A fireplace chief who’s dealing with ethics allegations from the state is firing again, calling the accusations “baseless” as he vows to “fight” the case.
Townsend Fireplace Chief Gary Shepherd is accused of violating the state’s battle of curiosity legislation when his non-public firm acquired greater than $5 million from city contracts.
The State Ethics Fee on Thursday stated the chief allegedly violated state legislation by having monetary pursuits on the town contracts.
A day later, Shepherd responded to the allegations, telling the Herald that “any suggestion of impropriety is baseless.”
Shepherd, who operates the non-public firm Shepco, Inc., first entered right into a $754,333 contract with the city for a bridge substitute challenge.
Then, his firm agreed to a $4.7 million contract with the city for a water essential challenge — for a complete of about $5.4 million.
In line with the Ethics Fee, the battle of curiosity legislation bans municipal staff from having a monetary curiosity in a contract made by the municipality they serve.
“When we submitted our bid, we had no information that was unavailable to others,” Shepherd stated in his response. “We have been chosen as a result of we have been the low bidder for the job by a large margin.
“When a local business is qualified and submits the lowest bid and is selected through an open, competitive process, the selection is by no means an ‘unwarranted privilege,’ ” he added. “My company saved the town over $1 million as the lowest bidder.”
When his firm submitted the bid to the city officers who appointed him as fireplace chief, he says he submitted a disclosure noting that he’s the fireplace chief.
“The State takes issue that we did not use their proper form,” Shepherd stated. “I disagree with the state’s case and their handling of this matter, and will fight this untimely distraction.”
The Ethics Fee can impose a civil penalty of as much as $10,000 for every violation of the battle of curiosity legislation.
The Enforcement Division will give him the chance to resolve the matter by means of a disposition settlement. The fee plans to schedule a public listening to on the allegations towards Shepherd inside 90 days.
“I look forward to having the opportunity for my day in court, if you will,” Shepherd stated.
Again on Nov. 30, 2022, the Ethics Fee in a letter from the Enforcement Division warned Shepherd that he wanted a battle of curiosity legislation exemption to contract with the city.
The Fee additionally instructed him methods to adjust to the legislation and that he was to contact the Fee’s Authorized Division each time he thought of contracting with the city. The Enforcement Division alleges that Shepherd didn’t take any motion in response to the letter.
The primary contract was in December 2022, and the second challenge was in March 2023.
