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WASB counsel briefs Saint Croix board on conflicts of interest, ethics and volunteering
Summary
Barry Forbes, staff counsel for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, gave pro bono professional development on criminal conflicts, the code of ethics (19.59), exceptions and advisory opinions, and noted statutory guidance for board members who volunteer as coaches.
Barry Forbes, staff counsel for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, gave a board‑development briefing Jan. 28 on conflicts of interest and public‑official ethics.
Forbes reviewed criminal conflict‑of‑interest provisions (referred to in the meeting as 9 46.13), public‑capacity versus private‑capacity risks, and consequences such as potential invalidation of contracts and forfeiture. He described common exceptions—most notably that contracts with aggregate receipts or disbursements under $15,000 are treated differently—and explained that mere stock ownership generally does not trigger the statute unless ownership exceeds a threshold (cited in the presentation as 2% or more). Forbes also explained 19.59 (the code of ethics) and the four prohibited conduct types under that statute, including use of position for financial gain and solicitation or acceptance of something of value that could reasonably influence official action.
On the topic of volunteering, Forbes noted there is a statute that permits board members to volunteer as coaches in limited circumstances but emphasized the need for appropriate background checks if a board member serves as a volunteer coach.
Board members asked procedural questions and thanked Forbes for providing the session gratis. Forbes offered to assist with advisory opinions but cautioned that the state ethics commission can be slow in issuing formal opinions.
