Lawrence Mayor Sue Hack is turning to the state’s Governmental Ethics Commission for guidance on how to properly separate her family’s business interests from her duties as a city commissioner.

In an written opinion approved today, the ethics commission said Hack’s job as the director of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Lawrence program doesn’t preclude her from serving on a new Destination Management Inc. board that has been formed to manage the operations of the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area.

Hack had questions about whether she could legally serve on the board because it also includes a Lawrence Chamber of Commerce representative.

Hack said she was pleased with the ethics commission decision, and said she’ll likely ask the group for an opinion on how to gauge potential conflicts of interest related to her husband’s insurance business.

Hack said she is drafting a letter asking the commission for an opinion on when she must recuse herself when dealing with individuals who are clients of her husband’s insurance practice.

Hack said she is confident she has properly been recusing herself from city matters where she or her husband potentially could benefit financially, but she wants additional assurances from the ethics commission.

Hack has turned to the ethics commission after members of the public alleged she did not properly recuse herself from discussions related to a package of economic development incentives for a start-up pharmaceuticals company. Hack has an ownership interest in the company, which she failed to properly disclose on a state-mandated substantial interest form.