News

November 1, 2009

FBI looking into records at Crestwood

By Sherry Long slong@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

Crestwood School District is the latest district whose records have been investigated in the ongoing school corruption probe throughout the county.

The FBI subpoenaed records in late May relating to financial interests of school board members, school district officials and paperwork related to painting, paint removal and carpet work done at the Crestwood School District between 2004 and this year, Superintendent Dave McLaughlin-Smith, board members and board solicitor Jack Dean confirmed Saturday.

The subpoena didn’t specifically ask for contracts or invoices from a specific company, but rather all the districts’ records relating to those types of work, McLaughlin-Smith said.

Copies of two invoices show Crestwood School District was billed $51,780 to King Glass and Paint of Swoyersville in 2005 for carpeting at Rice and Fairview elementary schools.

King Glass owner Richard Emanski of Harveys Lake agreed to plead guilty in federal court in mid-October to providing and installing free carpeting in the home of an undisclosed Wilkes-Barre Area School board member in order to get work for his business. Emanski is the 18th person charged in the on-going corruption probe.

McLaughlin-Smith did not say anything for five months because he was asked by the FBI to keep the visit quiet, Dean said.

“We were always honest. If anyone had asked us (about the FBI visit), we would have told them, but nobody ever asked the question,” Dean said.

No member of the board or McLaughlin-Smith have been requested to testify before the federal grand jury in Scranton, Dean said.

Dean said his initial reaction was the subpoena might have been a mistake because he couldn’t recall King Glass ever doing any work at the district, where he has served as solicitor since 2003.

The copies of the invoices were printed on the same date of Aug. 12, 2005, but there are two separate orders for the work on July 6 and Aug. 2, 2005.

Both invoices were approved and signed by then-superintendent Richard Duffy. McLaughlin-Smith began his superintendent duties in 2007; he served as assistant superintendent during Duffy’s tenure. Duffy did not return calls Saturday seeking comment.

The first invoice, dated July 6, 2005, shows carpet was to be installed in the entrance, hall areas, library, and office in Rice Elementary for a total of $26,890. The other invoice, dated Aug. 2, 2005, showed carpet was to be installed in the entrance, office and library of Fairview Elementary for a total of $26,890.

The two invoices are identical, expect for the order dates, invoice numbers and names of the salesmen.

The fact that both invoices were for the same amount was not strange to McLaughlin-Smith.

Price for carpeting in both buildings would likely be similar, if not identically the same, because both buildings have the exact same floor plan and square footage, McLaughlin-Smith said.

Each invoice has a $1,000 deduction, making the total costs $25,890 for each bill. There is no notation on either invoice detailing why $1,000 would be deducted.

McLaughlin-Smith said he did not know why there the $1,000 was subtracted from each bill.

Contacted at home Saturday afternoon, McLaughlin-Smith could not recall without looking at the actual contracts whether the work was bid out, quotes were received or if the district made the purchase as part of the state-buying program, Pennsylvania Education Joint Purchasing Council.

School districts and cities, that are members of the council, can purchase some items ranging from carpet to modular buildings to sports tracks knowing they are receiving the lowest price available because the other council members have already bid out the work and share their bid prices with all other members.

With carpet installation work done elsewhere, Emanski’s company has installed carpet after the materials were purchased from Shaw Industries, which participates in the state-buying program.

Dean also didn’t know if the work was bid out or if the district received quotes for the work.

“We’ve had different issues where we’ve had companies come in and do things. I’m sorry, without going back and looking at the files, I just don’t remember,” Dean said.

King Glass has done work over the years for several other area school districts that are under FBI investigation, including Pittston Area, Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center and Wilkes-Barre Area. The work ranged from installing carpeting to painting.

The subpoena didn’t ask for contracts or invoices from a specific company, but rather all the districts’ records relating to those types of work.

Sherry Long, a staff writer, can be reached at 829-7159.

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