Port Washington Schools are once again associated with a building construction fiasco. A few years ago our school district was embroiled in a lawsuit with Lapeka Construction in which the school district lost substantial sums of money. This week, Nassau County DA Denis Dillon, indicted Frank Labriola, in part for a Weber Middle School construction project. Labriola filed fraudulent certified payroll documents with our school district. Before the news of this indictment broke, the only school board members who showed any concern about Labriola's paperwork were Richard Sussman and Jon Zimmerman.

Our school district's architect, Ralph Ottiano approved Labriola's incomplete construction invoices. They were then forwarded to the business director, Larry Blake, and the facility manager for approval and payment. The Board of Education, other than Sussman and Zimmerman, had no intention of inspecting any paperwork. When Sussman brought the issue of insufficient paperwork to the attention of Dr. Inserra and other board members, he was greeted with contempt. The Board of Education, other than Sussman and Zimmerman, answered the question of incomplete paperwork by stating that they rely on the administration, the architect, and consultants to manage projects. They distance themselves from details, and have total confidence in the oversight. After days of review, the Board of Education's attorney finally agreed that the paperwork was incomplete. Obviously, the school district's oversight does not work because we are once again linked to a construction fiasco.

The Board of Education members, who resist oversight, hire "professional" consultants when they feel inadequate. In 1998, they hired Bill Day of KBD, an educational facilities consulting firm. In 1987, Bill Day pled guilty in federal court to one count of violating the federal tax codes, and to one count of extortion.

Are we as a town, still comfortable with this BOE's choice of oversight; namely architects, consultants, and contractors for the forthcoming major facility project to the tune of $85.6 million?

The ideas of Sussman and Zimmerman are routinely dismissed and ignored by the other BOE members, despite Sussman's years of school construction experience, and the lack of such experience by the rest of the board. Some parents feel that Sussman's observations are a break in rank, and will somehow derail the upcoming bond. Squandered construction monies will not benefit children.

Herbert Cohen