Complaint: 2 WNY BOE trustees let politics decide their board votes

West New York Board of Education candidate Patrick Cullen is alleging, via a 117-page complaint filed with the State Department of Education’s School Ethics Commission, that two board of education trustees are playing politics on the school board. Town Spokesman Pablo Fonseca called the complaint “baseless and fact-less.”

In the seven-count complaint, Cullen charges that Steven Rodas, who was recently voted president of the BOE by the other board members, and Adam Parkinson, a trustee appointed by the board back in January, currently have their November 5 election campaign run by, and have been steered how to vote in recent months by, allies of the mayor.

As Hudson County View first reported one month ago, the state Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance (OFAC) is investigation whether or not insurance contracts were properly approved by the board – and Cullen is questioning what roles Rodas and Parkinson had in that process.

The longtime town resident also questions if Allan Roth, a lawyer who is employed by the BOE as the administrative assistant to special services, served the board in a fair and unbiased capacity.

Cullen took a few minutes to speak with Hudson County View about the complaint on Monday afternoon.

He also added that Roth prepared a RICE notice for Superintendent of Schools John Fauta earlier this year, without the direction of then-BOE President Vilma Reyes – which is another situation that should be investigated.

Town spokesman Pablo Fonseca called the allegations put forth in the lengthy complaint “baseless and fact-less,” noting that “the residents of West New York will vote for the four best people (on November 5) that is going to represent them and we wish Patrick the best.”

Rodas did not return calls seeking comment on the matter, while Parkinson declined to comment on the situation.