- Office of the Inspector General
Media Contact for OIG Finds Self-Dealing and Pay Discrepancies by Former Director of Hingham Housing Authority and Poor Oversight by HHA Board
Jack Meyers
The Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) found that Sharon Napier, the former executive director of the Hingham Housing Authority (“HHA”), promoted her own interests over HHA’s by hiring a vendor with whom she had a personal and financial relationship. This conduct was also investigated by the State Ethics Commission, resulting in Ms. Napier paying a $2,500 fine in 2018.
The OIG determined that the former HHA Board paid Ms. Napier’s legal bills during the State Ethics Commission investigation, which it should not have done. Moreover, the OIG found inconsistencies in the documentation that Ms. Napier submitted for $3,551.20 in “special pay,” which resulted in her paycheck being $2,496.94 higher than normal the same week that she paid the $2,500 fine to the State Ethics Commission.
The OIG also reviewed the HHA Board’s oversight of Ms. Napier. Since Ms. Napier left HHA, the HHA Board has taken steps to improve its governance structures and operations. The OIG provided several recommendations to the board to enhance its oversight.