Taunton’s former chief of employees is in sizzling water for advocating on behalf of a subdivision developer and enterprise proprietor in issues he had participated in throughout his employment with town.
Edward Correia, chief of employees from January 2020 by means of August 2022, has paid a $6,000 civil penalty for violating the state’s battle of curiosity regulation which restricts former municipal staff from performing as brokers for anybody aside from town or city in issues they’d curiosity in, in accordance with the State Ethics Fee.
Correia got here beneath fireplace for performing as an agent for a developer at a March 2023 assembly, lower than a yr after he left workplace, and advocating that town substitute a water major key to a nine-lot subdivision.
The previous worker, who reported to the mayor and oversaw the day-to-day operations of all metropolis departments, additionally advocated that town present federal COVID aid funds to a enterprise proprietor he was performing on behalf of as an incentive to lease area for a restaurant on the native airport, in accordance with background of the case offered by the Ethics Fee.
Correia was concerned within the proposed subdivision as early as April 2020, when town Planning Board authorised it on the situation that the developer join it to town’s public water provide and improve the water major if it was undersized.
The Planning Board then denied the developer’s request that personal wells be put in as a substitute.
In Might 2022, town’s DPW commissioner issued a allow as Correia requested, for the developer to hook up with the undersized water major with out upgrading it. Hydrants subsequently failed fireplace safety inspections after the developer linked, in accordance with the Ethics Fee.
The water major nonetheless wants restore, and the subdivision has stalled.
In a separate incident, additionally detailed by the Ethics Fee, Correia started in Might 2021 advocating that town use American Rescue Plan Act funds as an incentive for a enterprise proprietor to lease area and function a restaurant within the Taunton Airport Administration Constructing.
Correia continued to advocate for using ARPA funds for the undertaking after he left workplace, contacting town’s chief finance officer in December 2022 and spring 2023. Town finally rejected the enterprise proprietor’s proposal in early 2023.
Beneath the state’s battle of curiosity regulation, municipal staff are restricted from making official selections “with an eye toward their personal future interests.”
“This case is a reminder that the conflict of interest law continues to apply to public employees after they leave their public employment,” State Ethics Fee Govt Director David A. Wilson mentioned in a press release.
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