Aquinnah select board member Gary Haley and the state ethics commission have agreed to mediation to try to resolve a conflict of interest allegation against Mr. Haley.
The commission’s enforcement division alleged that Mr. Haley violated the state conflict of interest law by choosing himself to privately perform electrical conduit work for the town of Aquinnah, overbilling the town by more than $4,000 for the work, and approving the town’s payment to himself.
At a hearing Tuesday, an attorney for Mr. Haley, Richard Gross, argued that the matter should be dismissed and enforcement staff counsel Candies Pruitt argued for a partial decision on the basis that as a select person, he should not have hired himself to perform the work.
A spokesman for the commission, Gerry Tuoti, said in an email to the Gazette that a decision on the motions would be made at a later date. Meanwhile, the parties agreed to voluntary mediation.
The ethics commission is authorized to impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for violations of the conflict of interest law.
