A group of Orem residents has filed complaints with county and state officials, saying the Alpine School District broke the law in campaigning for a bond and leeway election.

Dennis Lisonbee and his wife Laurie, along with Beau Sorensen and Barbara Petty, signed formal complaints that were delivered to both Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert's office and Utah County Attorney Kay Bryson's office on Monday afternoon. All four were active in a group called Friends of Orem School District, which advocates splitting the Alpine School District.

Laurie Lisonbee wrote in a letter accompanying the complaints that a series of incidents in which the district stumped for the bond and leeway constituted "rampant, blatant, unlawful use of taxpayer money."

The group cited "Vote yes November 7th" graphics in a district newsletter, the use of district employees' time and a district vehicle to distribute signs in support of the bond and leeway, the use of district Web sites to present only the pro side of the argument, a message posted on a school Web site by a principal who urged parents to vote yes, and the use of schools to host 67 meetings where district officials advocated for the bond and leeway.

"Moral injustice and the criminal penalty threatened by the Election Code are apparently not enough, however, to stop ASD and public officials in various of its subunits from using their positions and the resources at their disposal to influence the outcome of the bond and leeway election," the complaints said.

Dennis Lisonbee had complained last week to Herbert's office about election violations. At that time, Herbert's chief of staff, Joe Demma, said although Herbert had discussed the matter with the district, no official action could be taken until a formal complaint was filed. District spokeswoman Jerrilyn Mortensen said last week that Herbert told district officials that state law required them to distribute a rebuttal, in response to the "Vote yes" graphic in the employee newsletter.

Mortensen said on Monday evening that she had not seen the formal complaints. Last week she said the Alpine District Foundation, a nonprofit group that raises money for various needs in the district, reimbursed the district for use of the vehicles after Lisonbee's informal complaints.

The "vote yes" graphics were published after the district failed to recognize an error made by the printer, she said. Another mailer with an article written by district superintendent Vern Henshaw titled "Why we need both the bond and voted leeway" and graphics showing a "yes" ballot was paid for by the Friends of Alpine School District, a group that raised money to support the bond and leeway, she said.

The foundation did not pay for the use of school buildings to hold informational meetings, Mortensen said, but added that the district also does not charge other political groups to use district buildings.

The complaint also alleges that on Sept. 19, at a catered lunch at Cherry Hill Elementary that was paid for by the district, ASD officials urged attendees to support the bond and leeway. A package of materials submitted with the complaint included copies of Web sites, newsletters and an election mailer, which Lisonbee said suggests that readers should vote for the bond and leeway.

The presentation at Cherry Hill was the same one available on the district Web site and made at all schools by 11 district employees, Mortensen said. "The district didn't pay for any lunches. Some principals, not all, did have meetings at lunchtime and had it as a working PTA meeting." Mortensen said she has never encouraged patrons to vote yes. "I asked people to make sure they voted."

Shortly after Lisonbee dropped off the documents, Utah County Attorney Kay Bryson said that he hadn't read the complaints yet. But because Alpine Board of Education President JoDee Sundberg is the sister-in-law of civil division chief E. Kent Sundberg, he had arranged to turn the matter over to Herbert's office, who could ask the Utah Attorney General to investigate. The election violations Lisonbee suggests are class B misdemeanors, he said.

The complaints ask for prosecution under the law, as well as an investigation to probe for other violations. The group also asked for "equal access," to opponents of the bond and leeway.

They want the district to pay for the design, printing and mailing of a brochure provided by Dennis Lisonbee to present a "vote no" perspective. The brochure would be delivered to all homes in the district and distributed to all district teachers and employees by Nov. 1.

The group also wants the district to post on its Web site an opposing view written by Dennis Lisonbee.

Anna Chang-Yen can be reached at 344-2549 or annac@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.