The beach city of Harrisville needed the Department of Transportation to remove 10 oak trees from a median that was beginning to obstruct the view of drivers entering and leaving Smithfield Drive. City Council was prioritizing spending on police and fire protection and the Department didn’t have the equipment, manpower or time to address this request as there were countless other street maintenance issues needing attention. Summer was fast approaching and tourists brought in over a billion dollars into the local economy. The main arteries into the city needed guardrails, pot holes filled, and signage for all these visitors not familiar with the roads to ensure everyone’s safety.
You are the Fire Chief. Your elderly mother lives off of Smithfield Drive and, although you and family were making gestures to suggest it was time she stop driving, she ignored those conversations and continued to drive occasionally to the grocery store and beauty salon for much needed socializing with friends.
The firefighters at the fire station felt for you and one day, while off-duty, they went and cleared the median and took the wood to burn at their homes. They surprised you with a cord of wood for your fireplace, too.
The ethics laws of Harrisville prohibit personal use of city resources and actions that provide personal financial gain from public positions. Donald Hamilton, Executive Director of the Commission, calls you up and asks, “Where did all that wood come from in front of your garage?”
What do you say? Why?
