Stanwood Camano School District

The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has completed its review of the complaint filed on April 9, 2022. The complaint alleged that Stanwood-Camano School District (the District), a public school district located in Stanwood, Washington, may have violated RCW 42.17A.555 for using of public facilities to promote a ballot proposition in the April 26, 2022 special election.

PDC staff reviewed the allegations; the applicable statutes, rules; PDC Interpretation No. 01-03; and the response provided by Attorney Charles P.E. Leitch with Patterson Buchanan Fobes & Leitch Inc. P.S. on behalf of the Respondent, to determine whether the record supports a finding of one or more violations.

It appears that the District created factual information regarding the April ballot proposition and disseminated it in a manner consistent with the “normal and regular” conduct of the District. The District has shown a recent history of including factual information regarding ballot propositions in their newsletter along with other general District news and updates.

Based on our findings staff has determined that, in this instance, the use of public funds to create and disseminate information about the District’s Replacement Capital Projects and Technology Levy appearing on the April 26, 2022 special election ballot, no evidence supports a finding of a violation that warrants further investigation.

However, PDC staff is reminding Stanwood-Camano School District about the importance of limiting the content of any information produced by the District regarding ballot propositions to factual information only in accordance with the statutes, rules and PDC Interpretation No. 01-03.

Based on this information, the PDC finds that no further action is warranted and has dismissed this matter in accordance with RCW 42.17A.755(1).