees of specialists to provide professional or
technical assistance to the board or commission and
may delegate certain responsibilities to such committees while retaining supervision. Standing committees
may be made up of or include non-board or commission
members. The creation of standing committees shall be
reported to the President and the Board of Directors of
the Synod. [1.5.11]

(3) No board or commission member and/or staff or
executive officer of the Synod or its agencies No
one shall vote on any transaction in which the
individual shall might receive a direct or indirect financial gain. [1.5.12.1 (b) (3)]

1.5.4.5 All agencies program boards, commissions, and governing boards shall maintain and make available upon
request and at a reasonable price a verbatim copy of
the minutes of their meetings except for executive sessions. [1.5.7]

(4) Gifts, The Board of Directors shall establish policy regarding the acceptance of gifts, entertainment, or favors in excess of $100 per person per
year from any individual or outside concern
which does or is seeking to do business with the
corporate Synod or its the agencies of the Synod
shall not be accepted. [1.5.12.1 (b) (4)]

Full Financial Disclosure

(1) Activities shall not be entered into which may
be detrimental to the interests of the Synod. and
its agencies. (5) Any inappropriate activity shall
cease or the position will be vacated. [1.5.12.1 (b)
(1), (5)]

(c) Individuals, prior to accepting elected, or appointed,
office or staff positions, shall initially and annually
thereafter sign statements stating that they have
received, understand, and agree to abide by this
bylaw and the Synod’s conflict of interest policy of
the respective corporation. Each shall also sign annually a “Statement of Compliance” with the bylaw
and policy. [1.5.12.2]
Removal from Board or Commission Membership
[Note: A new Bylaw 1.5.3 is being submitted under Resolution
7-08]
Organization
1.5.4

153

Every agency of the Synod shall meet at least quarterly unless otherwise stipulated in the Bylaws. Exceptions require the approval at least annually of the
President of the Synod. [1.5.8]

1.5.4.1 All agencies At the initial meeting after election or appointment, all program boards, commissions, and governing boards shall organize themselves as to officers
chair, vice-chair, secretary, and subcommittees at the
initial meeting after election or appointment other
committees and positions as necessary or mandated by
these Bylaws and shall conduct business in accordance
with accepted parliamentary rules. [1.5.2]
1.5.4.2 All agencies may employ program boards, commissions, and governing boards may make use of executive committees to act in times of emergency between
plenary meetings and to act on delegated assignments.
[1.5.3]
(a) Executive committees may not perform acts specifically required by statute or by legislation or the
Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the Synod
to be performed by the agency, nor may they overturn actions of the agency. [1.5.3 (a)]
(b) All executive committee actions shall be reported to
plenary sessions of the agency. [1.5.3 (b)]
1.5.4.3 The agencies All program boards, commissions, and
governing boards may also delegate a specific assignment for a limited time to a committee composed of its
own members. [1.5.3 (c)]

1.5.5

The Synod and each of its agencies shall fully disclose
their financial books and records to any member congregation of the Synod. [1.5.13]
(a) Full disclosure includes all information (including,
but not limited to, information required to be made
available under state law) recorded in any fashion,
except the following:
(1) Information that would violate the expected confidentiality of donors.
(2) Personnel files or other information that would
violate the expected confidentiality of officers
and employees.
(3) Information that relates to in-process negotiations of financial matters.
(4) Information the disclosure of which would
breach a legal obligation of the Synod or its
agencies or affect pending litigation or claims
against the Synod or its agencies.
(5) Information that is preliminary in nature or otherwise has not been finalized in its form and
content. [1.5.13 (a)]
(b) Salaries of elected officers of the Synod, as identified in Constitution Art. X A, shall be published annually in an official periodical. [1.5.13 (b)]
(c) The accounting department of the Synod shall publish annually in an official periodical an invitation
to request full, audited financial statements and
summary operating budgets of the Synod or its
agencies. [1.5.13.1]
(d) The Synod and its agencies shall share, upon request, the quarterly financial statements as reported to the respective governing boards. [1.5.13.1
(a)]
(e) All information produced for normal publication or
distribution shall be provided free of charge.
[1.5.13.1 (b)]
(f) Requests for detailed financial information or the
inspection of financial records shall be made in writing to the respective corporate boards by a member
congregation and shall state the records desired and
the time period to be covered. [1.5.13.2]
(1) All responses to requests for information involving research or compilation shall be billed to the
member on the basis of actual costs.
(2) Any inspection of financial records shall be done
by (a) member(s) of the congregation or its

2007 Convention Proceedings