Rep. Jake Auchincloss talks Social Security, housing in Fall River
U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss met constituents in Fall River, where he talked about everything from DEI to Trump to Social Security.
- Former Fall River city administrator Seth Aitken resigned his position suddenly on Feb. 28.
- According to public records, Aitken helped file incorporation papers for a city official who later became head of EMS.
- Aitken said he did not treat the official differently, but acknowledged it may have caused the appearance of a conflict of interest, and resigned.
- The EMS billing business did not materialize, and Aitken said he did not benefit from it financially or have any financial interest in it.
FALL RIVER — The abrupt resignation of former city administrator Seth Aitken came after officials raised concerns that Aitken helped file business incorporation papers for a city EMS official who had planned to start a business.
Through a public records request, The Herald News obtained paperwork relative to an “internal, unofficial investigation” of Aitken that took place recently.
Included in the records were two incorporation documents from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office, dated April 9, 2024.
The businesses being incorporated were Curos Holdings LLC and Curos Billing and Compliance LLC, both managed by Nicholas Silva, an employee of the city’s emergency medical services department. The latter business, according to the incorporation document, was created to “perform billing, collection, and consulting services for health care providers, including but not limited to emergency medical service (EMS) organizations.”
Aitken filed the incorporation papers and is listed as the corporations’ registered agent. A registered agent is a point of contact to whom the government and other entities can serve legal documents.
Silva was appointed the city’s chief of EMS later that year in November. A website for Curos Billing and Compliance is currently defunct, and the company evidently never materialized. A cached version of its website describes the kind of work the business would have performed, including management of ambulance service billing, auditing to ensure compliance with legal regulations, supply procurement for ambulances, and grant management.
Coogan: No evidence of financial dealings
In an interview Tuesday, Aitken told The Herald News he filed the paperwork for Silva as a courtesy, since he is an attorney and familiar with the incorporation process, but said he was not part of any potential business dealings or involved financially.
Mayor Paul Coogan, contacted Wednesday, said he did not believe any money changed hands between the two and that no clients were ever obtained.
Still, Aitken said, though he did not treat Silva differently afterward, given his position as city administrator with oversight over Silva, he decided to step away from the job rather than have an investigation cause further distraction.
“I had prepared some documents and agreed to be the registered agent for a friend who wanted to start a company. I never had any financial interest or expectation from the company or any decision-making ability in the company. But my doing that certainly created the perception or possible appearance of a conflict that should’ve been avoided,” Aitken said.
“Even though there’s nothing that I did differently in light of my assistance to Mr. Silva, I think at the end of the day, the appearance exists and I shouldn’t have allowed it to exist. And I feel bad that it did create, and could’ve created even more of a distraction for the administration, who I think is working hard to do good work for the residents of Fall River.”
Coogan agreed with how Aitken characterized the situation.
“This was an idea that ran away from them. Even ideas can get you in trouble, and I think that that’s what happened,” Coogan said.
What happens next: ‘I wish this never happened’
Aitken joined the city’s law team in May 2021 as assistant corporation counsel. He was unanimously approved by the City Council in January 2022, and was given a two-year contract as city administrator with a salary of $130,000.
Aitken has said he would return to private law practice.
“Seth did a good job,” Coogan said. “I wish this never happened, to tell you the truth. I really do.”
