Scranton School Board Director Bob Lesh accepted $1,100 from district vendors - and then returned all of it, according to campaign finance reports released this week.
Meanwhile, Director Bob Sheridan accepted $1,410 from district vendors in the reporting period from Jan. 1 to May 6.
Receiving donations from vendors was a violation of the board's code of ethics until last summer, when the board changed its code to allow for the practice.
The change came after The Times-Tribune reported that in 2010 and 2011, directors accepted more than $12,000 from people who regularly do business with the district. The code approved last summer includes no language on campaign contributions.
Mr. Lesh said at the time that the rule was unfair to incumbents because candidates not currently on the board were free to accept money from vendors.
Efforts to reach Mr. Lesh this week have been unsuccessful. Mr. Sheridan said Mr. Lesh has been ill. Mr. Sheridan and Mr. Lesh are the only board members running for reelection for the four open seats. Director Cy Douaihy, who was appointed in April, is also running.
Mr. Lesh returned $200 from district engineer Eugene Peters, $300 from Noble Quandel of the Quandel Group, $200 from office equipment dealer Nolan and Rogers and $400 from John Palumbo, who has worked on district construction projects.
Mr. Sheridan accepted $200 from Nolan and Rogers, $250 from Mr. Quandel, $60 from Mr. Peters, $400 from Mr. Palumbo and $500 from Charles Volpe, whose insurance firm does business with the district.
The acceptance of the contributions has no bearing on any future votes, Mr. Sheridan said.
"I work for the better education of our kids," he said.
Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com, @hofiushallTT on Twitter