Federal Investigation of Schools

By Mark Guydish mguydish@timesleader.com
Education Reporter
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WILKES-BARRE – The current FBI probe into Wilkes-Barre+Area+School+District%22>Wilkes-Barre Area School District hiring practices and construction supply purchases may be the most sweeping investigation to hit the district in memory, but it’s not the first.

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In 2003, the state attorney general launched an investigation into election law violations by a campaign committee representing several Wilkes-Barre Area board members. That probe began after The Times Leader sought receipts for thousands of dollars in election spending by four board members and their campaign treasurer, Ralph Scoda, who was also the district business manager at the time. They could not produce the receipts.

The four board members at the time – James Atherton, Owen Costello, Joseph Moran and Barbara Youngblood – were each given $900 by the Progress in Education Committee on Dec. 23, 1999, according to campaign finance documents filed with Luzerne County Voter Services.

Those forms described the disbursements only as “campaign expenses.”

State law requires candidates to keep receipts for three years for expenditures larger than $25. No receipts were produced. Further research by The Times Leader ultimately found that $80,805 spent by 11 current and former school board members at the time was not properly accounted for in state-mandated paperwork.

All those candidates had been involved with the Progress in Education Committee.

Brian Dunn, who is currently on the board, was also represented by two other committees and had failed to file required reports for money spent in several elections.

The state probe ended in 2004 with Scoda entering into Luzerne County’s accelerated rehabilitation disposition program as a result of failing to produce receipts for $4,500 disbursed to five board members.

The case did not affect Scoda’s employment.

He continued to serve as business manager until his retirement last year.

Mark Guydish, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7161