(10/14/09) FT. LAUDERDALE, FL – The Broward County School Board is planning to create an oversight committee of outsiders to review the board’s practices after being rocked by the arrest of a school board member on federal corruption charges.
After it was revealed that suspended school board member Beverly Gallagher allegedly took bribes in exchange for her support of and throwing her weight in favor of bidders on school construction projects, the school superintendent, Jim Notter, proposed the creation of a watchdog committee of three to five “highly respected” members of the community.
Another member of the school board, Stephanie Kraft, has now also come under scrutiny from the Miami Herald which reported today that her husband, Mitch Kraft, an attorney, worked for a company owned by one of the most influential lobbyists before the school board, Neil Sterling. The federal probe into Gallager’s alleged conduct is also looking at Gallagher’s relationship with Sterling, who also happens to be one of the biggest donors to the campaigns of many of the current school board members.
The claims against Gallagher include trying to direct a school renovation project worth nearly $70 million to James B. Pirtle Construction, a Davie-based contractor and one of Sterling’s former clients.
In light of the federal investigation, Mitch Kraft ended his contract with Sterling’s company, to avoid any appearance of impropriety. After a Broward-Palm Beach New Times blog entry on September 4 that revealed Mitch Kraft’s relationship to Sterling, Stephanie Kraft obtained guidance from an attorney for the School Board who reportedly advised that she needed to recuse herself only in cases of an actual conflict of interest, rather than were it may only appear to exist, according to the Miami Herald.
Broward School Board Chairwoman Maureen Dinnen wants to address five areas of concern for the board and this outside committee to address: (1) the role of audits including those related to overbilling by contractors; (2) the process of qualifying and selecting contractors; (3) the current space needs in the county’s schools based on the current drop in public school enrollment; (4) the reasons and associated costs of construction delays; and (5) the purchase of unusable property in Southwest Ranches – Gallagher’s district – that was slotted for the construction of a new school, but failed.
The Broward-Palm Beach New Times also today reported that School Board member Ann Murray has hired George Bograkos as her campaign manager. According to the New Times, Bograkos was convicted in 1994 with fraud in one of the largest bulk-mail fraud cases in American history. While Murray has gone on record with the New Times in defense of Bograkos, it appears that the school board members cannot make a move without someone finding a source of scrutiny therein.
For more information:
Broward School Board wants to set up watchdog committee
Broward School Board member’s husband worked for lobbyist
School Boarder Ann Murry hires convicted felon to run campaign
Comments
Dinnen's letter came two days after Ann Murray's letter to put a moratorium on the district's bidding on construction. You've only told part of the story.
I wasn't aware of Ann Murray's letter. This article was a summary of three other sources, none of which included Ann Murray's letter. Please share whatever sources you can, and I will happily write an update article.
Sorry this came so late.
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2009/10/neil_sterling_fundraiser_...
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