When John Gunderson ran for the Modesto City Council, he may not have fully considered the scope of his future job and whether or not that would pose a conflict of interest with his other job: Stanislaus Union School Board. No one person can hold two positions that are deemed incompatible, and one of the definitions of ‘incompatible’ is overlapping districts.
That part of Northwest Modesto sits within the boundaries of the Stanislaus Union School District doesn’t seem to matter to Gunderson, who has already expressed disinterest in resigning from either board.
Part of the reason may come from the perks the boards offer. The Modesto Council position offers a salary of $2,000 per month, while the School Board position gives Gunderson his benefits.
But according to at least one member of the Modesto Council, it would be near impossible to balance the responsibilities of both positions.
From the Modesto Bee:
As he prepares to take office this week, the first decision facing Modesto City Councilman-elect John Gunderson is whether to resign from the Stanislaus Union School District board.
Gunderson, who won a two-way race to represent District 1 in northwest Modesto, said last week he won’t make the decision until meeting with City Attorney Susana Alcala Wood on Monday.
The substitute teacher wants to keep the health benefits that are provided through his school board position. But a state law prohibits elected officials from simultaneously holding “incompatible offices.”
Read the full article here.