Mayor Bouley Ignores Conflict of Interests Laws

With the recent revelation of Mayor Jim Bouley’s long-term financial relationship with downtown developer Steve Duprey it appears that our mayor may have violated the city charter, council rules, and the code of ethics.

This relationship dates back to early 2008 when the mayor’s lobbying film, Dennehy & Bouley, moved into a building owned by Duprey, thus establishing a tenant-landlord financial relationship between Bouley and Duprey.

Since that time, Duprey has had substantial business dealings with the city and the council. At no time did Bouley publicly disclose this financial relationship, nor remove himself from actions affecting Duprey.

Bouley appears to have violated the Concord city charter, section 53: “Official Interest in Contracts: No elective or appointive officer or employee of the City shall take part in a decision concerning the business of the City in which the officer or employee has a financial interest aside from salary as such, direct or indirect, greater than any other citizen or taxpayer.”

Does the mayor have a direct or indirect financial interest in his landlord’s dealings with the city? Since his landlord has control over Bouley’s rent and other terms of the financial agreement concerning his business offices, the answer would appear to be yes. The fact that Duprey is a major downtown developer—and a major Republican activist that might send Republican clients to Bouley’s lobbying firm—makes this relationship even more of a conflict.

Bouley and Duprey—like many people accused of having a conflict of interest—say that there is no conflict because they haven’t benefited improperly from this relationship. But it is the relationship itself, not whether someone has benefited improperly from it, which creates a conflict of interest. There is clearly a financial relationship between tenent and landlord, or Bouley and Duprey.

Conflict of interest laws exist for the public good—to promote transparency and fiscal responsibility, to prevent inside deals and corruption, and to avoid lengthy investigations to determine if someone has benefited improperly from such relationships. 

It appears that Duprey has benefited from Bouley’s actions. A detailed Concord Monitor article from Jan. 24, 2010 (“Closing the Deal”) describes how Bouley, as mayor, joined Duprey in behind-the-scenes lobbying of state legislators to amend a 2009 bill that resulted in Duprey receiving an anticipated million dollar plus tax break for his South Main St. development.

There is no mention in council minutes of Bouley receiving authorization to do such lobbying and to involve city officers in his efforts. If Bouley was acting without council authorization he would have violated his limited mayoral powers and violated city charter section 27: Noninterference by the City Council. “The City Council shall act in all matters as a body. Members of the Council shall not seek individually to influence the official acts of the City Manager, or any other officer…”

In addition to possible charter violations, the mayor appears to have violated Section 6A of the City Council rules, which states: “No Councilor shall introduce, speak on or vote on any motion, ordinance, resolution or issue in which he/she has an interest, direct or indirect, apart from his/her own compensation as Councilor.”

Many times over the past four years, the mayor has acted upon issues involving his landlord. Most recently, Bouley appointed Duprey chairman of the Main Street committee. Recommendations by this committee will effect downtown for years to come. 

One could argue that downtown developer Duprey has his own conflict of interest chairing a committee that will impact downtown development. But it was the mayor—who should be well aware of the rules and who should avoid such conflicts—who appointed Duprey to this crucial position.

As someone who has been on the council for many years, and who has been mayor since 2007, Bouley should exemplify adherence to the city charter and rules which he swore to uphold. He has failed to do so.

When the Bouley/Duprey relationship was disclosed by the press it was reported that Bouley would discuss the relationship at the start of the recent council public hearing on Main Street redesign. Some wondered whether Bouley would apologize and recuse himself from action involving Duprey’s committee report.

But at the Nov. 26 meeting Bouley again failed to publicly mention the relationship.

Not only did Bouley give Duprey the first and last word at the public hearing, Bouley voted to accept his landlord’s committee report on the Main Street redesign project.

For over four years, Mayor Bouley failed to disclose his financial relationship with a major downtown developer. Now that the press has revealed to the public what he would not, he refuses to acknowledge any conflict of interest and acts as if the city charter and rules do not apply to him.

Mayor Bouley should not be above the law.