Ex-Town Moderator Fined For Ethics Violation

STOUGHTON, MA — Stoughton's former longtime town moderator has been fined for using his own business to print materials for the town.

The Massachusetts State Ethics Commission fined Howard Hansen $4,000 for using his company, Hansen Brothers Printing, to print town documents, a violation of the state's conflict of interest laws.

Howard was the town manager from 1993 until 2017. From 2009 to 2014, Howard allowed his company to print documents for the town, without getting three quotes, as is laid out in the town's procurement manual.

Since the late 60s, the company had provided printing services but stopped in 1993. When Hansen was elected moderator, he requested that his position be designated as a "special municipal employee." That request was approved by the selectmen. In a letter to the board, Hansen said he had a printing company in town that did engage in bids and contracts with the town, but did not indicate that he would hire his own company for town work without going through a bidding process.

In 2008, Town Accountant William Rowe created a procurement manual for town employees, which includes the rule that for procurements under $3,000, town employees must use sound business practices and solicit three quotes. As town manager, Hansen did not solicit business quotes for the work or materials provided by his company, according to the ethics commission's office.

According to former Town Manager Michael Hartman, the Town Clerk's office and Town Manager's office has at least 30 copy machines and town hall has at least 50 printers which are accessible to the town moderator.

During this time, no town employee rejected the charges made by Hansen until 2014, when Hartman raised an objection to the fact that Hansen was steering business to his own company.

Hansen has 30 days from the day the decision was made to file an appeal in superior court.

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