Press Release  Carver Deputy Director of Operations and Maintenance John Woods Pays $8,000 Civil Penalty for Violating Conflict of Interest Law

Boston, MA — John Woods, the Deputy Director of the Town of Carver Operations and Maintenance Department (O&M), has paid an $8,000 civil penalty for violating the conflict of interest law by authorizing the use of town resources to replace a fence on the private property of the O&M Foreman, who is his friend. Woods signed a Disposition Agreement in which he admitted the violations and waived his right to a hearing.

Woods and the Foreman ride dirt bikes on the Foreman’s private property. In late 2022, the Foreman gave Woods a list of materials required to replace a fence on the Foreman’s property. As Deputy Director, Woods authorized the O&M’s replacement of the fence and directed an O&M maintenance worker to purchase the necessary materials. Using a Town of Carver credit card, the worker purchased more than $500 worth of materials and then enlisted another O&M employee to aid in loading and transporting the materials on public worktime. O&M employees subsequently replaced the fence over approximately one and a half town workdays.

The conflict of interest law prohibits public employees from using their official positions to secure valuable unwarranted privileges for themselves or others. Woods violated this prohibition by, as O&M Deputy Director, authorizing the use of Town of Carver resources to replace the Foreman’s fence.

Woods also violated the conflict of interest law’s prohibition against a public employee acting in a manner which would cause a reasonable person to think they would unduly favor or be improperly influenced by another person in performing their official duties.

“Public resources are to be used to benefit the public, not to perform personal favors for one’s friends,” said State Ethics Commission Executive Director David A. Wilson. “Such misuse of public funds, materials, and worktime by public employees erodes the public’s confidence in the integrity of the service of those employees and of government generally.”

The Commission encourages public employees to contact the Commission’s Legal Division at 617-371-9500 for free advice if they have any questions regarding how the conflict of interest law may apply to them.

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