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School Board to Revise Ethics Policy
03/02/10 - 09:51 PM
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Bay District School Board leaders will adhere to a newly revised ethics policy, after they approved changes to advertise Tuesday. 

It started with an alleged conflict of interest, when board members realized Superintendent Bill Husfelt’s daughter working for a company contracted to produce school yearbooks, was against policy.  As it currently reads, it prohibits any board member’s child or spouse from employment at any company contracted with the district.

The new revision will strike that from the policy, and specify it’s only when the board member has material interest that the situation becomes a conflict.  Spouses or children aren’t allowed to own companies contracted with the district, but they can simply be employed there.

But, some business owners say the yearbook bid that started it all still needs regulation.

“As a local businessman, what else needs to happen for me to be able to get in?” said Rod Allan, who says he was rejected when he asked to be the yearbook vendor for schools.

It’s just one reason the district debated the issue heavily, weighing two proposed policies which would give them more control over yearbook vendor selection.

“We need to go from nothing to something,” said School Board Chair Ginger Littleton.

But, requiring requests for proposals and formal bids from vendors and making a decision currently left in principals’ hands is sparking debate.

“I don’t want us to micro-manage,” said board member Jerry Register, comparing yearbooks to any fund-raiser, “and the next thing we’re going to look at is which candy bar are we going to sell?”

“I think what we’re doing is we’re opening up a pandora’s box here,” said board member Donna Allen, “We either believe in site management or we don’t.”

“Anytime you have this kind of money,” rebutted Pat Sabiston, “I believe we need a little bit more oversight.”

Board members weren’t the only ones unsure of new policy specific to yearbooks.  Area principals piped up as well.

“We’re talking one more committee to talk about yearbooks and to me that’s ridiculous,” said Patti Flower with Highland Elementary.

Principals will have their say.  Both policy suggestions gave way to a compromise, as board members approved the suggestions as procedure for high schools, not policy.  They hope the flexibility will help keep conflict away.  School board staff will write the specific guidelines for choosing vendors in the near future.