The board of the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit # 19 met for the first time Tuesday night since its former executive director was indicted on federal charges.
Fred Rosetti is accused of bilking thousands from the special education organization, which is funded by tax dollars.
At the meeting the board promised it is reviewing policies and said it is working to prevent this from happening again.
There was only one person to speak during public comment at the board meeting for the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit # 19, but Archbald resident Victor Bolcavage said a mouthful.
“The federal bureau of investigation came up in here and right away we have got an indictment of an alleged crime that`s been going on for years,” said Bolcavage.
This was the first meeting for the NEIU board since the federal indictment of its former executive director Fred Rosetti.
“I don`t have the paperwork of everything he did wrong but boy somebody`s not doing their job,” said Bolcavage.
Last week, a federal grand jury indicted Rosetti, charging him with stealing thousands from the NEIU between 1998 and 2010, while Rosetti served as head of the public special education organization.
Bolcavage took task with the board for allowing Rosetti to get away with these crimes for so long.
The board acknowledged it does hold itself responsible.
“We do look at ourselves and say did we miss something?” said board president Alvin Hollister. “We rely on those people who are entrusted to that position to do their job and if these allegations are true then something slipped through the cracks.”
Rosetti is accused of using NEIU money on himself and his family.
Federal investigators say Rosetti took trips to Ireland, Italy and Florida without taking time off from work, resulting in a $600,000 payout of unused vacation time for Rosetti when he left the NEIU.
Rosetti is also accused of using NEIU employees on personal and family errands.
In light of the allegations, board members say they are looking at the way things are run at the NEIU, starting with the top position.
“If there`s any employee that believes that I`ve been engaged in wrong doing, that`s executive director, the head of the organization” said current executive director Clarence Lamanna. “Then what that person can do is go to the president of our board and have a discussion, say this is what I think is going on.”
NEIU # 19 provides special education to school districts in several counties, including Lackawanna County.
