Skip To Main Content

Logo Image

Logo Title

1610 Conflicts of Interests

CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS

No school director or the superintendent shall be beneficially interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract made by, through or under the supervision of the director or superintendent, except as provided below:

  • A director or officer may enter into a contract with the district to offer goods or services (except legal services) if the director or officer does not receive more than $1,500 in any calendar month under the contract.
  • The spouse of a director or the superintendent may be employed as a substitute teacher on the same terms and at the same compensation as other substitute teachers in the district.  For a director’s or officer’s spouse to be employed as a substitute teacher, the superintendent must find that the number of qualified substitute teachers in the district is insufficient to meet the anticipated needs for short-term and one-day substitute teachers, and the superintendent must ensure that substitute teachers are assigned to available positions in a fair and impartial manner. 
  • If a director’s or officer’s spouse was employed by the district as a classified or certificated employee before the director or officer took office, the spouse’s employment contract can be renewed. The terms of the contract must be commensurate with the pay plan or collective bargaining agreement operating in the district for that position.
  • The director or officer may have a remote interest in a contract. The interest, though, must be disclosed prior to board action and recorded in the official minutes.

A director may not vote on the authorization, approval or ratification of a contract in which he or she is beneficially interested and to which one of the exemptions described above applies. Before the board approves a contract in which a director is beneficially interested, the director must disclose his or her interest to the board, and the director’s interest must be noted in the official minutes.

Before the board approves the employment of a director’s or an officer’s spouse, the superintendent or designee will inform the board of other individuals who are qualified for and interested in the position(s) to be filled. The district will not discriminate in any way against any applicant for a position or employee based on a family relationship with a director or officer. All employment decisions will be made by choosing the applicant that furthers the best interests of the school district.

Whenever a director’s spouse or dependent is employed by the district, the director will refrain from participating in or attempting to influence any board action affecting the employment status of his of her spouse.  Actions affecting employment status include, but are not limited to, hiring, establishing compensation and fringe benefits, setting working conditions, conducting performance evaluations, considering or imposing discipline and termination.

The superintendent shall maintain a log of any contract subject to this policy and annually or when a new director assumes office, shall inform the board of the existence of those contracts.


Cross References:        

  • Policy 6230    Relations with Vendors        

Legal References:

  • RCW 28A.405.250     Certificated employees, applicants for certificated position, not to be discriminated against – Right to inspect personnel file
  • RCW 28A.635.050         Certain corrupt practices of school officials—Penalty
  • RCW 42.23.030         Interest in contracts prohibited—Exception
  • RCW 42.23.040         Remote interests

Management Resources:        

  • October 2022 Issue


Adoption Date:  05.08.01
Stanwood-Camano School District
Revised:  6.07.16; 3.07.23