Press Release  Former Huntington Selectboard Member Karon Hathaway pays $5,000 Penalty for Violating Conflict of Interest Law

Boston, MA — Former Huntington Selectboard member Karon Hathaway has admitted to violating the conflict of interest law by, as a Selectboard member, directing the delivery of about $5,000 worth of town-owned asphalt millings to her property for her personal use. Hathaway signed a Disposition Agreement in which she admits the violation and paid a $5,000 civil penalty.

In April 2022, when Huntington repaved a section of Route 66, the town’s Highway Superintendent instructed that the millings, or ground-up asphalt, which are usable as an alternative to gravel for roads and driveways, from the project be retained by the town and delivered to the Highway Department garage. Hathaway was aware of these instructions.

Hathaway’s nephew owned one of the excavation companies subcontracted to haul the millings from the jobsite to the Highway Department. On the first day of the road work, Hathaway’s nephew instructed the driver he hired for the job to deliver the millings to Hathaway’s home, where a large plywood sign stating “Dump here” was set up near the driveway. Thereafter, the Highway Superintendent told the driver to stop delivering the millings to Hathaway’s home, telling him that, as a Selectboard member, Hathaway knew the millings were to be delivered to the Highway Department garage. The Highway Superintendent also called Hathaway and told her all millings were supposed to be delivered to the Highway Department. When the town’s Administrative Assistant told Hathaway to return the millings to the town, Hathaway replied that she did not have the necessary equipment and would not do so.

The following day, Hathaway’ nephew instructed the driver to deliver additional loads of millings to Hathaway’s home. When the driver told him that he had been told not to do so by the Highway Superintendent, Hathaway’s nephew accurately informed the driver that he had spoken with Hathaway and she had said it was fine and to bring her additional loads. The driver believed that, as a Selectboard member, Hathaway’s instructions superseded those of the Highway Superintendent and delivered at least two additional loads to Hathaway’s home. In total, Hathaway received at least eight loads of millings worth about $5,000. Hathaway’s husband then spread the millings over their driveway over the next several days, making them unreturnable to the town.

By, as a Selectboard member, directing the delivery of town-owned asphalt millings to her home, where she received them for her personal use, Hathaway violated the conflict of interest law’s prohibition against public employees soliciting or receiving valuable, unwarranted benefits given because of their official position.

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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