Feb 28, 2020 2 min read

A school board director at Bethlehem-Center School District who voted for herself to serve as the board’s secretary will have to pay back nearly $3,000 as part of findings by the state Ethics Commission.

Christine Hundertmark started serving on the board in December 2015, and during a meeting in May 2016, nominations were called for candidates to serve as board secretary for a four-year term, according to a Thursday ruling from the commission.

Hundertmark and another board member were nominated for the position, which comes with an annual stipend of $975.

Four members of the eight-member board voted for Hundertmark, including Hundertmark voting for herself. The other nominee also received four votes, but then withdrew herself from consideration. The commission found that if Hundertmark would have abstained from voting, as she was required, the other board member would have had the majority vote.

Between February 2017 and January 2019, Hundertmark received $2,925 in compensation from the annual stipend as the board’s secretary, the commission ruling noted.

As part of the agreement with the Ethics Commission, Hundertmark will have to pay $2,925 to the district within 30 days.

Hundertmark was also directed to not accept any reimbursement, compensation or other payment from the school district for the payment.

Compliance with the agreement will result in the closing of the case with no further action by the commission, but non-compliance will result in enforcement, according to the ruling.