Former GNBVT guidance director pays $10,000 state penalty for conflict of interest
BOSTON - Heather Larkin, former Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School guidance and pupil personnel services director, has paid a $10,000 civil penalty for violating the conflict of interest law.
Larkin contracted with her friend and business partner to provide services to the school, using the school’s resources to promote her private business event, and through other actions, according to a press release from the state Ethics Commission.
Larkin signed a disposition agreement in which she admitted the violations and waived her right to a hearing, according to the release.
Developed a friendship with a consultant
In 2021, Larkin developed a friendship with a professional mental performance coach for athletes, referred to in the disposition agreement as “the consultant.”
In January 2022, as guidance director, Larkin drafted and signed a $10,000 contract for the consultant to provide a mental performance coaching program to GNBVT student-athletes from January through June 2022, then approved payments to the consultant.
As guidance director, Larkin participated in selecting students to attend the consultant’s program, including Larkin’s son, according to the release.
Used school photos to promote summit
In March 2022, Larkin founded a private business, All In Consulting and Mental Performance Coaching LLC.
The following month, Larkin and the consultant formed a business partnership to share costs and anticipated profits from a mental performance summit they planned to co-host in August 2022.
At Larkin’s request, GNBVT’s athletic director sent an email promoting the summit to a listserv email management program of approximately 500 student-athletes and/or parents.
Larkin posted photos of GNBVT student-athletes in their school uniforms on the All In Instagram account promoting the summit. She also posted flyers promoting the summit on the official GNBVT Guidance Department Instagram account, which she managed.
Placed on leave on June 15, 2022
After forming the private business partnership with the consultant to co-host the summit, Larkin, as GNBVT guidance director, drafted and signed a new contract to renew the mental performance coaching consultant’s services with the school. The new contract doubled the consultant’s fee to $20,000, according to the release.
Larkin was placed on leave from GNBVT on June 15, 2022. Larkin and the consultant co-hosted the mental performance summit on Aug. 3, 2022, for which they did not charge the previously planned entrance fee and from which they did not earn a profit. Larkin resigned from GNBVT in June 2023.
As part of the agreed terms of her resignation, Larkin received her full GNBVT pay and benefits for the period June 15, 2022, when she was placed on leave, through June 30, 2023, according to the release.
Conflict of interest law violations
The conflict of interest law prohibits municipal employees from participating officially in matters in which they, their immediate families, or business partners have a financial interest. Larkin violated this prohibition by, as GNBVT guidance director, contracting with and approving payments to her business partner, the consultant, according to the release.
The conflict of interest law also prohibits public employees from using or attempting to use their official positions to obtain valuable privileges or benefits for themselves or others that are not properly available to them, according to the release.
Larkin violated this prohibition by using her GNBVT guidance director position to promote her private business event through the use of the school’s student-athlete listserv, the GNBVT Guidance Department Instagram account, and images of GNBVT student-athletes in their school uniforms, according to the release.
Additionally, the conflict of interest law prohibits public employees from acting in a manner that would cause a reasonable person to conclude that they can be unduly influenced by anyone or are likely to act with favoritism toward anyone in their official actions.
Larkin violated this prohibition by participating as GNBVT guidance director in contracting with her personal friend, the consultant, and by participating in her son’s selection to participate in the consultant’s program, according to the release. Larkin did not disclose her personal connections to either matter to the superintendent before participating.
Larkin addresses 'unfortunate situation:' did not select her son, program 'amazing'
Asked for comment, Larkin said, "I think the entire situation was very unfortunate. I think the information provided was vague and not very specific. I don't believe that the Ethics Commission really looked at the facts of the matter because I was not friends with that individual that they mentioned when I met her. Did we become friendly as she was working with my students? Yes. The reason for the increased contract was because we were expanding the program from about 29 students to probably over 50 students. I did not choose my son. His football coach and school counselor chose him because he met the criteria for the program."
She added, "All of the contracts were approved by the business office at Greater New Bedford Voke Tech. I did not do any of this behind the scenes. What people might not know about the Ethics Commission is that it's not really guilt. It is what a reasonable person might interpret. I don't know how many coaches across the country who have their children playing on their team and then they're starting or teachers that have their children in the school who get them involved in the drama club. Did I want my son in the program? Yes, I did because it was amazing. But it was not my decision."
The press release states that the Commission encourages public employees to contact its Legal Division at 617-371-9500 for free advice if they have any questions regarding how the conflict of interest law may apply to them.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Former Greater New Bedford Regional Voc Tech official pays $10K penalty