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By Jim Sullivan | Daily News of Newburyport (TNS)
NEWBURYPORT, MASS. — The city's water treatment plant superintendent will have to pay a $13,000 fine to the state for accepting free ski trips from a water meter manufacturer and its distributor over a five-year period.
Thomas Cusick came to the city in May 2019 after working as Groveland's Water and Sewer Department superintendent.
He signed a disposition agreement with the state Ethics Commission on June 7, stating he accepted the free ski trips while as an employee for both Newburyport and Groveland.
Groveland uses water meters made by an unidentified Alabama-based manufacturer and sourced through an unnamed New England area distributor, according to the agreement.
The Newburyport Department of Public Services also buys products from the distributor.
Conflict of interest laws prohibit public employees from accepting anything worth $50 or more, given to them for, or because of, their official position.
"Once Cusick accepted the free ski trips, he violated this prohibition because he knew or had reason to know the vendors were giving him the free trips, due to his position as Groveland Water and Sewer Department superintendent and Newburyport DPS Water treatment plant superintendent," the agreement reads.
In a statement to The Daily News on Wednesday night, Cusick apologized for his actions.
"I made a mistake and had to pay a fine. I take my profession very seriously and I will continue to do the best I can," he said.
"As I move forward, I will reflect on advice I have been given in my life," he added. "We ALL make mistakes, the key is to learn from them."
When asked about the distributor by another Newburyport DPS employee, the agreement states that Cusick said he found the company to provide good service and the manufacture of technology to be reliable.
Both companies hosted multiple three-day ski trips for employees of several municipal water districts and departments of public works, the agreement said.
In 2018, Cusick had his lodging, meals and ski lift tickets paid for by the companies during a trip to Sugarloaf in Maine.
Cusick took a trip in 2019 to Stowe, Vermont, where the lodging cost at least $200 per person. Dinner on the second night cost at least $40 per person, not including alcohol, tax and gratuity.
He also went on a vendor-hosted trip to Okemo in Vermont in 2020 where lodging cost at least $415 per person.
The companies also paid for lodging, meals and ski lift tickets in 2022 when Cusick went to Jay Peak in Vermont.
The state says lodging for that particular trip was $425 per person and the two-day ski lift ticket cost $133.
Ethics Commission Executive Director David Wilson said in a release that municipal employees who accept gifts from vendors or potential vendors damage the credibility of the community in which they work.
"Such misconduct undermines the public's confidence in the integrity of public service at the municipal level, in municipal agencies, and in municipal government, generally," he said.
Newburyport Mayor Sean Reardon said in an email that the city is thankful to the state for its thoughtful and diligent investigation.
"We are happy that the matter has been closed and appreciate that Mr. Cusick complied with the state's investigation at every stage," he said.
Reardon added that Cusick will not be involved in the city's upcoming selection of a water meter vendor.
"The city takes compliance with the conflict of interest law extremely seriously, and will continue to make sure all staff receive the required compliance training and fully comply with the law," he said.
Groveland Town Administrator Rebecca Oldham did not return calls for comment Wednesday.
Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Newburyport for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.
Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Newburyport for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.
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