Conflict of interest allegations prompt Swampscott attorney to step down from zoning committee

SWAMPSCOTT – A local attorney has stepped down from the Zoning By Law Review Committee after allegations of conflict of interest.
Attorney William DiMento confirmed Friday that he received a phone call a couple of weeks ago from the State Ethics Commission regarding his serving on the committee and he said he stepped down.
DiMento, who represents several businesses in the Humphrey Street area and who is a Town Meeting member, has been on the Zoning By Law Review Committee since its inception, said, “I do not believe there is a conflict of interest. Town Meeting members are exempt from the conflict of interest law in their role as a Town Meeting member. We have Town Meeting members voting on their own salaries.”
DiMento said he did not step down because he believes there is a conflict of interest but out of concern for the committee.
?I did not want to jeopardize the important work this committee is doing,” DiMento said. “But I would just as soon step aside as fight about it or have people cast aspersions on the important work the Zoning By Law Review Committee is doing.”
Calls to the State Ethics Committee were not immediately returned Friday.
Peter Spellios, who is a member of the Zoning By Law Review Committee, said DiMento’s expertise would be missed.
?Bill was a tremendous asset to the committee,” Spellios said. “He has 30 plus years of zoning experience and was a tremendous help.”
Spellios pointed out the Zoning By Law Committee holds public meetings and input from residents is more than welcome.
?It has always been an open and transparent process,” he said.
One member of the Zoning By Law Review Committee, who asked not to be identified, chalked the complaint up to small town politics.
?It’s ridiculous,” the committee member said. “All it takes to start an inquiry is an anonymous phone call to the Ethics Commission. In this town you would be hard pressed to find someone on a town committee without a conflict of interest. We have a lot of lawyers serving on a lot of committees and an attorney serving as moderator, who regularly goes before the Zoning Board of Appeals. “