A look back at the career of a former Marion Town Administrator

Dec 31, 2019

MARION — Ray Pickles, longtime Marion town administrator, town clerk and executive director of the Carver Marion Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District, died Dec. 20, just days after he turned 86. 

Pickles’ early afternoon death, from congestive heart failure, will likely bring to an end some of the legal issues faced by the waste district, which effectively ended his public career by firing him and charging him with embezzlement in 2017.

Pickles began his long career in public administration with Marion in 1972, when he was brought on board as town administrator. 

A year later, he was named director of the newly formed waste district. The district formed to allow its three member towns to jointly contract with the SEMASS waste-to-energy facility in Rochester for disposal of trash.

Pickles retired from his position as Marion town administrator in 2001. In that same year, he began work as administrator for the town of Gosnold at the tip of the Elizabeth Islands. In that and his district work, he was a contract employee through Moss Hollow Management, a company owned by Pickles and his wife Diana Bondi-Pickles.

Continuing with Marion public service, Pickles sat on the Marion Board of Assessors.

He was appointed Marion Town Clerk in 2006, when his predecessor resigned mid-term. He won the election for the position in 2007, and held it uncontested for ten years.

In 2017 he faced an unsuccessful challenge by former Planning Board member Jay Ryder — but that was after waste district problems had come to light.

That year, Pickles brought a $25,000 bill to Marion for the services that the waste district had provided to the town -- and unusually large bills to Wareham and Carver. The surprise charges prompted an investigation by the three towns. After uncovering multiple irregularities, the district’s board fired Moss Hollow Management and Pickles.

In July of 2018, the district filed a civil lawsuit against Pickles for fraud and allegedly embezzling more than $800,000. Also named in the lawsuit were retired Carver Health Agent Robert Tinkham for allegedly conspiring with Pickles to take $262,000 and Bondi-Pickles, who was charged with one count of fraud. 

In March 2019, the state’s Attorney General and Office of the Inspector General indicted Pickles for six counts of larceny in an amount of $675,000. That case was still in the hearing stage at the time of the defendant’s death.

In April, Selectmen sent a letter to Pickles, asking that he resign as Town Clerk. 

When he did not respond, Town Meeting took action in May, stripping Pickles of his $19,493 Town Clerk salary, and making position appointed by the Board of Selectmen.

In September, Pickles resigned as Town Clerk, citing deteriorating health. 

His death will likely result in dismissal of criminal charges.

While none of those involved in either the criminal or civil actions would comment at this time, civil action — which seeks restitution of the funds allegedly stolen by the defendants — could go forward, with the source of funds being Pickles’ estate.

 Bartlett Funeral Home in Plymouth is handling his arrangements.