Ranch Matters was informed by Jefferson County Commissioner Mark Wunsch that he plans on attending the meeting and will be available to answer his constituents questions.

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There’s a lot going on behind the scenes and members need to get more involved, educate themselves and start asking questions.

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The Board of Directors and the Ranch Management work for us and have a statutory duty to act in the

“Best interests of the ENTIRE membership.”

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The Oregon Attorney General’s 2022 Guide to Oregon Nonprofit Board Service is a great educational source of information for the members. It covers directors responsibilities and duties.

“In carrying out board responsibilities and duties, the law generally imposes three duties of trust. They are regularly described as the duty of due care, loyalty to the corporation and obedience to the law.”

Further, directors responsibilities and duties includes the duty to follow the organizations governing documents, as well as state and federal laws.

Interestingly, directors also hold a duty to investigate matters.

The Attorney General’s Guide states a Director’s “Duty of Due Care” includes active participation and reasonable inquiry.

“Directors should request and receive sufficient information so that they may carry out their responsibilities as directors.

When a problem exists or a report on its face does not make sense, a director has a duty to inquire into the surrounding facts and circumstances.

The director also has a duty to investigate warnings or reports of officers or employee theft or mismanagement.”

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Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 65.357(3) notes a director may not be acting in good faith, when ignoring information indicative of failure to comply with Oregon law. Failure of a director(s) to act in good faith can be grounds for a director’s personal liability.

INFORMATION IS POWER!

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RANCH MATTERS STAFF

JOHN STEVENS & DAVE STANGLAND