Jefferson County commissioners have OK’d a resolution that grants a waiver of the county’s conflict of interest rules for county employees.

The exception to the rules will give workers in the county’s Community Development, Public Works, and Public Health departments the ability to accept $35 gift cards from Olympic Community Action Programs.

OlyCAP’s project to build an affordable housing project on Castle Hill has impacted employees in the county offices located nearby, officials said, and the inconveniences have included noise, dust, reduced parking, and other problems.

OlyCAP has proposed giving $35 gift cards to affected employees, but county regulations prohibit employees from accepting any gifts worth more than $25 from vendors, potential vendors, or groups that do business with the county.

The $35 gift cards include $25 cards from Mo’ Chilli BBQ and $10 cards from Mean Bean Coffee.

In the request for the exemption, officials wrote “Castle Hill employees have quietly and patiently coped with the construction just feet from the building in which they work. The small token of appreciation being offered by OlyCAP is not to influence future behavior, rather it is a kind gesture to thank our employees for enduring months of inconvenience.”

County commissioners voted to approve the exemption at their meeting Monday.