Montour Superintendent Fined After Ethics Investigation

Superintendent Donald Boyer agreed to pay a $5,000 partial reimbursement to the district to settle a state ethics violation, according to a consent agreement made public this week. 

The Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission in 2011 began an investigation into the Pittsburgh-based Education Management Group's contracted role as the school district's business manager. Superintendent Boyer is one of five owners of the company,reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

After learning of the investigation, Boyer wrote a personal check for $8,600 to the company, meant as a refund of two months worth of payments to him for consulting services performed under the company's contract with the district, the newspaper reports. 

The Education Management Group then wrote a check in the same amount back to the district, intended as reimbursement for work done by Boyer on behalf of the company. But Boyer instructed district employees to return the check to EMG, which kept the money.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review quotes ethics commission executive director John Contino: 

"What we're saying is the use of the authority of office by Superintendent Boyer, which resulted in a financial benefit to his company, is a transgression of state ethics law," he said.

Boyer was not found to be in violation in connection to the original investigation, the Trib reports. Boyer, who was hired as superintendent in September 2010, was only serving as acting superintendent, a contract position, at the time the district entered into its contract with EMG earlier that year.