PUBLIC SESSION
MEETING CONVENED
Vice Chair Thomas A. Connors called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. Also in attendance were Chair Margot Botsford, Commissioner Eron Hackshaw, Commissioner Patrick Hanley, and Commissioner Jeffrey T. Collins. Chair Botsford and Commissioner Collins participated remotely.
REMOTE PARTICIPATION
Vice Chair Connors announced that the meeting would take place in-person with remote access provided to the public pursuant to the law signed by Governor Healey on March 28, 2025. Vice Chair Connors noted that all votes at the meeting would be taken by roll call.
HEARING ON PETITIONER’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY DECISION
In the Matter of David Vigeant, Commission Docket No. 25-0005: Counsel for Respondent, Michael S. Rusconi, and counsel for Petitioner, Staff Counsel Candies Pruitt, presented their arguments on and responded to Commissioners’ questions concerning Petitioner’s Motion for Summary Decision. The Commission took the matter under advisement.
[The meeting recessed at 10:09 a.m. and reconvened at 10:18 a.m.]
APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES
On the motion of Vice Chair Connors, seconded by Commissioner Hackshaw, the Commission voted 5-0 to waive the reading and approve the public session minutes of the January 22, 2026 Commission meeting.
| Vote: | |
|---|---|
| Chair Botsford | Yes |
| Vice Chair Connors | Yes |
| Commissioner Hackshaw | Yes |
| Commissioner Hanley | Yes |
| Commissioner Collins | Yes |
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Executive Director David A. Wilson presented his monthly report.
Personnel
Mr. Wilson reported that Senior Assistant Enforcement Counsel Victoria Giuliano, who joined the Commission in December 2018, was leaving for a position with the Human Resources Division, and that her last day at the Commission would be February 27th. He said the Commission staff would miss her as a colleague and wished her success in her future career. Vice Chair Connors said the Commission had benefited from Ms. Giuliano’s work and thanked her for her service. Ms. Giuliano said it had been a privilege to work with and learn from the Commission staff and thanked them. Mr. Wilson further reported that the position vacancy had been posted and applications received, and said the agency hoped to fill the position by the end of March.
Budget
Mr. Wilson provided an update on the Commission’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. He reported that Governor Healey released her Fiscal Year 2027 budget recommendation, House No. 2 or “H. 2”, on January 28, 2026. Mr. Wilson stated that H.2 includes $3,917,515 in funding for the Commission, approximately $167,000, or about 4%, above the total operating funds available to the Commission in Fiscal Year 2026. He explained that the Executive Office for Administration and Finance cited its support for increasing the Commission’s technology budget to address rising licensing costs, including costs associated with the Commission’s Legal Case Management System. Mr. Wilson said that, although the Commission is grateful for the increase, the Commission would continue to advocate for its original request and seek to close the approximately $90,000 funding gap between H. 2 and the Commission’s request. He reported that he and Government Affairs Officer Jennifer McCullough had met recently with Representatives Moran, O’Day, Xiarhos, Robertson, Garballey, Cahill, and Holmes, as well as Senate Committee on Ways and Means Vice Chair Jo Comerford’s staff, to further advocate for the Commission’s full Fiscal Year 2027 budget request, and that additional meetings with legislators were scheduled.
Mr. Wilson reported that, on March 24, 2026, he would testify before the Joint Committee on Ways and Means at a public hearing at Foxborough Community Center in support of the Commission’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. He noted that Ms. McCullough, Chief of Finance and Operations Benjamin Bloomenthal, and Public Education and Communications Division Deputy Chief Gerry Tuoti, who were and would be helping him to prepare and submit his written testimony to the Joint Committee, would also attend the hearing. Mr. Wilson explained that the House and the Senate would pass their separate budget bills in April and May, respectively, before they would be sent to the Legislature’s Conference Committee to reconcile differences between the House and Senate budget bills, and expressed his hope that a final budget would be approved before the end of the current fiscal year.
Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report
Mr. Wilson stated that the Commission files an annual report each year covering Commission activities during the preceding fiscal year as required by section 2(l) of the Commission’s enabling statute, G.L. c. 268B. He reported that the Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report was mailed to the Governor, the Senate President, and the Speaker of the House on February 11th and was posted on the Commission’s website on February 12th. Mr. Wilson explained that Mr. Tuoti had primary responsibility for the Report’s preparation, as he has had for several years, and said that the report has continued to improve each year and he believed the Fiscal Year 2025 report to be the best yet. Commissioner Hanley said that he found the report easy to read and follow. Vice Chair Connors commended Mr. Tuoti on the report.
New Commissioner
Mr. Wilson stated that there was nothing new to report regarding the appointment of a new Commissioner to succeed Commissioner Hackshaw. He invited the Commissioners to provide him with the names of qualified persons interested in serving on the Commission as potential candidates, which he said he would pass along to the Attorney General’s Office. Mr. Wilson noted that the vacancy has been posted on the Commission’s website and LinkedIn page to inform the public of the opportunity and direct interested applicants to the vacancy notice posted by the Attorney General’s Office. He further noted that vacancies are statutorily required to be filled within ninety days, but appointments are often not made within the required timeframe.
Mr. Wilson reported the scheduling of a Commission event to honor former Commissioners Mills, Martinez, and Edwards on May 5, 2026 at 12:30 p.m., and noted the invitation of all former and current Commissioners to attend.
Ongoing Projects
Mr. Wilson reported that substantial progress had been made in the project to replace the Commission’s existing SFI e-filing system and said it would be discussed during SFI portion of the monthly report of the Legal Division.
Next Meeting
Mr. Wilson reminded the Commission that its next Commission meeting was scheduled for March 26, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. Following discussion, the Commission scheduled its subsequent meeting for April 30, 2026 at 9:30 a.m.
PUBLIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION MATTERS
Public Education and Communications Division Chief Don Siriani presented his memorandum reporting on the Public Education and Communications Division’s activities during January 2026. Mr. Siriani stated that Mr. Tuoti had identified two typographical errors in the memorandum. He explained that, on page one, the Division responded to 10 press calls rather than 6 and 28 non-press calls rather than 17.
Mr. Siriani stated that January had presented several challenges relating to the Commission’s online conflict of interest law training site. He explained that coding issues by the vendor SkillBurst had caused a spike in visitors and requests for assistance, and that the situation had provided an opportunity for the Division to review the training process and implement improvements. Mr. Siriani said that he had observed that some users were confused about their course requirements and that local administrators were sometimes unaware that users had completed one requirement but not another. He reported that the Division had implemented changes intended to make course requirements clearer. Mr. Siriani explained that the training due date format was modified to conform to a more recognizable date format and that reminder messages were revised so that course requirements and due dates appear more prominently rather than after the signature line. He further reported that, during January, the Division responded to nearly 1,000 help desk inquiries, averaging approximately 49 cases per workday. Mr. Siriani noted that, when responding to help desk inquiries, the signature line now provides links to the Commission’s LinkedIn page and website, including the frequently asked questions page.
Mr. Siriani reported that the Commission’s LinkedIn followers had increased to 1,229 and that the Division had been posting additional content explaining the conflict of interest law and its application to public employees.
Mr. Siriani stated that the Division had been working with Mr. Wilson and Ms. McCullough to develop activities for Ethics Awareness Month in March. He said that he hoped to partner with other similar agencies to increase public awareness and expand messaging regarding the conflict of interest law. Mr. Siriani noted that the Division was considering designing posters that could be distributed through human resources offices, general counsels, and other agency contacts.
Mr. Siriani reported that the Division would resume its in-house seminar program in March 2026. He further reported that he had recently met with staff from the Boston City Council and the Massachusetts Clerks’ Association and that he had also met virtually with representatives from the University of Massachusetts Office of Human Resources and the Office of the General Counsel. Mr. Siriani noted that he received requests to conduct training seminars from the Town of Townsend and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
Mr. Siriani reported that Senior Program Coordinator Arthur Xia was leading a project to identify Commission materials on its website that may be moved to the Massachusetts State Library. He further reported that the State Library created a digital archive collection for the Commission’s meeting minutes and that the Division is exploring expanding the collection to include additional materials. Mr. Siriani explained that relocating certain materials to the State Library may reduce the Commission’s website footprint on Mass.gov and could potentially result in cost savings. Vice Chair Connors asked whether migrating materials to the State Library could lead to significant cost savings. Mr. Siriani responded that approximately 15% of website materials could be removed from the Commission’s website while remaining publicly accessible through the State Library. He noted that the Commission would continue to maintain public enforcement decisions and legal opinions on its website but hopes to move meeting minutes, meeting notices, and older press releases to the State Library. Mr. Siriani explained that the Commission has a statutory obligation to archive materials with the State Library. Vice Chair Connors thanked Mr. Siriani and Mr. Xia for their work on the State Library project.
LEGAL DIVISION MATTERS
General Counsel/Legal Division Chief Eve Slattery reported on the activities of the Legal Division in January 2026.
Legal Division Metrics for January 2026
Ms. Slattery presented the following Legal Division metrics for January 2026.
- Written advice. The Legal Division answered by letter or e-mail 59 written requests for advisory opinions under G.L. c. 268A and c. 268B. Of these requests, 20 pertained to SFIs.
| For comparison: | |
|---|---|
| January 2025 (same month prior year) (total/SFI): | 82/29 |
| December 2025 (previous month) (total/SFI): | 41/1 |
- Oral advice. The Legal Division attorneys provided advice by telephone in response to 362 requests for advice from state, county, and municipal officials. Of these requests, 38 pertained to SFIs.
| For comparison: | |
|---|---|
| January 2025 (same month prior year) (total/SFI): | 430/51 |
| December 2025 (previous month) (total/SFI): | 285/5 |
- Review of municipal letters. Division staff reviewed 0 letters issued by city solicitors/town counsel pursuant to G.L. c. 268A, § 22 and 930 CMR 1.03.
| For comparison: | |
|---|---|
| January 2025 (same month prior year): | 0 |
| December 2025 (previous month): | 0 |
- Backlog. As of February 18, 2026, the Division had no pending requests for written advice that were more than 30 days old. As of that date, there were a total of 12 pending requests for written advice.
Adjudicatory Matters
Ms. Slattery presented the February/March calendar of conferences/hearings in pending Commission adjudicatory proceedings.
In the Matter of Jason Pimental, Docket No. 26-0002 (Order to Show Cause issued February 25, 2026): Commissioner Hanley was assigned as the presiding officer. Assistant General Counsel Ting Chiu will serve as legal advisor.
SFI Report
Legal Division Deputy Chief/SFI Lauren Duca provided an update on Statements of Financial Interests (SFI) for Calendar Year 2025. Ms. Duca said that the SFI Team responded to requests for legal and technical assistance from filers working on their SFI. She reported that, as of that morning, 973 filers had already filed their SFIs, approximately 24.5% of expected filings, which she noted was consistent with prior years. Ms. Duca further reported that the SFI Team handled a total of 133 inquiries for SFI assistance in January.
Ms. Duca provided an update on the project to replace the Commission’s existing SFI filing system. She reported that the Strategic Sourcing Team (SST) met with the apparent successful bidder to discuss proposed licensing, maintenance, and support costs for the replacement system. Ms. Duca noted that the selection of the bidder remains contingent upon successful negotiations regarding costs. She further reported that the SST negotiated a Change Order with the Commission’s consultant to assist with contract negotiations with the apparent successful bidder and to provide project management support and quality assurance services during implementation. Ms. Duca stated that the consultant would remain engaged through mid-July to support implementation of the project. She explained that the target live date for the system is June 30, 2026 because the capital funding being used for the project must be expended by that date.
Ms. Duca reported that work on the project began with a meeting on February 20, 2026 during which the vendor demonstrated its existing product and began modifying it to meet the Commission’s requirements, which is referred to as a GAP session. She stated that the Commission met with the vendor again the following day and will continue meeting regularly. Ms. Duca explained that the vendor will review requested changes, implement modifications through development sprints, and then provide the updated system for the Commission’s review and testing. She noted that this iterative process will continue through the end of June. Ms. Duca further reported that, while this work is underway, the SST is also finalizing the contract documents and task orders covering the scope of work and payments for deliverables. She noted that the bidder agreed to begin work at risk without a signed contract to keep the project on schedule.
Vice Chair Connors asked whether the contract would allow for future adjustments if issues arise. Ms. Duca responded that the Request for Quotation included requirements allowing the Commission to modify various system components and that the goal is for the Commission to be able to manage most system changes internally with vendor support only if needed. She explained that with the current SFI system, the Commission pays a monthly fee for maintenance and support regardless of whether services are used. Ms. Duca stated that under the proposed agreement for the new system, the Commission will instead purchase support hours as needed to help control costs. She noted that when the current SFI system was implemented in 2015, the Commission initially entered into short-term maintenance and support contracts before later moving to an annual maintenance and support contract as required by the vendor. Ms. Duca stated that the new system will include a one-year warranty period. She explained that although the system will open on June 30, 2026, full implementation will occur later throughout the warranty period. Ms. Duca said that the goal is to develop a system that can be maintained by the SFI Team with minimal vendor support.
ENFORCEMENT DIVISION MATTERS
Enforcement Division Chief Monica Brookman thanked Ms. Giuliano for her work and dedication during her seven years with the Enforcement Division. She stated that the Division was fortunate to have her and that she set a high standard for the Division’s work. Ms. Brookman reported that applications for the open Assistant Enforcement Counsel position were due on March 6, 2026. She said that the Commission had received several strong applications and hoped to fill the position by the end of March.
Enforcement Division Chief Monica Brookman presented the Enforcement Intake and Informal Investigations Metrics for January 2026. She reported that the Division reduced the Informal Investigations backlog by ten matters in January and said she expected to continue decreasing the backlog.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
At 10:56 a.m., on the motion of Vice Chair Connors, seconded by Commissioner Hanley, the Commission voted 5-0 to enter executive session to discuss matters subject to the provisions of G.L. c. 30A, § 21, subparagraph (a)(7), and § 18, and G.L. c. 268B, §§ 3 and 4, including investigatory matters, preliminary inquiries, summons authorization requests, and adjudicatory matters.
| Vote: | |
|---|---|
| Chair Botsford | Yes |
| Vice Chair Connors | Yes |
| Commissioner Hackshaw | Yes |
| Commissioner Hanley | Yes |
| Commissioner Collins | Yes |
Vice Chair Connors stated that the Commission would not reconvene in public session following the executive session.
LIST OF DOCUMENTS USED AT THIS MEETING
- Agenda for the Commission Meeting of February 26, 2026
- Enlarged Water Main Project plan drawings introduced during hearing on Petitioner’s Motion for Summary Decision in In the Matter of David Vigeant, Commission Docket No. 25-0005
- Minutes of the Commission Meeting of January 22, 2026, Public Session
- Memorandum, dated February 19, 2026, from Public Education and Communications Division Chief Donald Siriani to the Commission concerning Public Education and Communications Division activities in January 2026
- Memorandum, dated February 18, 2026, from General Counsel/Legal Division Chief Eve Slattery to the Commission setting forth Legal Division matters for the meeting
- Calendar of hearing dates and pre-hearing conferences in pending Commission adjudicatory matters
- Enforcement Intake and Informal Investigations Metrics
Respectfully submitted,
Arthur Xia
Senior Program Coordinator