Corporate Sponsorship? Do you have a horse in the race?

The prominent new sign in the ICCSD Board Room coat area lobby is shiny, colorful, new, and gosh it looks expensive.  Thinking back on its sparkling newness as I walked by it last Tuesday, it appeared to be an ICCSD Foundation sign prominently listing the most generous donations by name and or company, and believe me, the “company” part is the highlighted spot the eye appears to be directed to by the formatting and design.  And gosh, why, right there is the board president’s employer…and if not enough, he’s been wearing a shirt to the board meetings which, prominently on camera, has his corporate employer’s name clearly displayed…just like a race car driver.

I have a lot of questions about all that…starting here:

http://www.iccsdfoundation.org/contact-us

Signage Questions

Good Morning,

Please provide information on the “foundation’s” new corporate and individual donor sponsorship advertising signage in the ESC board room lobby:

-What was purchase price of the sign?

-What services were included in the purchase price, if services were separate, what were those costs?

-Did the cost of the sign include any taxes paid?

-What vendor was the sign purchased from?

-When corporations receive “free” advertising in such a prominent location (one that would be better served for district education information) in return for their “charitable gift”, can that call into question whether they are that is a “charitable gift” ” vs. what could be perceived as purchased advertising?

-The sign certainly could be considered an ICCSD & ICCSD Foundation “endorsement”. While I would assume this advertising was not “promised”, did the donating corporations and businesses know that their names would be posted on that sign prior to any subsequent donations?

-Other than foundation assurances to the contrary, what makes the sign not an “endorsement” when it is placed immediately to the right of the primary door used for entrance and exit to the board room is entered which is a very high traffic area seen by district employees and the public? While reciprocity may not have been the intent, it seems to be the result in this context.

Best wishes,
Julie VanDyke