OIG 2025 Letters, Reports and Advisories

The OIG met with the Superintendent of the Bourne Water District on July 9, 2025, regarding the request for proposals issued by the district for a lease of land at 645 County Road, Bourne, and the subsequent lease agreement entered between the district and its lessee.

In November 2023, the OIG received a complaint concerning timekeeping practices within the town of Barre’s Department of Public Works.

The Bourne Town Administrator met with the Office of the Inspector General on July 1, 2025, regarding a proposed real property transaction between the Town of Bourne and a solar developer.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) conducted a review of the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave’s (DFML) policies regarding Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) for applicants who split their leave to bond with a child.

The OIG issued a letter with recommendations regarding the request for proposals issued by the town of Norfolk for a lease of land at 12 Sharon Avenue, Norfolk, and the subsequent agreement between the town and its lessee.

An OIG investigation launched in July 2024, following a hotline complaint, found that CCC staff failed to collect prorated and provisional licensing fees from August 2022 to August 2024. The investigation found that it was an "egregious" operational issue and not fraud.

While the OIG’s review did not find improper spending, the OIG found that the town lacked formal policies and procedures regarding credit card use by employees.

IG Shapiro urges MBTA GM to ensure fare collection is a priority now and in the next commuter rail contract.

In a letter to the Everett City Council, IG Shapiro details the OIG investigation that found that the city improperly paid $180,000 in longevity payments to Mayor DeMaria.

As part of its proactive approach, and in accordance with the Internal Special Audit Unit’s Chapter 6C mandate, the Unit reviewed Cape Cod Gateway Airport’s use of certain federal grant funds.

In this report, the OIG details its pandemic funding oversight work for the period between April 1, 2025, and June 30, 2025.

In this report, the OIG details its pandemic funding oversight work for the period between January 1, 2025, and March 31, 2025.

Pursuant to Chapter 12A of the Massachusetts General Laws and Section 231 of Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2024, the OIG released the 2025 annual report on public healthcare, An Analysis of Health Safety Net Patients, Providers, and Services.

The OIG offers guidance to clarify how public procurement law, specifically Chapter 30B of the Massachusetts General Laws, applies to a municipality’s expenditure of opioid abatement funds.

Thoughtful policies concerning office-issued mobile devices are an important tool for the prevention of waste and abuse of office resources.

Cybersecurity risks can result in direct financial losses to municipalities through fraudulent payments, such as the use of phishing tactics to conduct electronic fund transfer fraud.

Municipalities can use data as a strategic asset to inform governmental decisions, support pre-defined goals, or identify patterns and potential issues needing resolution.

This advisory focuses on performance management tools and practices that public entities can use to monitor program outcomes, ensure that public funds are being used to achieve program goals, and evaluate a program’s overall success. Performance management answers the question: Is your program working?

On July 22, 2025, Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro testified before the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government on House 16, a bill that would provide clarity to a county land disposition statute.

IG Shapiro testified in favor of H. 12, An Act Updating Chapter 30B and H. 13, An Act Relative to Snow Hauling and Snow Removal.

House 15 includes several reforms to assist regulators in ensuring that Retail Electricity Suppliers meet their obligations to the Commonwealth while also giving consumers the benefits of renewable and clean energy sources.

IG Shapiro offered his perspective on the value of a statewide office of the inspector general before the Rhode Island House Finance Committee on April 9, 2025.

As the only statewide OIG in the country that has both state and municipal oversight authority, IG Shapiro outlined how the office must regularly analyze and set priorities to balance funding and resources among state and municipal oversight.