State Ethics Commission Clears Andover Selectman

ANDOVER, MA -- The Massachusetts State Ethic Commission cleared Andover Selectman Paul Salafia of violating conflict-of-interest rules for elected officials. Last year Andover resident Joe Albuquerque filed a complaint with the commission after learning Salafia had received $2,500 in campaign donations in 2016 from three employees of the Lupoli Companies and the daughter of one of those employees. The company has been trying to get approval for a massive, mixed-use development on Dascomb Road at the Tewksbury-Andover border.

"We are satisfied that this matter does not require any further action on our part," the commission wrote to Salafia in a May 22 letter according to the Eagle-Tribune, which first reported this story. In a letter to the newspaper's Andover edition, Salafia said "I am very grateful for closure on this matter, but I am not at all surprised at the outcome. I have honorably served this community for nearly 28 years. Every decision and vote I make, I use, ‘What is best for the town,’ as my deciding criteria. That, and that alone, is my personal agenda."

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Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).