SCOOL BOARD ATTORNEY ADMITS TAMPERING WITH SUPERINTENDENT HIRING PROCESS; BOARD MEMBERS WANT FEDERAL INVESTIGATION

CORRUPT SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY
GUS MOUNTANOS

CORRUPT SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT
LEN SARVER

CORRUPT SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
JUDITH JOHNSON

Mount Vernon Exposed has learned that a complaint was filed with the United States Attorney’s office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the 2^nd Department Grievance committee regarding corruption and criminality involving school board attorney Gus Mountanos. 

Gus Mountanos is an unscrupulous attorney that works for the law firm Ingerman Smith, LLP.  Mount Vernon Exposed previously revealed that Gus Mountanos in cahoots with school board President Len Sarver and Interim School Superintendent Judith Johnson, intentionally tampered with the hiring and contract negotiations of Superintendent of Schools and Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds.  These three individuals, through a series of manipulative events, tainted the process so they can bring in persons that were favorable to them and their political allies.  The strategic placement of central office personell by these three individuals would ensure that millions would continue to flow from the school district and into companies and persons of their choosing. 

News of tampering with the hiring for key positions at the Board of Education came to light last week during an executive session meeting with Board members.  Gus appeared to try to get ahead of the scandal by coming clean with board members, but it was already to late as some board members had already contacted law enforcement authorities demanding an investigation into Gus Mountanos and the law firm Ingerman, Smith, LLP. about the way contract negotiations were handled for the Superintendent of Schools and the Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds positions. 

Gus Mountanos has been covering up the corruption in the Mount Vernon School district on orders from Interim School Superintendent Judith Johnson and School Board President Len Sarver. 

Taxpayers are also on the hook because the law firm of Ingerman Smith has been recklessly billing taxpayers for fees that  are totally unnecessary.  To add insult to injury Ingerman, Smith and Gus Mountanos is refusing to turn over documents in response to F.O.I.L. requests, a violation of New York State law.  It is standard practice for Ingerman Smith to send a team of 3-4 attorneys to everyboard meeting.  Taxpayers are billed at a rate of close to $300 per hour per attorney.  Board meetings typically last anywhere from 4-8 hours,  3-4 times per month. 

The reckless billing of Mount Vernon taxpayers by Ingerman Smith began when they took over the F.O.I.L. process from central office, a moved that has angered School Board Trustee Brenda Crump.   Trustee Crump is a victim to the shenanigans of Ingerman Smith. 

The takeover of the F.O.I.L. process by Ingerman Smith ensured that the money would continue flowing out of the door and into the pockets of unscrupulous cronies.  Ingerman Smith would also use legal tactics to refuse to hand over public documents that shows how taxpayer’s monies are spent. 

School Board Trustee Brenda Crump was repeatedly told that as a sitting Trustee that she could not have direct access to documents.  Trustee Crump was told that she had to file a F.O.I.L. request with the school district for the documents she was seeking.  It would then take months before Trustee Crump would receive said documents and not before having to address the board as a member of the public at a public school board meeting. 

Gus Mountanos and Ingerman Smith saw the takeover of the F.O.I.L. process as an additional revenue stream.  There would be additional man-hours needed to handle the voluminous F.O.I.L. requests.  The additional hours would be billed to taxpayers at a rate of $250.00 per hour. 

There were four candidates for superintendent that made the final cut.  Out of those candidates, board members voted to hire Mr. Robert Wayne Harris as the next Superintendent of Schools.  Gus Mountanos was then ordered to send out a contract and start the negotiation process.  Gus Mountanos started the process out with bad intentions. 

Gus Mountanos offered Robert Wayne Harris $230K for the job.  Interim School Superintendent Judith Johnson currently rakes in $265K per year.  Why would Gus Mountanos offer a new candidate a much lower salary than what is currently being paid?   This is just one of the tampering tactics that Gus Mountanos used to try to get Robert Wayne Harris from taking the job in the district. 

The status quo, Interim Superintendent Judith Johnson, School Board President Len Sarver, Mayor Davis and others want Richard Tomko as the next Superintendent.  Having Tomko is place would ensure that the gravy train would continue to run without any detours. 

Just last month School Board Frances Wynn suffered a stroke and was hospitalized.  Sources have told Mount Vernon Exposed that Wynn’s family members having been putting pressure on Wynn to resign citing her health issues.  Wynn is the sister-in-law of Mount Vernon Mayor Ernie Davis. 

While Wynn may not becoming back because of her health issues, Gus and the Ingerman Smith law firm issued an opinion and gave a directive that it is ok for Trustee Wynn to vote via Skype.  How is that for ethics? Trustee Wynn may not be of sound mind but Gus feels the need to ok her to vote via Skype.  The corruption never ends. 

Gus admitted to Board members that he “told” Robert Wayne Harris’ attorney about “Mount Vernon Exposed” and “Samuel L. Rivers”.  Just exactly what Gus “told” Mr. Harris’ attorney is unknown, but sources familiar with the investigation told Mount Vernon Exposed that Gus mentioned that Mr. Harris is going to be written about on the blogs, so therefore he shouldn’t take the job.  This was all done to keep Mr. Harris away and get Gus’ guy Tomko in the door.  Sources have told Mount Vernon Exposed the Mr. Tomko was seen in recent at central office walking around with Judith Johnson as she was introducing him as the next Superintendent of Schools.

Gus has subsequently been removed from all future negotiations with any Superintendent candidates, however the damage has already been done.  Taxpayers cannot be made whole until Gus and his law firm Ingerman Smith is prosecuted for the crimes they committed against the City of Mount Vernon taxpayers.

All of these events could not be possible without a majority of the Board of Trustee voting in favor.  Trustee Rosemarie Jarosz, who is considered a swing vote on the Board, appears to be heading in the direction of School Board Trustee Len Sarver and his corrupt cronies.  Trustee Jarosz admitted publicly that Trustee Sarver called her and tried to get her to change her vote to approve a position for Renee Davis, daughter of Mayor Ernie Davis.  It was later discovered that Renee Davis was not even qualified for the position and a subsequent investigation revealed that Renee Davis has issues with her temper and lost cost several times in the classroom in front of students. 

It is appears that Sarver is up to his old tricks again.  Sarver has been bragging to members of the public and fellow board members that Trustee Jarosz is in his pocket and she will vote whatever way he tells her to.  It is appears that Trustee Jarosz is rapidly loosing her creditability as an independent thinker. 

To be continued……….