BBFA
BOARD MEMBER CONFLICT OF INTEREST
In the event a Board member is employed by a corporation or business or has a secondary interest in corporation or business which furnishes goods or services to the school district, the Board member shall declare his interest and refrain from debating, discussing, or voting upon the question of contracting with the company.
It is not the intent of this policy to prevent the district from contracting with corporations or businesses because a Board member is an employee of the firm. The policy is designed to prevent placing a Board member in a position where his interest in the public schools and his interest in his place of employment (or other indirect interest) might conflict, and to avoid appearances of conflict of interest even though such conflict may not exist.
The Board requires its members not only to adhere to all laws regarding conflict of interest, but also to be alert to situations which may have the appearance of a conflict of interest and to avoid actions that mitigate compromise themselves or the Board.
Four areas of Board operations must be guarded with particular care in order that there be no real or seeming conflict of interest. These are purchasing, hiring of personnel, employment of Board members, and promoting a particular position on matters before the Board. Therefore:
1. No member of the Board will have any direct pecuniary interest in a contract with the school district or in the purchase or sale of any school property or equipment of the schools. It is not the intent of this policy to prevent the district from contracting corporations or businesses because a Board member has an association with the firm.
2. Once appointed to the Board, a Board member must abstain from any discussion or vote regarding immediate family members employed by the Board in any capacity.
3. No member of the Board may be employed by the Board in any capacity for which a salary is paid during the term for which he or she was elected, or for six months after the expiration of the term. It is not the intent of this policy to prevent any Board member from volunteering his/her services within the school community.
4. No member of the Board will accept any favor, service or object of value or derive any form of personal gain in return for promoting a particular position or using personal influence on matters before the Board.
In any instance where there is actual conflict or the appearance of conflict of interest, the Board member will be expected to declare that a conflict exists, or may exist, and refrain from debating or voting on the issue.
Revised 11/13/89 Revised 4/6/98 MVRSD Policy