SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE LEN SARVER SEEKS TO ENRICH "BUDDIES" WITH $700 PER DAY CONTRACT

CORRUPT SCHOOL TRUSTEE LEN SARVER

Mount Vernon Exposed has just learned about more corruption involving Mount Vernon School Chief Judith Johnson and her minion, Mount Vernon School Board Trustee Len Sarver. 

Johnson with the assistance of Sarver has craftily found a way to sneak an Architectural firm on the agenda that does business and is affiliated with Sarver.  It is unclear if there is or has ever been any financial arrangement between the architectural firm of Fuller Angelo and Trustee Sarver and school chief Judith Johnson. 

Board members including Trustee Elias Gootzeit, have questioned the need to have an architectural firm that’s costs taxpayers $700 per day.  On top of that, they are being hired to oversee asbestos removal, not a service offered to the general public on their website fullerdangelo.com  Every time this matter comes up for discussion during a board meeting, Trustee Sarver, despite a conflict of interest, always seems to go the extra mile to steer his “buddies” millions of dollars of contracts on the backs of cash strapped taxpayers.

Just recently, Trustee Gootzeit recommended that the school district solicit bids or an RFP for architectural services because Mount Vernon taxpayers can no longer afford the current quid pro quo blanket arrangement currently in place with Fuller D’Angelo.  Trustee Gootzeit was met with fierce opposition from Trustee Sarver.  Sources told Mount Vernon Exposed that Sarver went into a hell bent rage and therefore RFP proposal was killed and Sarver’s “buddies” continued to be the recipient of an open-ended contract with no oversight from board members.  Why does Len Sarver continue to meddle in the buildings and grounds business of the school board when he is no longer the chairman of the building and grounds committee? 

During one board meeting, Mount Vernon Exposed witnessed first hand Sarver’s psychotic behavior.  Sarver disrespected fellow board member Adrienne Saunders who currently chairs the building and grounds committee.  Saunders, who is African American, was at the receiving end of Sarver’s tirade in which he lashed out at her in public saying, “What do you know about buildings”?  Sarver assumed that because Saunders was a woman and also possibly because she was a black woman, that Saunders knew nothing about buildings and grounds and that he would use this as a basis to get his old job back so he continue riding the money train. 

Once again Sarver is wrong.  In addition to being a Licensed Real Estate Broker, Saunders is a successful real estate investor, so it would hard to believe that one would become successful in real estate without a clear understanding of buildings and grounds.  Sarver’s true colors were revealed that evening.  He is a racist and he has no respect for woman, especially woman of color.   

Board members have long questioned the motives and integrity of Len Sarver.  Many wonder when did Trustee Sarver begin to “Break Bad”.   Sarver, who ran on a ticket vowing to reform the school district, has done nothing but try to reform his bank account courtesy of Mount Vernon taxpayers.  Sarver is all alone on the school board as the other 8 members are all in agreement that Trustee Len Sarver and Super indent Judith Johnson must immediately resign if there is any chance to save the schools and repair the tarnished image that has been a black cloud over the Mount Vernon community for the past two decades.

Just last month when a tab up for vote regarding Fuller D’Angelo, Trustee Sarver recused him from the vote without a thorough explanation, just stating that he is “friends” with one of the principles.  Just what does that mean Mr. Sarver?  Are you receiving kickbacks in exchange for pushing through contracts?  Did Fuller D’Angelo steer work to your electrical business?  These questions are more need to be answered.  Mr. Sarver and Judith Johnson must be held accountable for their actions and they must never forget that they work for the taxpayer and not vice versa.

If Federal investigators did a forensic audit of the Mount Vernon School district, not only will they find Sarver’s and Johnson’s hand in the cookie jar, they will discover the ancestors that came before Sarver and Johnson who taught them the tricks of the trade and how to pacify the people while they robbed the city blind.  They will also discover dozens of people with no show jobs living in Florida, Georgia, and various other states that have been on the school district payroll for over 20 years.   Just ten years ago, the school budget was $101 million dollars today the budget of over $200 million dollars.  Where did all the money go?  It certainly wasn't inflation that drove up the school budget.  

If one was to check the School District website you will notice the absence of the school budget.  Timothy Costello, who is alleged to have looted the school district of tens of millions of dollars during his tenure as Budget Administrator for the Mount Vernon City School District, prepares the budget that is voted yearly by Mount Vernon residents.   Costello is still employed as the Budget Administrator.  What is Mr. Costello hiding?  What is his role in the “great heist”? These questions and more will be answer in the next issue.  To be continued………