State ethics probe of Revere DPW boss heats up

REVERE – Today is the first of three days worth of state Ethics Commission hearings on conflict of interest violation allegations against city Public Works General Foreman Joseph Maglione.Commissioners will hear testimony from city officials and other witnesses, including ones summoned by Maglione’s attorney, based on allegations outlined in a 12-page commission show cause order issued on Feb. 13.”Essentially, it’s like a little trial,” said Commission Executive Director Karen Nober.The commission will meet behind closed doors 30 days after Wednesday’s hearing to review testimony. The commissioners will meet 30 days after those deliberations to decide if Maglione violated the law.He could face fines of up to $2,000 for each ethics violation.According to the order, Maglione and two other DPW workers in 2002 asked for $200-$250 for every new water or sewer service installation they performed.Randy Adamson and Anthony Giannino were privately compensated to install pipe connections between city main lines and homes or businesses between 2002 and March 2006. They paid Maglione $3,000 to $4,000, according to the commission, between 2002 and summer 2005.The pair’s city jobs involved repairing city storm and sewer main lines but they were not licensed drain layers.They resigned their jobs last year after paying $8,000 fines for violating the conflict of interest law by paying bribes to Maglione who is on paid administrative leave pending completion of the commission review.The fee allegedly demanded by Maglione included an installation done by Adamson and Giannino at 18 Sewell Street in November 2004. They did not take out a permit for the work; instead, according to the commission, Maglione signed a permit for them.They, in turn, paid him $200. The same procedure was repeated for jobs done by Adamson and Giannino at 33 A and B Sagamore Street where the commission said the pair paid Maglione $750 to do an installation.Other addresses where the commission said work was done included 13 George Avenue and 37-39 Cheever St.It is not city policy to install the connections. Instead, property owners must arrange for a private drain layer licensed by the city to obtain a drain laying permit from the city and do the work.