NEW CITY - The Democratic challenger to Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann is pushing for a probe of the Republican leader's right-hand man amid accusations of a quid pro quo relationship with a town contractor.
Hoehmann, though, said his deputy is being besmirched.
It's the latest in a slew of accusations and counter-accusations flying around Town Hall and the campaign trail about goings on and contracts with the town's Department of Engineering and Facilities Management, or DEFM.
Deputy Town Supervisor Al Moroni has been accused by a contractor of getting work done at home at a deep discount by that contractor who subsequently got work from the town worth around $1 million.
Nick Kantor of Joe Cool's Heating and Cooling revealed the allegations
in theRockland County Business Journal. Kantor said he did air conditioning work at Moroni's home and charged only for equipment, not labor, a savings of more than half the job.
Kantor further alleged in the Aug. 19 RCBJ report that town police had recently sought to question him about the historic Storms Tavern, purchased by the town in 2025, where he had done work on for the town.
Eugene Bondar, the Democrat on the Nov. 3 ballot, has demanded an outside probe and Moroni's suspension as that proceeds.
"I am not taking any position on these guys," he said. "My concern is that clearly there has been something wrong."
Bondar also addressed the reason he is calling for an independent investigation.
"A town cannot investigate itself," he said. "Residents need to understand where the taxpayers' money went, and whether it was spent properly or not."
An attorney for Moroni issued a statement Sept. 2 to USA TODAY Network calling the accusations "patently false" and politically motivated by the Bondar campaign and the Democratic Highway Superintendent Bob Milone "to tarnish Mr. Moroni's reputation and, in turn, the Hoehmann administration."
Kantor did not immediately return a call from USA TODAY Network for comment.
Meanwhile, accusations continue to fly over earlier allegations by and about another town employee, Michael Gianatasio, who has been portrayed as both a whistleblower and a perpetrator of his own schemes by different sides.
Gianatasio had reported concerns about billing by Siemens, which has a multi-year, multi-million-dollar energy efficiency contract with the town.
Town officials subsequently reported that Gianatasio, now suspended with pay, had been under an ethics probe for a year.
Town portrays Moroni as targeted
When asked about any investigation, Hoehmann's office issued an Aug. 31 statement that portrayed Moroni as the victim of intimidation.
"Deputy Supervisor Moroni, who uncovered some of the alleged misconduct by employees and vendors, has been falsely and publicly targeted by certain disaffected parties. The Deputy Supervisor is a key witness in helping to uncover the full scope of wrongdoing and neither he nor any other employee who is working to protect taxpayers will be intimidated," the town statement said.
The town statement did not clarify the use of a plural "employees" in relation to alleged misconduct.
Moroni now is acting and interim director of DEFM, according to town officials, while he continues deputy supervisor duties.
Hoehmann confirmed that Garabet Karakoulian, assistant director of the town's DEFM, has been put on administrative leave, with pay.
Bondar questioned why Moroni would not be on leave, too, as an investigation is undertaken.
Bondar laid out the alleged conflict involving Kantor and Moroni this way: "If the reported facts are true, they describe a public servant accepting a benefit worth several thousand dollars from a contractor who was seeking, and then obtained, town work."
Moroni is Hoehmann's deputy supervisor and was his chief of staff before that.
"It is nearly impossible for the supervisor and deputy supervisor to be involved in that investigation as overseers of that investigation," Bondar said. "They may be subjects of that investigation."
The town's internal probe exists, according to Moroni's attorney, Jim Castro-Blanco of Murtagh, Cossu, Venditti & Castro-Blanco LLP in White Plains, because Moroni uncovered "troubling misconduct" in the town's DEFM.
"Unfortunately, what has resulted, simply put, is targeted political attacks and false allegations against Mr. Moroni," Castro-Blanco's statement said. "But for Mr. Moroni's courageous whistleblowing these investigations would not have begun. Mr. Moroni is to be commended, not vilified."
Purported scandal with many tentacles
Hoehmann's statement links the newest accusations and counter-accusations about Moroni to an ongoing miasma regarding the Clarkstown DEFM, Gianatasio, Siemens and the town's elected highway superintendent, Bob Milone, the sole elected Democrat in town leadership.
Kantor, as a vendor, reported to Gianatasio.
Gianatasio has maintained he was a whistleblower, drawing attention to what he said was questionable labor charges by Siemens, and that town officials had retaliated against him.
But town officials said Gianatasio had been the subject of an ethics probe for a year.
Hoehmann and town attorney Kevin Conway had also raised accusations that Gianatasio was trying to get Siemens to hire his wife's company. But an eight-page internal audit by Siemens, released by the town to the USA TODAY Network, made no mention of any effort by Gianatasio on behalf of his spouse.
Conway said in July that Gianatasio "is not a whistleblower. He is a liar."
Bondar this week pointed out a statement like that taints any internal investigation.
"Every contract, from Siemens to Joe Cool's, needs to be independently reviewed," Bondar said. "Whoever has committed wrongdoing should be held accountable. Everyone for the town government, officials or employees, are trustees of the public's money."
Why is highway super brought up?
The Sept. 1 statement by Hoehmann's office again pointed to Highway Superintendent Milone, pointing a finger at his purported ties to Gianatasio.
Milone had previously been reported to have alerted Rockland District Attorney Tom Walsh's office to questions about Clarkstown's oversight of the Siemens contract. The DA does not comment, as a policy, confirm or deny any ongoing investigations.
"Milone was the sole recommender for the hiring of the now suspended DEFM Director," the town's Sept. 1 statement says, referring to Gianatasio. "Highway Superintendent Milone has injected himself into the matter. He has no oversight or involvement with DEFM, but has publicly commented and filed complaint letters serving as distractions from the ongoing investigations."
Hoehmann had previously said Milone had used C.A.C. Industries, a company linked to Gianatasio, for highway work.
Bondar this week called the town's statement referencing Milone an attempt to deflect responsibility.
"Despite any recommendations, it was the town board's job to vet a candidate and conduct due diligence, he said, when selecting someone to fill a key position in Clarkstown. He called the town supervisor "the ultimate decision maker."
Milone issued a statement to USA TODAY Network though his attorney, John McGowan, a former Republican state Assembly member, that portrayed Hoehmann's statement as attacking, rather than answering, questions.
"I didn’t get elected to protect a political party or make the people at Town Hall happy. I got elected to protect Clarkstown taxpayers and keep our roads safe," Milone, who is up for re-election Nov. 3, said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Milone's Republican opponent, Rob Sambevski, works for the highway department. He has said he is running because of Milone's "mismanagement."
Milone said in his Sept. 2 statement that "when I see something that doesn’t add up, I’m going to ask questions – whether it makes Republicans uncomfortable, Democrats uncomfortable, or anyone else uncomfortable. I answer to the people of Clarkstown, and that’s who I’ll keep fighting for.”
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Whistleblower claims on all sides shake up Clarkstown supervisor race
