Press Release  Former Barre DPW Superintendent Jason Pimental pays $35,000 Civil Penalty for Violating Conflict of Interest Law

Boston, MA — Former Barre Department of Public Works (DPW) Superintendent Jason Pimental has paid a $35,000 civil penalty for violating the conflict of interest law by working over 1,000 paid hours for the state Department of Fire Services (DFS) during his paid Town of Barre work hours, by submitting town payroll forms that falsely claimed he worked for the town during those hours, and through other actions. The State Ethics Commission issued a Final Order today allowing a Joint Motion to Dismiss the adjudicatory proceeding against Pimental and approving a Disposition Agreement in which he admits to the violations and waives his right to a hearing.

In 2018, when Pimental was Barre’s DPW Superintendent, he began working part-time for the DFS. From December 2020 through June 2024, Pimental worked over 1,000 paid hours for the DFS during hours Pimental falsely claimed he worked for the town of Barre as DPW Superintendent. As a result, Barre ultimately paid Pimental over $30,000 for hours he did not work as DPW Superintendent and instead worked for the DFS. Through these actions, Pimental violated the conflict of interest law’s prohibitions against public employees presenting false claims for pay to their public employers and using their official positions to secure unwarranted valuable benefits.

“Working a paid state job during one’s paid municipal work hours is a flagrant violation of the conflict of interest law,” said State Ethics Commission Executive Director David A. Wilson. “A public employee who engages in such double dipping unlawfully enriches themself at the taxpayers’ expense and undermines the public’s trust and confidence in the integrity of public service in the Commonwealth.”

Pimental also violated the conflict of interest law’s prohibition against municipal employees having more than one paid position at a time for the same town. Pimental, who was a paid call firefighter for Barre while serving as DPW Superintendent, was advised in a 2021 letter from the State Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Division that he would need to qualify for an exemption in order to hold both positions and that he should seek advice from the Commission’s Legal Division. Pimental did not seek advice from the Legal Division after receiving the letter, nor did he secure an exemption to allow him to have two paid positions for the town.

Pimental additionally violated the conflict of interest law’s prohibition against municipal employees participating officially in matters in which they have a financial interest by, as DPW Superintendent, signing and certifying DPW payment requisitions that included his own reimbursements and submitting them to the Town Accountant for payment. 

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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