Lunenburg Board adopts formal rules of procedure and a code of ethics

The Lunenburg County Board of Supervisors on March 11 adopted a formal Rules of Procedure and a Code of Ethics that the board said will guide annual officer selection, agenda preparation and conduct during meetings.

County Attorney Frank Rennie presented the draft, which codifies officer terms (chair and vice chair), delegation of agenda preparation to the County Administrator, and formalizes meeting procedures including use of Robert’s Rules of Order (10th ed.) as the parliamentary guide for matters not covered by the code. The document sets quorum and roll‑call voting expectations, establishes a rotating order for votes, and clarifies that the chairman casts the final vote.

The rules also define a Citizens’ Comment Period: speakers must sign up in advance, are limited to three minutes per comment, may not donate time to others, and may submit written materials but may not use audiovisual displays during the meeting. Public hearings will be advertised and limited to five minutes per speaker unless the Board waives that limit. The code of ethics enumerates standards including avoiding conflicts, not using public office for private gain and exposing corruption through appropriate channels.

Supervisor Frank Bacon moved to adopt the documents; the Board approved both the Rules of Procedure and the Code of Ethics by roll call vote (six yes, one absent). The Board directed the items to be part of the annual organizational meeting for future review.