BOSTON (WHDH) - Members of Boston’s Zoning Board of Appeals and project applicants will have to adhere to stricter ethical standards following a $50,000 bribery scandal last year.
Mayor Martin J. Walsh signed an executive order requiring stronger financial and ethical disclosures for board members and applicants, as well as more training for board members, at a press conference Monday. The new rules go into effect immediately.
Former City Hall staffer John Lynch was sentenced to 40 months in prison last month after being convicted of accepting $50,000 in bribes from a real estate developer.
“To be effective in this role and maintain public confidence, the board must operate with the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and accessibility,” Walsh said Monday. “We want to use this moment as an opportunity to strengthen our board and to take away any potential conflicts that could be there.”
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