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City legal advisor outlines ethics rules for COA fundraising; recommends using Friends of the Council on Aging
Summary
A city advisor summarized state ethics guidance for board members soliciting donations, saying unpaid board members are treated as municipal employees under state rules and advising use of the Friends of the Council on Aging to accept gifts without a city council acceptance vote.
A city advisor briefed the Lynn Council on Aging board on state ethics guidance for fundraising and recommended using a separate nonprofit “Friends of the Council on Aging” to accept donations.
The advisor said unpaid board members are considered municipal employees under state ethics rules and can solicit donations, but they face restrictions: they may not solicit people with whom they have official business, they must keep a log of solicitations, and they may not use coercion or implied quid pro quos. The advisor offered to circulate a short summary of the rules to board members.
He explained gifts made directly to the senior center itself typically require city council acceptance, whereas donations made to the Friends organization do not require that council vote. Board members asked whether donations can be earmarked for particular uses (transportation, field trips, security upgrades) and were told donors can designate uses or make unrestricted gifts.
Board members discussed practical issues (receipt processes, mailing addresses, and whether volunteers or non‑board friends face the same rules). The advisor said someone who is solely a member of the Friends organization does not have the same reporting requirements as a board member soliciting on behalf of the municipal council on aging; board members who solicit must log names and times for requests.
Speakers quoted in this article include the advisor and board members who participated in the fundraising discussion.
