A new policy on conflict of interest, addressing situations forbidden in such categories as hiring and supervising employees plus performance of duties, is in place for the Rome school district.
The policy, developed following a divided Board of Education vote in late August for three teacher appointments, was approved last week by the board members.
There has not previously been a separate policy on conflict of interest, but some sections addressing the topic had been part of an overall bidding policy, board Vice President Tanya Davis, who chairs the board’s policy committee, said Monday.
Among statements in the new policy, which Davis said was based on a sample document from the New York State School Boards Association:
• “No person employed by the district shall interview, hire, supervise, evaluate, promote, review or discipline any other employee who is a member of the same family or household.
Same family will be defined as parent, step-parent, grandparent, guardian, spouse, brother, sister, child, in-law, step-child, and step-sibling, or other member of the family who resides in the household (to include domestic partners).
In the event that marriage, family situation, promotion, or reorganization results in a situation not in compliance with this policy, reassignment or transfer will be effected....”
• “No person employed by the district shall negotiate or execute any contract on behalf of the district for the purchase, sale or lease of real or personal property, services of any nature, nor for insurance without first having determined the common price for such property, services or insurance, or requesting bids from all potential providers of such property, services or insurance.”
• “No person employed by the district shall allow any matter, concern or interest, personal, financial or otherwise, to influence or interfere with the performance of his or her duties. Should such a matter, concern or interest arise, the employee shall bring the matter to the attention of his or her supervisor to seek ways to reduce or eliminate the influence or interference.”
• “Any officer, employee or member of the public noting or suspecting a violation of this policy is encouraged to bring the matter, either in confidence or in public, to the board or the superintendent of schools.”
At its Aug. 27 meeting, the board voted 5-2 with one abstention to approve three teacher appointments. One of the appointees, physical education teacher Camryn Stamboly, is the daughter of school district Athletic Director Michael Stamboly, according to board President Paul Hagerty, while he said it was his understanding that another appointee, physical education teacher Reanna Zappavigna, is the daughter of a teacher in the district.
Some board members expressed concern during that meeting about the hiring process.
Shortly after the teacher appointment vote, board member Leigh Loughran asked that the board review the process for hirings regarding first-degree relatives.
She said after the meeting that she took issue with the current hiring process and that there seemed to be no overt language around asking first-degree relatives of candidates to recuse themselves from the hiring process; she added it could leave the district at risk of nepotism.
She also said she had asked the board to look at the process and address, through its policy committee, specific language to avoid potential conflicts of interest going forward.
Davis said Monday that development and approval of the new policy was expedited at the request of some board members, so that the district would “not have any further issues.” At last week’s board meeting she noted the expeditious process and said “we are open to obviously improving this language as we continue to use this, but we feel that this will protect the district’s interests and avoid difficult situations in...future.”
District Superintendent Peter C. Blake had said after the Aug. 27 meeting that the district hires based on the most qualified candidates for open positions.
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November 01, 2020 at 03:00AM
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School board members approve new policy on conflict of interest - Rome Sentinel
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