News

December 2, 2009

N.Y. firm’s work ‘waste of money’

N.Y. firm’s work ‘waste of money’

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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Luzerne County Solicitor Vito DeLuca said he has received some of the background checks done by a New York company that’s under federal investigation, and these checks lack detail and, in some instances, were completed after the employees were hired.

“To me it appears to be a ridiculous waste of money. I don’t know how else to describe it,” DeLuca said.

The company – Long Island-based B & M Investigations – was paid $55,000 for background checks and to prepare a pre-employment procedure report. This report, which cost taxpayers $35,000, has not been located.

The company is owned by William Grub, who has repeatedly refused to return messages. A man with the same name oversees security at the New York City timeshare used by some county officials and employees who visited the city.

DeLuca said he received documents Tuesday indicating that many of the background checks performed for the prison were completed after the workers had been hired.

“These were supposed to be pre-employment background checks,” DeLuca said. “Many of them were done months after they were hired.”

The background checks often lacked depth, he said.

“Any member of the public could go online and pull up the same information,” DeLuca said. “I don’t know what we were paying for.”

DeLuca said he will prepare a report of his findings.

Federal officials have subpoenaed records about B & M’s work in the county.

Both Grub and Commissioner Greg Skrepenak signed B & M’s county contract, but Skrepenak said he did not know that Grub was affiliated with the company.

DeLuca has found an Oct. 23, 2006 e-mail from Grub to former county human resources director Doug Richards containing two documents – a company letterhead and a blank invoice. DeLuca questioned why Richards would have either document. Companies normally complete invoices themselves on their company letterhead detailing the work that was performed for the county in order to receive payment.

Richards, who could not be reached for comment, was fired Nov. 18 for refusing to answer questions about the county’s use of another company with a New York address.

The prison now does its own background checks.

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