Former Melrose Fire Chief Charged $1500 For Ethics Violation

A former fire chief was fined $1,500 this week after a state ethics commission found he accepted Bruins tickets valuing $350 from the city's ambulance contractor in 2010.

Former Chief John O'Brien retired last June, but was found to have received two “premium club tickets” of “substantial value”, violating a state law that “prohibits a municipal employee from, knowing, or with reason to know, soliciting or receiving of anything of substantial value for such officer or employee...because of the officer or employee's official position.”

The gift was received two months after a three person committee, which included O'Brien, awarded a three-year contract to Cataldo Ambulance.

"Cataldo was selected because they were, and remain the best emergency medical services provider for the citizens of Melrose," Dolan said in a statement to the Boston Globe.

"My decision was also based upon the tremendous resources, training opportunities for the Melrose Fire Department, the overwhelming support of the Captains of the Melrose Fire Department, the support of the Melrose Fire Fighters Association, and Cataldo's exemplary track record of serving the citizens of Melrose since 2008.”

Investigators found no violation of state law by Cataldo employees, according to the Globe report.