Peabody ZBA Vice Chairman Resigns Over Bartholomew Street Land Deal

The Salem News reports that Peabody Zoning Board of Appeals Vice Chairman resigned over a recently Bartholomew Street land deal.  Paul Ruocco, a vice president at Cambridge Savings Bank, purchased 98 Bartholomew Street in Peabody in March 2010.  A month later, he received approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals to divide the property into two lots – one to build a home for himself and, according to meeting minutes, one to build a home for his in-laws.

Instead, in June, Ruocco sold one of the parcels to his mother-in-law, who on the same day sold the property to a third party, Roger Barile, a local builder.  Over the summer, an unsigned complaint was sent to Mayor Michael Bonfanti, who asked City Solicitor John Christopher to look into the matter.

According to Christopher, "What we saw on paper, it just didn't look good,"  In late August, Mayor Bonfanti invited Ruocco to meet with him and Christopher, and during their conversation, Ruocco offered his resignation.

Read the entire Salem News article.