Former Barre DPW Superintendent Fined $35,000 For Double-Dipping

The State Ethics Commission approved a disposition agreement last week requiring former Barre Department of Public Works Superintendent Jason Pimental to pay a $35,000 civil penalty for violations of the state conflict of interest law. The commission dismissed its adjudicatory proceeding after Pimental admitted to the violations and waived his right to a hearing.

Pimental worked part-time for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services beginning in 2018 while serving as Barre's DPW superintendent. Between Dec. 28, 2020, and June 20, 2024, he logged about 1,082 hours for the state agency during the same hours Barre paid him as superintendent, the commission's disposition agreement states. Barre paid him approximately $30,294 for those overlapping hours, and he did not use town leave for the state work.

The commission found that Pimental presented false claims for pay and used his municipal position to obtain an unwarranted benefit of substantial value. He also served as a paid call firefighter for Barre while working as DPW superintendent. The commission's Enforcement Division advised him in 2021 that he needed an exemption to hold both paid town positions, but he did not obtain one or seek advice from the commission's Legal Division, according to the agreement.

From 2021 through 2024, Pimental signed and submitted DPW payment requisitions that included about $15,000 in reimbursements to himself. The commission determined that approving those payments violated a provision barring municipal employees from participating in official matters in which they hold a financial interest. He is also accused of submitting false town payroll forms and holding a second paid town position without an exemption.

"Working a paid state job during one's paid municipal work hours is a flagrant violation of the conflict of interest law," State Ethics Commission Executive Director David A. Wilson said in the announcement.

The commission approved the disposition agreement and dismissed its proceeding against Pimental.