Candidates critical of city board and Gabriel

By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

Two school board candidates showered New Castle’s superintendent with criticism last night.

Board member Dr. Marilyn K. Berkely later joined John B. Rossi and Lynne Ryan in faulting George Gabriel’s professional and personal judgment. The comments came during the board’s regular meeting.

Complaints ranged from fiscal responsibility and the early learning center to district letterhead and open records compliance.

Rossi said Gabriel and the board failed to heed an ad-hoc committee’s recommendation against the creation of a $19 million early learning center on the Harry W. Lockley Kindergarten Center site.

“There was an uncertainty in the air and at those meetings regarding the financial future of the district’s state and federal subsidies,” the East Lutton Street resident said.

“We can see the committee was point on with our concerns in light of the recent development of Gov. (Tom) Corbett’s proposed educational budget.”

Gabriel said declining financial resources and student enrollment require the district consolidate its resources.

“This is very little financial benefit by abandoning the Lockley project in favor of the status quo. All of our district primary buildings are in need of comprehensive upgrades.”

APPROVED

The board originally rejected a $31 million renovation of George Washington Intermediate Elementary School and the creation of a kindergarten-through-second-grade facility.

When the district qualified for a $15 million, no-interest federal loan, the project’s scope was scaled. The Lockley renovation was approved in June 2010.

Rossi also related to the board that a letter appearing in The News, which called for change on the board, offended Gabriel.

“I did not mean for us to do away (with) all the good things that have been accomplished and continue to be accomplished in this district,” Rossi said of the exchange that occurred at a boys basketball game.

“Rather, the change that I hope for is the change in the ‘business-as-usual’ mentality that operates with many on this board as well as a change of faces on the board so that others can come forward to share their time and their talents for this district.”

Gabriel said he had asked Rossi for clarification.

“I see all the good things going on in this district,” the superintendent said. “When I asked you, ‘John, what change are you talking about?’ ... And I’m going to quote you. ‘Faces. Faces.’ That wasn’t an adequate answer.”

Rossi cited the early learning center and the 2007 sale of the former Ben Franklin Junior High as two examples of business as usual.

“I don’t know what went into (the sale of Ben Franklin),” he said.

“You’re admitting you don’t know what went into that,” Gabriel responded.

“Right.”

“But you want changes based on that.”

“Right.”

CHASTISE

Ryan, who lives on Highland Avenue, chastised the administration’s response to the open records request involving the city’s youth football program. Board member Barbara Razzano is suing the district for the organization’s records.

Ryan said the district provided a new batch of bank records from Huntington Bank on March 9. The records belong to board member Mark Kirkwood, who had assisted Red Hurricane head coach Frank Bongivengo in running operations for one season.

“I’m curious when you sought to obtain these documents,” she said. “Contrary to what you might believe, there is a slew of parents behind this that are very upset.”

Like Rossi, she said the district could not afford an early learning center. Her complaints extended to the delayed posting of records on the school system’s website and the district’s committee policy.

“If this district’s goal is to make a difference in the lives of our students, I think we can do a little bit better and make a little bit more positive influence and example,” she said. “Hopefully, we can protect the taxpayers’ money a little bit more prudently.”

DeROSA

Berkely then discussed former administrator Nicholas DeRosa, who pleaded guilty to federal charges involving mortgage fraud. Gabriel, business manager Joseph Ambrosini and Principal Debra A. DeBlasio each sent letters on DeRosa’s behalf to the federal judge hearing the case. District letterhead had been used in the correspondences.

“I would like to take this opportunity to state publicly that the opinions of our recent administrators regarding Mr. DeRosa are not shared by this board member,” she said. “In my view, it was a mistake to place personal opinions on official stationary ...

“We need to be ever mindful of the image we present to our students and our community.”

Gabriel said DeRosa has been a friend of 40 years.

“I am not here to defend him. I didn’t defend his actions in that letter and merely stated (my) opinion.

“Did I make a bad judgment using letterhead? You can say ‘Yes,’ but even at that it’s a weak argument. I never represented anyone on this board or in this community.”