Press Release  Natick Water and Sewer Employee Richard Ames Pays $9,000 Civil Penalty for Violating Conflict of Interest Law

Boston, MA — Richard Ames, a Natick Water and Sewer Department GIS Coordinator and Information Management employee, has paid a $9,000 civil penalty for violating the conflict of interest law by accepting free ski trips and meals from a water meter manufacturer and its distributor. Ames signed a Disposition Agreement in which he admitted the violations and waived his right to a hearing.

The Natick Water and Sewer Department uses a brand of water meter throughout its service area made by an Alabama-based manufacturer and sourced through the manufacturer’s sole authorized New England distributor. Ames, a technical expert in meter data, does not have purchasing authority concerning water meters for the Natick Water and Sewer Department.

On multiple occasions, the water meter manufacturer and its distributor hosted ski trips and other events to which they invited employees of several municipal water districts and departments of public works, including Ames.

Ames took part in three-day ski trips the water meter vendors hosted in Stowe, Vermont, in 2019; Okemo, Vermont, in 2020; and Jay Peak, Vermont, in 2022. The water meter vendors paid for Ames’ lodging, meals, and ski lift tickets for each of the three trips, which Ames used his Natick sick leave to attend. Ames also was treated by the manufacturer to lunch at a steakhouse in 2021 and attended an August 2022 event at which the vendors paid for rooftop drinks and dinner for their water industry guests at the Envoy Hotel in Boston.

The conflict of interest law prohibits public employees from soliciting or receiving anything worth $50 or more that is given to them for or because of their official positions. When Ames accepted the free meals and ski trips from the water meter vendors, he violated this prohibition because he knew or had reason to know the vendors were giving him these gifts due to his position in the Natick Water and Sewer Department.

“All public employees must be careful not to accept meals, trips, and other valuable gifts from vendors doing business with their agencies,” said State Ethics Commission Executive Director David A. Wilson. “Such gifts are generally given to public employees due to their public positions, even when the public employees don’t have the authority to make purchases for their agencies. Unless authorized by statute or regulation, acceptance of such gifts is prohibited by the conflict of interest law.”

The Department of Public Works director for the Town of Franklin also recently entered a Disposition Agreement with the Commission to resolve similar conflict of interest law violations related to accepting ski trips from the water meter vendor and distributor.

The Commission encourages public employees to contact the Commission’s Legal Division at 617-371-9500 for free advice if they have any questions regarding how the conflict of interest law may apply to them.

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