Press Release  State Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Division Alleges Former Barre DPW Superintendent Jason Pimental Violated Conflict of Interest Law

Boston — The State Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Division issued an Order to Show Cause today alleging that former Barre Department of Public Works (DPW) Superintendent Jason Pimental violated the conflict of interest law by working hundreds of paid hours for the state Department of Fire Services (DFS) during his paid Town of Barre work hours, by submitting timesheets that falsely claimed he was working for the town during these hours, and through other actions. By filing the Order, the Enforcement Division has initiated an adjudicatory proceeding against Pimental.

The Order to Show Cause alleges that while Pimental was Barre’s DPW Superintendent, he began working part-time for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services in 2018. From December 2020 through June 2024, Pimental worked several hundred hours for the DFS during hours for which he was paid by Barre, and that Pimental falsely reported he worked those hours as Superintendent to Barre, the Order states. Through these actions, Pimental violated the conflict of interest law’s prohibitions against public employees presenting false claims for pay to their employers and using their official position to secure an unwarranted privilege of substantial value for themselves or others, the Order alleges.

The Order also alleges that from 2021 through 2024, Pimental, as DPW Superintendent, approved reimbursement payments from the town to himself for DPW-related expenses. This violated the conflict of interest law’s prohibition against municipal employees participating officially in matters in which they have a financial interest, the Order states.

In addition, the conflict of interest law, with some exceptions, prohibits municipal employees from having more than one paid position for the same city or town. The Order alleges that 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, who did not secure an exemption and did not seek legal advice from the Commission, violated this prohibition, the Order alleges.

Pursuant to the Commission’s Enforcement Procedures, the Enforcement Division files an Order to Show Cause against a subject following the Commission’s finding of reasonable cause to believe the subject violated the conflict of interest law. Before filing the Order to Show Cause, the Enforcement Division gives the subject the opportunity to resolve the matter through a disposition agreement. The Commission will schedule a public hearing on the allegations against Pimental within 90 days.

The Commission is authorized to impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation of the conflict of interest law.

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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