2013 State Ethics Commission Press Releases

2013 press releases

• Former Commonwealth ITD Director of Hosting Services Delwin Dickinson Pays $30,000 Civil Penalty for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  Delwin Dickinson, the former Hosting Services Director for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Information Technology Division (“ITD”), admitted to violating G.L. c. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by awarding contracts and approving payments to hardware and software reseller Advizex after entering into employment negotiations with the company. 

• Enforcement Division Alleges Conflict of Interest Law Violations by Southampton Fire Chief Stephen Hyde, Sr.
  The Enforcement Division issued an Order to Show Cause alleging that Southampton Fire Department Chief Stephen Hyde, Sr. violated G.L. c. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by falsifying duty records to credit his son, an SFD call firefighter, for work his son did not perform, and submitting those false records to the Town of Southampton for payment.  The OTSC also alleges that Hyde violated the conflict of interest law by using the SFD’s generator to power his home.

• Enforcement Division Alleges Conflict of Interest Law Violation by New Bedford Housing Authority Senior Property Manager Bruce Duarte
  The Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Division issued an Order to Show Cause alleging that New Bedford Housing Authority senior property manager Bruce Duarte violated G.L. c. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by ordering NBHA staff to stop eviction proceedings against his brother, an NBHA tenant.  By doing so, Duarte allegedly participated in a particular matter in which, to his knowledge, an immediate family member had a financial interest. 

• Ethics Commission Finds in Favor of Department of Industrial Accidents Administrative Law Judge Cheryl Jacques
  The Massachusetts State Ethics Commission issued a Decision and Order in which it found that the Commission’s Enforcement Division failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence its allegation that Cheryl Jacques, an administrative law judge for the Department of Industrial Accidents, attempted to use her official position to demand that a dental office write off a debt of more than $1,000 incurred by her brother-in-law. 

• Ethics Commission Finds that Former Chelmsford Planning Board Member Richard McClure Violated the Conflict of Interest Law
  The Ethics Commission issued a Decision and Order finding that former Chelmsford Planning Board member Richard McClure violated section 17(c) of G.L. c. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by representing clients in two separate lawsuits in which the Town of Chelmsford was a party.  The Commission denied a motion by McClure to dismiss the proceedings and ordered McClure to pay a $5,000 civil penalty.

• Ethics Commission Dismisses Case against Algird Sunskis
  The Ethics Commission issued a Ruling and Order of Dismissal granting a Joint Motion to Dismiss the Adjudicatory Proceeding involving Algird Sunskis. 

• Ethics Commission Issues Statement on Advice Provided to Senator Daniel Wolf
  In accordance with 930 CMR 3.01 (8)(c),the Commission issued a statement regarding comments made by Senator Daniel Wolf regarding advice he received from the State Ethics Commission.

• Former Templeton Selectman Dennis O’Brien Pays $1,000 Civil Penalty for Violating Conflict of Interest Law
  Former Templeton Board of Selectmen member and Municipal Building Study Committee member Dennis O’Brien admitted to violating G.L. c. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by participating in the Town’s purchase of a vacant factory building located directly across the street from the O’Brien residence.  

• Ethics Commission Dismisses Charles Borstel Adjudicatory Proceeding
  The Ethics Commission allowed a Joint Motion to Dismiss the Adjudicatory Proceeding involving Charles Borstel, former Assistant to the Director of the Division of Professional Licensure, for allegedly violating G.L. c. 268B, the financial disclosure law. 

• Former MassHealth Chief Operating Officer Philip Poley Pays $25,000 Civil Penalty for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  The State Ethics Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which Philip Poley, the former Chief Operating Officer of MassHealth, a department within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, admitted to repeatedly violating G.L. c. 268A, the conflict of interest law.  Pursuant to the Agreement, Poley, a former Brookline resident, paid a $25,000 civil penalty. 

• Ethics Commission Issues Public Education Letter to East Bridgewater Special Police Officer Brian Connors
  The State Ethics Commission issued a public education letter to East Bridgewater Police Department Special Police Officer Brian Connors for entering into contracts with the East Bridgewater Police Department through his company, Flagship Security Systems, Inc., in violation of G. L. c. 268A, the conflict of interest law.

• Ethics Commission Cites Former State Division of Labor Director Michael Byrnes for Financial Disclosure Law Violation
  Commission cites former Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development Division of Labor Director Michael Byrnes for violating financial disclosure law by failing to timely file his 2011 Statement of Financial Interests.

• Marion Conservation Commission Member Sherman E. Briggs Jr. Pays $7,500 Civil Penalty for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  The Ethics Commission approved a Disposition Agreement in which Marion Conservation Commission member Sherman E. Briggs Jr. admitted to violating the conflict of interest law, by voting as a ConCom member to issue an Order of Conditions authorizing Tabor Academy to install salt water tanks.  Tabor Academy then hired Briggs’ business to perform the excavation work.  Pursuant to the Agreement, Briggs paid a $7,500 civil penalty.

• Commission Finds in Favor of Former Worcester County Sheriff Guy W. Glodis
  The Commission issued a Decision and Order in which it found that the Commission’s Enforcement Division failed to prove that former Worcester County Sheriff Guy W. Glodis caused an ineligible inmate to be placed on work release to accommodate the request of the inmate’s employer, who was Glodis’ friend and campaign contributor. 

• Enforcement Division Alleges Conflict of Interest Law Violations by Groveland Selectwoman Elizabeth Gorski
  The Commission’s Enforcement Division issued an Order to Show Cause alleging that Groveland Board of Selectmen  member Elizabeth Gorski repeatedly violated G.L. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by using her BOS position to attempt to get her police officer son restored to active duty after the Groveland Police Chief placed him on paid administrative leave.

• 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 Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development Division of Labor Director Michael Byrnes and former Division of Professional Licensure Assistant to the Director Charles Borstel each violated G.L. c. 268B, the Financial Disclosure Law, by failing to file their respective Statements of Financial Interests for calendar year 2011 on time. 

• Enforcement Division Alleges Conflict of Interest Law Violations by Wellington House Publishing, Inc., Owner Algird Sunskis
  The State Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Division issued an Order to Show Cause alleging that Wellington House Publishing, Inc. owner Algird Sunskis violated G.L. c. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by paying kickbacks on three occasions to Lawrence Public School employees to obtain LPS contracts.  One of the contracts involved the fraudulent sale of equipment that was paid for by the LPS but never delivered. 

• Kingston Community Preservation Committee Member Pine duBois Pays $2,500 Civil Penalty for Conflict of Interest Law Violations
  The Ethics Commission approved a Disposition Agreement (“Agreement”) in which Town of Kingston Community Preservation Committee (“CPC”) member Pine duBois (“duBois”) admitted to violating G.L. c. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by advocating, in her capacity as the unpaid president of the non-profit Jones River Landing Environmental Heritage Center (the “Jones River Landing”), for $75,000 in CPC funds to restore two boat sheds located on Jones River Landing property.  DuBois also admitted to violating the conflict law by failing to disclose her relationship with Jones River Landing to her appointing authority.