Mesa Public Schools discussed policies for conflicts of interest and financial records regarding fundraising and auditing.
Kacey King, general counsel for the district, explained the policies to the board and audience during the Aug. 13 meeting. The first covered conflicts of interest for board members and clarified language regarding refraining from certain actions.
Member Sharon Benson asked about redundancies affecting family members and the district’s employment.
“If my adult children, who I do not claim on my taxes, I’m pretty sure if we were to hire them, that would be a conflict of interest?” she asked.
Benson also made comments involving grammatical errors and redundancies involving the old language.
District officials said this would be updated for discussion and vote in the next meeting.
The next policy involved financial records for fundraising and was explained by Tyler Moore, the district’s chief business officer. Many suggestions followed the Arizona Auditor General’s office requests.
Member Lacy Chaffey clarified for the audience the AAG office regularly looks at the finances of the district.
“I hope that as the public looks at these rules and regulations that we place, we really do have the auditor general looking very closely at how public funds are spent in public school districts, making updated guidelines that we are really working to be good stewards of this money and making it stretch as far as it can,” she said.
This is something that many public school districts experience, and Mesa School officials say that they take great care into
Jennifer Snyder, Director of Communications for the district, says that the “The Auditor General is giving Mesa Public no different attention than any other district. Public schools have the highest level of accountability in the use of district funds and, unlike our competitors, have extensive regulations and statutes we must follow.”
These policy items will be voted on for approval or denial at the Aug. 27 meeting.
To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Madeline Bates joined Independent Newsmedia in 2025 as a Phoenix/Tempe reporter. Before graduating college, she spent a semester in Washington as a Congressional reporter in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. But local news is where her heart is. She is excited to be in Phoenix full time and exploring new parts of the city (as long as they have AC).
Community: After living in East Phoenix for two years, she fell in love with Paradise Valley, Mesa, Tempe, and everywhere in between. She recently discovered the beauty of the South Mountain Reserve and hopes to continue exploring should the weather comply.
Education: Madeline has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and a certificate in Political History and Leadership.
Random Fact: She is a self-taught nail tech. No, she cannot do your nails.
Hobbies: Hiking (when its not 100 degrees), fiction writing, cooking, baking and trying new coffee shops.
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