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A hiring letter for Leslee Barnes, the former director of preschool and early learning at Multnomah County, reveals deeper questions about how the county handled her conflict of interest.
Barnes, who in her role oversaw the Preschool for All program, resigned July 31 after WW spotted that the preschool she owns was flagged for “wasteful” spending in a state investigation of another subsidized child care program, Preschool Promise. But even ahead of her resignation, some county officials were shocked she was allowed to own a preschool in the county while running a program that had the potential to significantly alter competition in the early child care industry.
Barnes’ employment letter, which WW obtained on Monday through a public records request, reveals those involved with Barnes’ hiring knew of her role as executive director of Village Childcare. Dated Feb. 26, 2021, it notes “you benefit financially from childcare and building ownership.” (It is signed by a county human resources analyst.)
It also shows Multnomah County officials made little effort resolve that potential conflict of interest.
In a portion of the letter titled “resolution agreement on addressing actual or potential conflict of interest,” the letter asks Barnes’ preschool not to interact with the county’s Preschool and Early Learning Division. (That would include participating in Preschool for All, which Village Childcare did not.) But it does not explicitly ask Barnes to end her ownership of Village Childcare.
“Upon accepting this position, you will end your role as Executive Director of Village Childcare on your LinkedIn account and future resumes,” it reads.
On Aug. 23, The Oregonian first reported that Barnes failed to disclose her ownership as a potential conflict of interest after her hiring. In additional records shared with WW on Aug. 25, Barnes’ résumé from January 2021 shows her declaring that her ownership of Village Childcare ended in December 2020. (Barnes confirmed to WW she was still the school’s owner in July). But Barnes takes the position that she disclosed everything she was supposed to in the years after her hiring.
In a Tuesday afternoon statement to WW, Barnes wrote she had disclosed her ownership of the preschool to Mohammed Bader, director of the county’s Department of Human Services, and that he discussed the issue with her “upon offering me the job.” Bader added it to Barnes’ hiring letter, she told WW.
“I was told to disclose any partnerships or contracts at the county; the county doesn’t regulate child care, the state does, so [Bader] said that’s all I would need,” Barnes wrote. “And that Village would not participate in PFA (of course) and to update my LinkedIn profile.”
Neither Barnes nor her attorney immediately responded to follow-up questions about whether the county explicitly told her to cut all ownership ties with Village Childcare. Spokespeople at the county were not immediately available for additional comment on the hiring letter.
