Rockland Lawmakers Want State to OK Re-inspections of Private Schools
By Steve Lieberman
Two state legislators from Rockland are urging the state Education Department to strictly review new fire safety inspections reports done at dozens of private schools or order new, independent reviews of the buildings. The county, at the state's behest, had sought to inspect many of the schools itself only to have the schools secure required inspections and certifications elsewhere. Ramapo also did 23 re-inspections of schools after its then fire inspector was accused of filing false inspection reports. Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City, and state Sen. David Carlucci, D-Rockland, both wrote to Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia questioning the circumstances surrounding both sets of inspections - including whether it was right to have Ramapo re-inspect the work of its own tainted inspector. "I am asking the state to scrutinize the reports and have independent re-checks or spot checks at the very least," Zebrowski, D-New City, said Thursday. "Somehow after refusing to comply with the law for months and after battling with the county, the private schools all of sudden got inspections through a different party. Unfortunately, the way in which they were conducted raises serious questions about their adequacy." Zebrowski and County Executive Ed Day both said the positive side is inspections were done. Attorney Dennis Lynch, representing a coalition of several dozen yeshivas, had led many of them in resisting the county's efforts to conduct on-the-spot inspections. The yeshivas first agreed to open their doors to inspectors starting Wednesday, by appointment, then announced they had secured their own inspections. Lynch said Thursday that the calls for re-inspections were "an issue between the county executive and the commissioner of education." "It seems like the county executive is beating his dead political horse," he said. After months of lobbying, the Education Department deputized Rockland County to inspect 49 private schools that didn't file proof of fire inspections, which are mandated in order to receive government assistance. Some of the schools had not filed for years. The total included 23 Ramapo private schools originally inspected by then-Fire Inspector Adam Peltz, who was later suspended and demoted by Ramapo after being accused of ignoring numerous violations at four schools. The state then asked that 19 other facilities be re-checked. Ramapo Building Department hired Thomas Buckley, a former fire inspector, to re-inspect Peltz's work. Buckley found numerous violations, according to documents released by the town under the state Freedom of Information Law. Rockland Emergency Services Coordinator Gordon Wren Jr. led the county's inspection efforts, conducting more than a dozen inspections out of the remaining 26 schools on the state's list. Most of those conducted were at non-Jewish schools. There are two state laws at play, officials said. New York state educational law mandates a fire chief who is certified to do so can inspect properties, and provides conditions for those inspections. A number of the private schools, however, relied on the more lenient state Code Enforcement & Administration regulations that allow a private school to choose an inspector who doesn't have to be certified - but says the local fire chief must be informed and allowed to attend the inspection. Spring Valley Fire Chief Ken Sohlman said Thursday he was told after the fact that at least one school within the department's jurisdiction had been inspected by a non-government person. He said he was not notified, as the law requires. He said he couldn't comment on the credibility of the private inspections since "we didn't see any paperwork or reports." Sohlman said he went on four inspections with the certified inspectors working with Wren and the county. Officials said are hoping the state Education Department will provide the inspection reports to the county and the names of those who did the work. “Under state Education Law, SED has no control over the inspectors that private schools choose provided they meet the statutory requirements," Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs Emily DeSantis said."If the Legislators don’t like that, we welcome them to change the law.” The state Education Department on Thursday reiterated that the state's primary interest is getting the fire-safety inspection reports done. "Our chief concern is the safety and well-being of students," the department said in a statement. "We have confirmed that the Town is re-inspecting locations with violations to ensure the violations are corrected. SED will monitor the process to ensure the violations are remedied." Both Zebrowski and Carlucci noted that the New York Department of State has issued critical reports on housing inspections and code enforcement in Ramapo and Spring Valley. Zebrowski also questioned whether there is a conflict because the yeshiva coalition's attorney, Dennis Lynch, also works as a lawyer for the municipalities of Spring Valley and Ramapo. Many of the private school students in Ramapo also are taught in classroom trailers approved by Ramapo Building Department. "Ensuring the safety of children in public and private schools throughout our state is a bedrock principle of the state Education Department," Carlucci said. Contact: slieberm@lohud.com
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