PUBLIC SESSION
MEETING CONVENED
Chair Margot Botsford called the meeting to order at 9:31 a.m. Also in attendance were Vice Chair Thomas A. Connors, Commissioner Eron Hackshaw, and Commissioner Patrick Hanley. Commissioner Wilbur P. Edwards, Jr. did not attend.
REMOTE PARTICIPATION
Chair Botsford 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. Chair Botsford noted that all votes at the meeting would be taken by roll call.
APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES
On the motion of Vice Chair Connors, seconded by Commissioner Hanley, the Commission voted 4-0 to waive the reading and approve the public session minutes of the September 18, 2025 Commission meeting.
| Vote: | |
|---|---|
| Chair Botsford | Yes |
| Commissioner Hackshaw | Yes |
| Vice Chair Connors | Yes |
| Commissioner Hanley | Yes |
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Executive Director David A. Wilson presented his monthly report.
Budget
Mr. Wilson provided an update on the Commission’s budget.
Fiscal Year 2026 Budget
Mr. Wilson reported that the Commission’s budget team of Chief of Finance and Operations Benjamin Bloomenthal, Government Affairs Officer Jennifer McCullough, and himself submitted the Commission’s FY 2026 Spending Plan to the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F) on August 26, 2025. Mr. Wilson explained that the plan describes how the Commission will allocate its appropriation of about $3.75 million and includes a request for an additional $55,203 in reserve funding to cover the one-time retirement payout for the Commission’s former Chief Financial Officer and salary increases for staff who are not compensated according to the NAGE Unit 6 collective bargaining agreement salary schedule. He reported that A&F had approved the spending plan except that it did not support the request for additional funding for salary increases and deferred decision on whether to provide the requested reserve funding for the retirement payout the Commission made to the former CFO. Mr. Wilson noted that, unless the requested reserve funding is ultimately approved, the entire cost of the CFO’s retirement payout will be borne by the Commission’s existing FY 2026 appropriation, reducing the funds available for the compensation of current staff.
Fiscal Year 2027 Budget
Mr. Wilson reported that the Commission was preparing its Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. He further reported that, on September 30, 2025, the Budget Team virtually attended a Mid-Year Economic Roundtable event hosted by Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz, the Senate Ways and Means Chair Sen. Michael Rodrigues, and the House Ways and Means ChairRep. Aaron Michlewitz at which attendees discussed the state’s financial outlook and identified a projected shortfall in revenue of at least $650 million for the current fiscal year. Mr. Wilson noted that the $650 million shortfall does not include potential additional funding losses due to the federal government’s delayed reimbursement for Medicaid and SNAP benefits.
Mr. Wilson stated that this is the most challenging fiscal environment he has seen during his tenure as Executive Director, and that the Commission remains committed to using its available resources efficiently to accomplish the Commission’s goals, advocate for sufficient funding, and ensure equitable compensation for its staff. Chair Botsford expressed her appreciation for the Commission staff’s dedication and professionalism, and stated that she was grateful for their continued commitment to the Commission’s mission despite the fiscal challenges.
State House Meeting with International Fellows
Mr. Wilson reported that he, Senior Assistant General Counsel T. Michael McDonald, and Government Affairs Officer Jennifer McCullough met with two fellows participating in the U.S. Department of State’s Professional Fellows Program. At Mr. Wilson’s request, Mr. McDonald described the meeting. Mr. McDonald stated that the fellows were from Moldova and Armenia and explained that they had expressed particular interest in the Commission’s framework for collecting information from filers in accordance with the financial disclosure law. He explained that the fellow from Armenia had described a new national “integrity check” program in Armenia intended to audit its government employees’ financial disclosures and noted that it was a resource-intensive initiative. Mr. McDonald noted that the fellows asked about how the Commission verifies or audits Statements of Financial Interests (SFIs) and whether it collaborates with other agencies to share information.
Chair Botsford said that it seemed as though the measures undertaken by the fellows’ home countries concerning financial disclosures appeared more extensive than those used in Massachusetts. Mr. McDonald noted that the fellows were surprised that the Commission does not conduct integrity checks of financial disclosures. Chair Botsford asked whether other states conduct such audits. Legal Division Deputy Chief/SFI Lauren Duca explained that, based on past discussions with ethics officials in other states, most do not have formal integrity-check programs.
Chair Botsford said that, because SFIs are made available online on the Commission’s website, members of the public can review and identify potential inaccuracies in filers’ disclosures. Mr. Wilson stated that, while the Commission makes SFIs and other disclosures filed with it publicly available, Massachusetts as a whole is less transparent than some other jurisdictions around the country and internationally. He said that international exchanges are valuable because they provide opportunities for the Commission to learn about other systems and identify areas for improvement.
New Commissioners
Mr. Wilson reported that he had been in contact with the Governor’s Boards and Commissions Office concerning the appointment of Commissioner Edward’s successor and had been told that an appointment is near, likely by the next Commission meeting. He stated that the Commission staff greatly appreciated Commissioner Edwards’ service and he described Commissioner Edwards as kind, enthusiastic, and a valued presence whose departure would be felt by all. Commissioner Hackshaw asked whether the incoming commissioner would serve only the remainder of Commissioner Edwards’ holdover period or begin a new full term. Mr. Wilson explained that Commissioner Edwards’ five-year term had ended a year ago, and that his successor’s five-year term began at that time. Commissioner Hanley noted that when he was notified of his appointment, he was informed that his term had only three years remaining.
Mr. Wilson reported that he had also been in contact with the Office of the Attorney General regarding the appointment of Commissioner Hackshaw’s successor. He further reported that the Attorney General’s Office told him that they would welcome Commission input regarding possible candidates, and he invited the Commissioners to provide him with the names of qualified persons interested in serving on the Commission as potential candidates, which he would pass along to the Attorney General’s Office.
Cybersecurity Training
Mr. Wilson reported that, on September 30, 2025, the Commission staff participated in a mandatory all-staff group training program on cybersecurity, “Cybersecurity 101”, by the MassCyberCenter arranged by Information Technology Specialist Tony Webb. He stated this was followed by a simulated “phishing test” of staff conducted by Mr. Webb and an online individual “Security Awareness Foundations” tutorial on the KnowBe4 training site to which the Commission subscribes, required of all staff. Mr. Wilson noted that October was Cybersecurity Awareness Month and that cybersecurity training and vigilance is more necessary than ever because of the increasing sophistication of phishing schemes and other threats.
First Aid Training
Mr. Wilson reported that the Commission will partner with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination to offer two two-hour First Aid and Hands-Only CPR training sessions for staff on November 18, 2025. He said the training will be conducted by Deputy Taishana Lewis, head of the Boston Emergency Medical Services’ Community Initiatives Program. He noted that each session will include instruction in Office First Aid as well as basic non-certification Hands-Only CPR training.
Ice Cream Social
Mr. Wilson reported that the Commission’s annual ice cream social was held on September 30, 2025, and was attended and enjoyed by many Commission staff.
Pie and Ice Cream Social
Mr. Wilson reported that the Commission’s annual pie and ice cream social will be held following the November Commission meeting on November 20, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. He invited the Commissioners to attend.
Next Meeting
Mr. Wilson reminded the Commission that the next Commission meetings were scheduled for November 20, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. and December 18, 2025 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 September 2025.
Mr. Siriani reported that the Division issued two press releases in September, one concerning a former University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst Associate Provost’s hiring of her brother and the second concerning a former judge’s hiring of a relative. He further reported that the UMass matter received significant media attention, and that he would be meeting later that afternoon with the UMass system’s General Counsel David Lowry to discuss ways the Division could assist with providing conflict of interest law training to UMass employees. Chair Botsford stated that it was important for the Commission to provide training assistance to large institutions such as UMass.
Mr. Siriani reported that there had been an increase in page searches for the Commission’s LinkedIn page indicating growing public interest in the Commission’s work. He noted that the number of the Commission’s followers on LinkedIn had recently surpassed 1,000.
Mr. Siriani reported that the Division successfully reinitiated its public education seminars with a remote seminar for the Mass Cultural Council, followed by an in-person seminar for 65 attendees at the Trial Court Officer Academy in Southbridge, and a three-hour seminar for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. He stated that seminars were scheduled for October and November, including a seminar at the Office of the Inspector General’s Fall Academy for School Project Designers and Owner’s Project Managers. Mr. Siriani stated that the Division was considering reinstating regular in-house seminars for public employees. Mr. Wilson noted that the Division had offered such seminars before the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Siriani noted that the Commission’s website includes a page through which agencies and municipalities may request seminars for their employees.
Mr. Siriani reported that the Division responded to 45 press and non-press inquiries concerning conflict of interest law issues. He further reported that, during September, the Division responded to over 600 helpdesk calls and emails, averaging 28 calls per day, most of which were related to user error and promptly resolved by Commission staff. Mr. Siriani noted that 831 agencies and municipalities are currently using the online conflict of interest law training platform, and that approximately 400,000 completion certificates have been issued to date.
Mr. Siriani reported that the Commission’s Mass.gov website had nearly 25,000 visitors in September and that the Commission’s pages were among the most visited of all state agencies on Mass.gov. He stated that the Division was working to identify potential cost savings related to web hosting and had contacted the State House Library to explore options for archiving content. Mr. Siriani noted that the Commission’s most visited webpage continues to be its “Complete the Conflict of Interest Law Education Requirements” page, which, he said, reflects widespread compliance with the conflict of interest law education requirements.
LEGAL DIVISION MATTERS
General Counsel/Legal Division Chief Eve Slattery reported on the activities of the Legal Division in September 2025.
Ms. Slattery reported a slight increase in both written and telephone requests for advice during September. She explained that the uptick was likely due to the upcoming election season and the corresponding rise in questions regarding political activity. Chair Botsford commended the Legal Division for reaching zero pending requests for written advice that were more than thirty days old.
Legal Division Metrics for September 2025
Ms. Slattery presented the following Legal Division metrics for September 2025.
- Written advice. The Legal Division answered by letter or e-mail 47 written requests for advisory opinions under G.L. c. 268A and c. 268B. Of these requests, 3 pertained to SFIs.
| For comparison: | |
|---|---|
| September 2024 (same month prior year) (total/SFI): | 44/1 |
| August 2025 (previous month) (total/SFI): | 34/3 |
- Oral advice. The Legal Division attorneys provided advice by telephone in response to 361 requests for advice from state, county, and municipal officials. Of these requests, 4 pertained to SFIs.
| For comparison: | |
|---|---|
| September 2024 (same month prior year) (total/SFI): | 322/3 |
| August 2025 (previous month) (total/SFI): | 345/10 |
- 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: | |
|---|---|
| September 2024 (same month prior year): | 0 |
| August 2025 (previous month): | 0 |
- Backlog. As of October 15, 2025, the Division had 0 pending requests for written advice that were more than 30 days old. As of that date, there were a total of 8 pending requests for written advice.
Adjudicatory Matters
Ms. Slattery presented the October/November calendar of conferences/hearings in pending Commission adjudicatory proceedings.
SFI Report
Legal Division Deputy Chief/SFI Lauren Duca provided an update on Statements of Financial Interests (SFI) for Calendar Year 2024. Ms. Duca reported that the last remaining filer, who had received a lengthy extension, recently filed their SFI, and that the SFI Team is now preparing for the Calendar Year 2025 filing season, including updating the training materials for agency liaisons that are revised annually to address recurring issues. She stated that four remote training sessions, as well as two Q&A sessions, will be conducted in October and November for agency liaisons on the use of the SFI system. Ms. Duca reported that the SFI Team handled a total of 41 inquiries for SFI assistance in September, compared to 75 in the prior month.
Ms. Duca provided an update on the project to replace the Commission’s existing SFI filing system. She reported that the SFI Team worked with the Commission’s consultant, Gartner, Inc., to review, edit, and finalize a request for quotations (RFQ), which was posted on COMMBUYS on September 22, 2025. Ms. Duca thanked Mr. Bloomenthal for posting the RFQ promptly and noted that COMMBUYS can be difficult to navigate. She explained that, following the posting of the RFQ, vendors were permitted to submit written questions and reported that the Commission received a total of 60 questions from potential bidders. Ms. Duca stated that Mr. Bloomenthal posted responses to those questions, and that bids, which were due on October 20, 2025, will be reviewed and scored by the Commission’s Strategic Sourcing Team, consisting of Mr. Wilson, Ms. Slattery, Mr. Bloomenthal, Mr. Siriani, Special Assistant to Administration and SFI Rose Costa, IT Specialist Tony Webb, and herself. She explained that the team will invite two to three vendors to present their proposed systems before proceeding to the Best and Final Offer stage, after which the Commission will select an apparent successful bidder for contract negotiations.
Commissioner Hackshaw asked whether there was sufficient funding for the replacement of the Commission’s existing SFI filing system. Ms. Duca explained that the project is funded through capital funds from EOTSS and not from the Commission’s operating budget. She stated that EOTSS allocated approximately $1.2 million for the consultant and new system, and that Ms. McCullough is in discussions with EOTSS regarding the potential need for additional funding. Executive Director David A. Wilson noted that, while the system development is supported by capital funds, ongoing licensing and maintenance expenses will be covered through the Commission’s operating budget, which will be factored into the Commission’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request.
ENFORCEMENT DIVISION MATTERS
Enforcement Division Chief Monica Brookman presented the Enforcement Intake Metrics and Enforcement Case Metrics for September 2025.
Ms. Brookman reported that the complaint backlog was reduced from 30 to 21 in September. Chair Botsford noted that the number of open matters appeared to have increased significantly. Ms. Brookman explained that the number had risen due to a higher volume of complaints received. She stated that while the Enforcement Division is committed to reviewing all complaints received, the goal of resolving matters within three months remains challenging given the increased intake. Chair Botsford said that it was nonetheless encouraging that more members of the public were submitting complaints.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
At 10:22 a.m., on the motion of Chair Botsford, seconded by Commissioner Hanley, the Commission voted 4-0 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 |
| Commissioner Hackshaw | Yes |
| Vice Chair Connors | Yes |
| Commissioner Hanley | Yes |
Chair Botsford 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 October 23, 2025
- Minutes of the Commission Meeting of September 18, 2025, Public Session
- Memorandum, dated October 16, 2025, from Public Education and Communications Division Chief Donald Siriani to the Commission concerning Public Education and Communications Division activities in September 2025
- Memorandum, dated October 15, 2025, 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 Metrics
- Enforcement Case Metrics
Respectfully submitted,
Arthur Xia
Senior Program Coordinator