Taunton’s former chief of staff is in jeopardy for advocating for a subdivision developer and business owner on matters in which he participated during his tenure with the city.

Edward Correia, his chief of staff from January 2020 to August 2022, paid a $6,000 fine for violating the state’s conflict of interest law, which restricts former city employees from acting as representatives for anyone outside the city or town on matters of their concern. According to the State Ethics Commission.

Correia faced criticism at a March 2023 meeting, less than a year after leaving office, for acting as a developer’s representative and advocating for the city to replace a nine-lot subdivision’s water main switch.

The former employee, who reported to the mayor and oversaw the day-to-day operations of all city departments, also advocated for the city to provide federal COVID relief funds as an incentive for a business owner for whom he was acting to rent space. A restaurant at the local airport, according to a history of the case filed by the Ethics Commission.

Correia became involved with the proposed subdivision as early as April 2020; The City Planning Board approved it with the condition that the developer connect it to the city’s public water supply and improve the water main if it is small.

The Planning Board later rejected the developer’s request to install private wells instead.

In May 2022, the city’s DPW commissioner issued a permit for the developer to connect to the undersized water main without upgrading, as Correia requested. According to the Ethics Commission, the hydrants failed fire protection inspections after the developer was attached.

The water main still needs repairs and the subdivision has stalled.

In a separate incident detailed by the Ethics Commission, Correia in May 2021 began defending the city’s use of American Rescue Plan Act funds as an incentive for a business owner to rent space in the Taunton Airport Administration Building and operate a restaurant.

After leaving office, Correia continued to advocate for the use of ARPA funds for the project and contacted the city’s chief financial officer in December 2022 and spring 2023. The city ultimately rejected the business owner’s offer in early 2023.

Under the state’s conflict of interest law, city employees are restricted from making official decisions “taking into account their future personal interests.”

“This case is a reminder that the conflict of interest law continues to apply to public employees after they leave public service,” State Ethics Commission Executive Director David A. Wilson said in a statement.

First Publication Date: October 29, 2024, 20:22 EDT