Inspector general asked to take over Shenango probe

March 14, 2006

BY PAT LITOWITZ
PLITOWITZ@NCNEWSONLINE.COM

Shenango Township's housing rehabilitation program faces an investigation by the Pennsylvania Office of the Inspector General.

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development asked the inspector general to take over its probe involving the township. State Rep. Frank LaGrotta's office learned of that action through an e-mail Monday from the agency to the legislator.

A spokesman with the economic development department said he could not comment on the e-mail. Attempts to reach an inspector general's spokesman were unsuccessful.

Using community development block grant funds provided through the federal government, the township awards $12,000 grants to eligible low- and moderate-income residents.

LaGrotta's office fielded complaints from three township residents regarding the reportedly poor quality of work done by the program's contractors, Trover Construction and Glorioso Builders.

"The work (Trover Construction) did ... was described by the constituents as worse than substandard," LaGrotta wrote in a Oct. 6, 2005, letter to the department of community and economic development.

Sally DePrano, who lives on Cornell Avenue, claimed her newly installed roof leaked, resulting in damage to clothing stored in the top floor of her home. She also reported to LaGrotta's office that her home's windows weren't properly sealed and that her basement floor had been damaged.

Highview Drive resident Frances Suzow complained about improper window installation, while William Dolling of Princeton Avenue cited excessive work delays in addition to incomplete work and poor quality.

After a meeting with township inspector Robert Ratkovich and economic development department investigator Ernest J. Scutello, Dolling later retracted his statements to LaGrotta.

Dolling said there had been a misunderstanding.

Ratkovich, who serves as New Castle City Council president, is also Lawrence County Housing Authority maintenance superintendent and former consultant for Affordable Housing of Lawrence County.

"I couldn't comment on that," Ratkovich said Monday of the state investigation.

He added he was advised not to discuss issues involving the township housing program.

Attempts to reach township secretary Brian Tanner, who oversees the program for Shenango, were unsuccessful.

LaGrotta asked the economic development department to step in after receiving the complaints. However, he said, he became unhappy with its efforts when Scutello's review of the program addressed issues from 1998 to 2002, and not the problems LaGrotta had originally outlined.

"According to Mr. Scutello, the program has, in his words, 'a few compliance issues,' however he is confident that it is being run appropriately.

He added that 'Rob (Ratkovich) has cleaned things up.' "

Questioning the effectiveness of Scutello's investigation, LaGrotta forwarded his concerns about the Shenango program to Dennis Yablonsky, who is head of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and to the U.S. District Attorney's Office in Pittsburgh and the FBI.