December 2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

National Alliance of Preservation Commissions Code of Ethics for Commissioners and Staff Preamble Preservation commissions have been established by local governments through- out the United States to promote the preservation and appropriate development of heritage resources in their communities. The National Alliance of Preserva- tion Commissions (NAPA is the only organization devoted solely to represent- ing the nation's preservation commissions. Its mission is "to build strong local. preservation programs through education, advocacy and training." As part of that mission, the NAPC has developed this Code of Ethics to promote and main- tain the highest standards of honesty, integrity and professionalism among the commissioners and staff who serve their communities through preservation commissions. These principles are derived from general societal values and recognized princi- ples of professional responsibility. As societal values compete, so may ethical principles. The need for full public disclosure may compete with the need to respect confidential information, for example. The ethical commissioner or staff member must carefully balance various public and private interests based on the facts and context of each situation guided by the commitment to serve the public interest. Individual commissioners should be knowledgeable, accurate, honest and forth- right in their dealings with other commissioners, local elected officials and staff, applicants and the general public. Although not elected by the public, preserva- tion commissioners are accountable for their actions in the communities they FY-ATL4 This Code of Ethics comprises guidelines for ethical conduct organized under three main categories: Responsibility to the Community Responsibility to the Profession Standards of Professional Conduct Under each category"are statements of principle to guide preservation commis- sioners and staff in choosing ethical courses of action for heritage preservation in their communities. The NAPC endorses this Code as the ethical benchmark to which all its members should aspire. In the absence of professional licensure for preservation commissioners and staff, the adherence to a code of ethics is a matter of personal responsibility. However, preservation commissions may wish to adopt these principles and standards as a guide. Although stated in the plural, each suggested rule also applies to an individual commissioner or staff member. NAPC • P.O. Box 1605 • ATHENS, GA 30603.706-541-0169 "Helping local preservation commissions succeed through education, advocacy, and training"