Pocono News Section

School District Probe

School District Probe - Friday, April 17, 2009 at 12:23PM EST

PITTSTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- Pittston Area School Board members and administrators were open with us about the federal case against Superintendent Ross Scarantino. District Principal George Cosgrove said "He's always been extremely pro-student, pro-Pittston area and you couldn't ask for better representation of our district.
Scarantino was charged Thursday morning.
It's alleged the veteran educator took thousands of dollars in exchange for district contracts.
"It's alleged, okay, he's not tried and convicted yet." said Board Director Martin Quinn.
Eyewitness news obtained a copy of minutes from a February, 2008, school board meeting.
Contracts from that time period, and as far back as 2004 are being reviewed by the F-B-I according to court documents.
Board member Bob Linskey said he saw plenty of red flags, but says he was stonewalled. "We should not have awarded no-bid contracts to anyone. There's no reason to do that. That's a way to steer business to friends and associated."
Linskey said the contracts dealing with carpeting and a security system approached a million dollars in value.
Also in school board minutes were complaints from the public about chronic nepotism in the district.
The minutes show board member Joseph Oliveri had as many as six relatives working somewhere in the district.
Oliveri did not return repeated calls for comment.
It's said to be part of the F-B-I's ongoing investigation.