2011 State Ethics Commission Press Releases

2011 press releases

• Richard Bretschneider and David Landy Cited for Financial Disclosure Law Violations
  The Commission Ordered Former Nantucket Sheriff Richard Bretschneider and Former PRIM Board employee David Landy to pay civil penalties for violating financial disclosure law.

• Middlesex Sheriff's Department Senior Deputy Sheriff Michael Jackson Cited For Conflict of Interest Law Violation
  Middlesex Sheriff's Department Senior Deputy Sheriff Michael Jackson Paid a $5,000 civil penalty for conflict of interest law violations.

• Carver Selectman Michael O’Donnell Cited for Conflict of Interest Law Violation
  The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which Carver Board of Selectmen member Michael O’Donnell admitted to violating  the conflict of interest law by participating in discussions and negotiations regarding the Town Administrator  employment contract while the Administrator was negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with the Carver Police Union.  O’Donnell is a police sergeant and a member of the Union.  O’Donnell paid a $2,000 civil penalty for the violation.

• Ethics Commission Dismisses the Joseph Lally Adjudicatory Proceeding
  Ethics Commission dismisses Joseph Lally adjudicatory proceeding.

• Former Essex Regional Retirement Board Chair/Executive Director Timothy Bassett Pays $10,000 Civil Penalty for Violating the Conflict of Interest Law
  Former Essex Regional Retirement Board  Chair and Executive Director Timothy Bassett paid $10,000 civil penalty for conflict of interest law violations by conducting his private lobbying business during normal work hours and using ERRB facilities and equipment.

• Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Division Alleges that a Former Sheriff and a Former State Employee Each Violated the Financial Disclosure Law
  The Enforcement Division of the State Ethics Commission issued two Orders to Show Cause alleging that former Nantucket Sheriff Richard Bretschneider and former Pension Reserve Investment Management Board Director of Information Technology David Landy each violated the financial disclosure law by failing to timely file their respective Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2010. 

• Former Lawrence Public Schools Employee Charles Birchall, III Cited for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which former Lawrence Public Schools Graphics Department Clerk Charles Birchall, III admitted to violating the conflict of interest law for accepting a bribe to issue an LPS purchase order to Wellington Publishing for a piece of equipment, which Birchall knew would not be delivered to the LPS, and for using LPS Graphics Department time, equipment and supplies to print copies of a book for Wellington. 

• Nantucket Board of Selectmen Member Whiting Willauer Cited for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which Nantucket Board of Selectmen member Whiting Willauer admitted to violating the conflict of interest law on several occasions by voting to award contracts to the Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention and to the Family & Children’s Services of Nantucket County, Inc., doing business as Nantucket Behavioral Health Services, Inc.  Willauer was a member of the board of directors of ASAP, and he was the President of BHS.  Willauer paid a $3,000 civil penalty.

• Enforcement Division Alleges Violations By Former Merrimack Special Education Collaborative Executive Director John Barranco and By Former Collaborative Director of Public Affairs Richard McDonough
  The Commission's Enforcement Division issued two Orders to Show Cause alleging that former Merrimack Special Education Collaborative Executive Director John Barranco and former Collaborative Director of Public Affairs and Governmental Relations Richard McDonough each violated the conflict of interest law in connection with Barranco's putting lobbyist McDonough on the Collaborative payroll as the Collaborative's Public Affairs Director, resulting in McDonough receiving public compensation, medical and dental benefits, and public pension benefits to which he was not entitled.

• Goshen Board of Selectmen member John Judd Cited for Conflict of Interest Law Violation
  The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which Goshen Board of Selectmen member John Judd admitted to violating the conflict of interest law by requesting that the BOS purchase sand from his cousin's business.

• Former State Auditor A. Joseph DeNucci Admits to Violating the Conflict of Interest Law and Pays a $2,000 Civil Penalty
  The Commission concluded the adjudicatory proceeding involving former State Auditor A. Joseph DeNucci by approving a Disposition Agreement in which DeNucci admitted to violating the conflict of interest law, and agreed to pay a $2,000 civil penalty, and by dismissing the adjudicatory hearing.

• Ethics Commission's Enforcement Division Alleges Conflict of Interest Law Violations by Winthrop Harbormaster Charles Famolare, III
  The Commission's Enforcement Division issued an Order to Show Cause alleging that Winthrop Harbormaster Charles Famolare, III violated the conflict of interest law by receiving at no charge two finger piers (small walkways attached to a larger dock), plus free installation, and free cleaning of Famolare's jet ski float, from the vendor contracted to build the $2 million town pier.

• Former Southampton Board of Health Member Paul Truehart Pays $3,000 Civil Penalty for Conflict of Interest Law Violation
  The Commission concluded the adjudicatory matter involving former Southampton Board of Health member Paul Truehart by approving a Disposition Agreement in which Truehart admitted to violating the conflict of interest law by conducting septic system work in the town which was regulated by the BOH.

• Ethics Commission Cites Marblehead School Superintendent G. Paul Dulac and Veterans School Principal Elizabeth Moore for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  The Commission approved two Disposition Agreements in which Marblehead School Superintendent G. Paul Dulac and Elizabeth Moore each admitted to violating the conflict of interest law by hiring the spouse of a school committee member to a half-time teaching position without following standard procedures. Pursuant to the Agreements, Dulac and Moore each paid a civil penalty of $500.

• Ethics Commission Issues Public Education Letter to Brockton Police Chief William Conlon
  The Commission issued a Public Education Letter to Brockton Police Chief William Conlon regarding his decision to allow two police union officials to attend a political fundraiser for Brockton Mayor James Harrington on paid city time. As explained in the PEL,  "collective bargaining agreements cannot explicitly or implicitly authorize conduct that violates the conflict of interest law."

• Middlesex Registry of Deeds First Assistant Register Edward Wheeler Cited for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which Middlesex Registry of Deeds First Assistant Register Edward Wheeler admitted to violating the conflict of interest law by using Registry equipment and work time to conduct his private law practice.

• Ethics Commission Cites Agawam High School Guidance Counselor Alan Cohen for Conflict of Interest Law Violation
  The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which Agawam High School Guidance Counselor Alan Cohen admitted to violating the conflict of interest law by hiring the School Principal's son to a summer teaching position without following the School's standard hiring procedures.

• Board of Registration in Pharmacy Board Member Michael Tocco Cited for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which the Division of Professional Licensure, Board of Registration in Pharmacy member Michael Tocco admitted to violating the conflict of interest law by contacting a representative of Omnicare, a pharmaceutical provider, on behalf of an Omnicare client, while matters affecting Omnicare were pending before the Board.  Tocco paid a $2,000 civil penalty.

• Ethics Commission Imposes Civil Penalties on Three Middlesex Sheriff's Department Employees for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  The Commission has approved three Disposition Agreements in which Middlesex Sheriff's Office corrections officers assigned to the Billerica House of Corrections, Captain Eril Ligonde, Corrections Officer Richard McKinnon and Corrections Officer Heidi Ricci, respectively, each admitted to violating the conflict of interest law by using public resources in connection with a political fundraiser for then-Sheriff James DiPaola.

• Ethics Commission Approves Order of Dismissal in the Robert Fortes Adjudicatory Proceeding
  The Commission issued an Allowance of Joint Motion and Order of Dismissal dismissing the adjudicatory proceeding involving former Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Assistant General Manager for Strategic Planning and Performance Robert Fortes, for allegedly violating the financial disclosure law. The adjudicatory proceeding was initiated on January 20, 2011 by the Commission's Enforcement Division issuing an Order to Show Cause in which it charged Fortes with violating the financial disclosure law by failing to timely file his 2009 Statement of Financial Interests.

• Ethics Commission Finds that Billerica Cemetary Division Foreman Joseph Turner Violated the Conflict of Interest Law
  The Commission issued a Decision and Order which Billerica Cemetary Commission Foreman Joseph Turner violated the conflict of interest law by, as Division Foreman, selling four cemetery plots to his parents, and by using his Division Foreman position to secure the plots for his parents in violation of Town policy restricting sales for immediate need, and just before a price increase was to go into effect.

• Former Gardner Golf Commission Member Mary Capman Pays $500 Civil Penalty For Conflict of Interest Law Violation
  The Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which former Gardner Golf Commission member Mary Capman admitted to violating the conflict of interest law.  Capman paid a $500 civil penalty.

• Ethics Commission Fines Former Executive Office of Health and Human Services Director of Planning and Control William Schmidt for Failing to Timely File His 2009 Statement of Financial Interests
  The Commission concluded an adjudicatory proceeding involving former Executive Office of Health and Human Services Director of Planning and Control William Schmidt by approving a Disposition Agreement in which Schmidt admitted to violating the financial disclosure law, and by dismissing the adjudicatory hearing.  Schmidt paid a $400 civil penalty.

• Ethics Commission Orders Lynn Board of Health Inspector Louis Picano to Pay a $35,000 Civil Penalty for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  The Commission issued a Decision and Order to resolve an adjudicatory matter involving Lynn Board of Health Inspector Louis Picano. The Commission determined that Picano repeatedly violated the conflict of interest law by also performing constable duties as an appointed city constable. The Commission ordered Picano to pay a $35,000 civil penalty.

• West Bridgewater Board of Assessors Chairman Stephen McCarthy and head Clerk Donna Cotter Cited for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  The Commission approved two Disposition Agreements in which West Bridgewater Board of Assessors Chairman Stephen McCarthy and Head Clerk Donna Cotter each violated the conflict of interest law by improperly approving and processing a property tax abatement application submitted by friends of McCarthy.   McCarthy paid a $5,000 civil penalty, and Cotter paid a $1,000 civil penalty.

• Ethics Commission's Enforcement Division Alleges that Two Former State Employees Violated the Financial Disclosure Law
  The Enforcement Division of the State Ethics Commission issued two Orders to Show Cause alleging that former Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Assistant General Manager for Strategic Planning and Performance Robert Fortes and former Executive Office of Health and Human Services Director of Planning and Control William Schmidt each violated the financial disclosure law by failing to timely file their respective Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2009.