Ethics board scolds E. Iowa school officials over campaign tactics

DES MOINES — The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board admonished five Pleasant Valley Community School District staff, as well as a current and a former school board member, for using public email accounts for campaign purposes.

The decision, which carries no fine, was the result of a complaint made in February by former school board candidate Amy McCabe. The complaint alleged the school staff and elected officials’ use of school emails to discuss campaign matters before the November 2023 election violated Iowa law. State law prohibits the use of public resources, which can include email accounts, to campaign.

The board voted unanimously to issue the admonishments during its April 18 meeting. An admonishment can be given for a "minor violation" and is not considered discipline or subject to appeal.

The district, based in Bettendorf, serves about 5,500 students.

In a batch of emails from last fall included in McCabe’s complaint, school administrators and candidates discussed candidate filings, message strategy and other candidates using their school emails. Some school staff detailed their support for certain candidates and discussed getting yard signs for themselves and others.

Superintendent Brian Strusz, his secretary Deborah Dayman and staff members Kelsey Allbaugh, Margaret Dougherty and Tony Hiatt were all included in the admonishment. School board President Nikhil Wagle, as well as former member Tracey Rivera, were also admonished. Ten others named in the complaint were not found to have committed a violation.

The emails show Superintent Strusz discussed campaign questions with a member of the board who was up for re-election, and advised a board member on talking points.

Dayman expressed support for certain board members in emails and promised to campaign on their behalf. Using her school email, she provided board members with lists of voters in their districts and asked about yard signs for a co-worker. She also discussed candidates’ nomination petitions and the challenge process.

“I am behind you 1000% and will be making calls to people I know on your behalf,” she said in one email to Wagle. In another email to board member Molly Brockman, Dayman said she would “round up some votes” for Brockman.

Other staff discussed yard signs and advised on campaign points.

In a statement, Strusz said the ethics board did not provide anyone at the school a copy of the complaint and school officials did not receive a chance to respond before the ethic board acted. He said school officials had taken steps to prevent similar violations.

“As the district was never made aware of the complaint or able to offer additional information to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board prior to the admonishment, the district was never able to provide information gained by Pleasant Valley during its review,” Strusz stated. “Pleasant Valley understands the importance of exercising care and will continue to work to ensure full compliance with Iowa's government and campaign laws.”

Wagle said he felt “blindsided” overall, but that he views the admonishment as informational guidance moving forward.

“To receive an admonishment from the state ethics board is nothing to sneeze at,” said ethic board member James Albert at the meeting. “It’s nothing that you want in the newspaper, it’s nothing that you want to happen. It isn’t nothing.”

Olivia Allen of the Quad-City Times contributed to this report.