The Rowland Water District (RWD) Board of Directors, in accordance with state regulations and RWD core values, underwent annual ethics training at District headquarters in February 2015. The training was presented by Joseph Byrne of Best Best and Krieger LLP. Mr. Byrne and Best Best and Krieger serve as legal counsel for RWD. State regulations require that everyone holding a position of public trust in California undergo ethics training every two years to ensure they are familiar with legal ethical standards and any changes in laws from year to year. For RWD Board members, the training is consistent with core values of transparency in governance that RWD insists upon, and to which the Board has dedicated itself.

“California is very specific when it comes to people who hold positions of public trust, be they appointees, elected officials, board members, etc.,” says Mr. Byrne. “My job is to ensure that our Board is made aware of those legalities, as well as the expectations of the District for our Board members. Each year there may be certain changes in those laws, so it’s important to go over everything in reasonable detail.”

Topics covered include, but are not limited to, conflicts of interests, gifts, laws guarding against personal gain and transparency. The state, and the District, require Board members to attend this training every two years. RWD holds in highest esteem a commitment to the highest ethical standards and is dedicated to ensuring the public trust. RWD knows that customers rely on the District to provide clean, safe and abundant drinking water, and the public must have confidence that customer dollars are being spent as efficiently as possible and in a proper manner. This training ensures that all Board members are aware of the legal requirements they must uphold.

“The training provided to us by Mr. Byrne and Best Best and Krieger offers us the opportunity to refresh our knowledge base, understand any changes, and ensure we are doing everything in our power to be above reproach,” says Szu Pei Lu-Yang, RWD Board President. “We take ethics very seriously and know that’s what the public expects us to do.”

For more information, visit www.rwd.org.

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