A local elected official has paid an $8,000 fine and more than $10,000 in restitution after he accepted free work on his home’s walkways, steps and porch due to his official position in town.

Holbrook Select Board member William Watkins has paid an $8,000 civil penalty and $10,900 in restitution to a local mason for violating the conflict of interest law, according to the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission.

Two years ago, Watkins mentioned the poor condition of his home’s steps and walkways to a fellow Select Board member — who later texted him that he could get Watkins’ “stairs done for free.” Watkins replied to that text with a thumbs-up emoji.

Watkins’ colleague then asked a local mason to check out Watkins’ steps and walkways, and the mason installed new steps and walkways.

Watkins and the mason did not discuss the cost of the work before or during the work.

“As the only significant relationship between Watkins and the other Select Board member was serving together on the Select Board, Watkins knew or had reason to know when he received the mason’s work without paying for it that he was receiving it for free due to his official position,” the Ethics Commission wrote.

Then last April as local rumors swirled, and following the advice of another Select Board member, Watkins called the State Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Division to self-report the incident. Watkins told the Ethics Commission that he had “inadvertently accepted a valuable gift.”

Watkins then reached out to the mason for an invoice. Watkins replied to the mason that he would need some time to pay close to $10,000.

The mason directed him to pay what he could “for now,” and indicated he could pay the remainder later.

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Watkins still had not paid the mason by this past April, and the Commission launched adjudicatory proceedings against Watkins.

The $10,900 in restitution agreed to in the disposition agreement was delivered to the mason last week.

By accepting the free work on his home steps, porch, and walkways, Watkins violated the conflict of interest law’s ban against public employees soliciting or receiving anything worth $50 or more that is given to them for or because of their official positions.

“Being a public official does not entitle one to receive for free valuable goods and services that others must pay for,” State Ethics Commission Executive Director David Wilson said in a statement. “The law is clear that public employees must not seek or accept valuable free goods or services given to them because of their official positions.”