Oliveri resigns from Pittston Area School Board, county job

BY DAVE JANOSKI, PROJECTS EDITOR
Published: August 10, 2009

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Pittston Area School Board member Joseph J. Oliveri has resigned from the board and from his longtime job as a Luzerne County sheriff’s deputy.

His brief resignation letters cited “personal reasons,” according to Pittston Area Superintendent George Cosgrove and Sheriff Michael Savokinas.

Oliveri was defeated in his bid for re-election in the May primary. He has been a sheriff’s deputy for 16 or 17 years, Savokinas said, and earned $30,050 from his county job in 2008.

Pittston Area is one of three public school districts that have come under scrutiny from the FBI as part of an ongoing, wide-ranging corruption probe into public institutions in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.

In April, a federal grand jury subpoenaed school district documents connected to various contractors, including Intellacom Inc., a firm that once employed Oliveri’s son. Oliveri made the motion to hire Intellacom to upgrade the security system at the district high school for $269,192 in 2007, when his son worked for the firm.

Oliveri could not immediately be reached for comment.

Pittston Area’s previous superintendent, Ross Scarantino, resigned in May and is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to accepting a $5,000 bribe in connection with school district contracts.

Cosgrove said the FBI has not served additional subpoenas on the district, but he has heard widespread rumors that district teachers have been subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury.

Nine elected people have been arrested as part of the federal probe since January including two judges, two high-ranking court officials, a prominent attorney, a public sewage plant employee and three public school officials, including Scarantino.

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Hey WBSD Taxpayer - how dare you question Mr. Pizzella and Ms. Katsock's votes. After all, it's important to remember two things - the first is that nepotism, though not invented in WB Area, was perfected there and will be practiced FOREVER. The second thing to remember is that the taxpayer is meaningless.

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Lily O'Davalley, 08/11/09 09:09

The Feds are saving the best for last....Word has it a certain long time State Senator is currently cooperating in the corruption investigation........wait for the bombshell!

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lonegunmen, 08/10/09 08:21

Luzerne County seems filled with hypocrite Christians who are thrilled when bad things happen to other people. Whatever caused Oliveri to step down and we all have a pretty good guess, is that cause for celebration?

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Tired of hypocrite Christians, 08/10/09 08:08

Hmmm......Carlson resigning; all "scooped up" so far, Democrats; President throws Carlson a bone (Magistrate), time to shut this down..Getting close to Harrisburg and Washington.....more Democrats??
(Not that Republicans don't have issues, but they're out of power now)

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Rob, 08/10/09 06:43

First of all, Bob Casey,Jr. is going to do what Pat Solano and Ray Musto tell him what to do. Secondly, does anyone know, including the 'do gooder' Christine Katsock, why she voted for the nepotism hirings in the Frank Pizzella led Wilkes Barre School District last month?

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WBSD Taxpayer, 08/10/09 05:45

Carlson probably resigned so the new person can be appointed. He was only "acting" in the position. This means the President made a choice. Probably someone recommended by Casey.

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1234, 08/10/09 05:36

HAHAHAHAHAAAAA Maybe now him and his wife won't walk around with noses so hi!!!! Ohhhh how the so called "mighty" do fall I love it!!!!

It's about time.......

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Pittston Taxpayer, 08/10/09 05:34

no loss

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mike, 08/10/09 05:01

the school boards are in no way scared of the hiring practices through nepotism. that is going to continue no matter what. look at wilkes barre area, they just hired the school board member's wife who JUST graduated over subs and more qualified people. they do not care. i think feds are just concerned over the exchange of maoney taking place

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wonder, 08/10/09 04:39

Personal reasons! HMMMMMMMMMM! Another one nabbed!!!!

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Upstate Frankie, 08/10/09 04:35

Fellow Luzerne County residents, the puzzle is starting to fall into place. Let's look at the BIG picture, Jospeh Oliveri is a Luzerne County Deputy Sheriff at a salary of $30,000 plus thousand a year. Oliveri is or was a member of the Pittston Area School Board and Sheriff Savokinas's brother gets appointed principle of one of the schools at PA after the Sheriff was recently elected, ummmmm interesting.

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County Taxpayer, 08/10/09 03:43

The Gong Show just got started stay tuned.

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Chucky, 08/10/09 03:14

Pat S, you are right. Somebody on the federal level got to Carlson. I'm sure it is the same Senator or Representative that helped him get the position in the first place. That's why the Judges needed a 20 day extension. It will be interesting to see what happens. Again shame on us--we keep voting these 2 party leaches into office. Politics will never change unless the voting public becomes more educated and involved in finding a sincere honest candidate. We get so hung up in their empty promises thinking that they are going to help us.

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bintheredonthat, 08/10/09 03:08

The fix is IN.

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TomG, 08/10/09 02:41

What a piece of garbage. Him and that other slob Scarantino, should go to jail for the maximum sentence, and when they come out, they should never do any better than welfare and section 8 housing. Take all assets from them, their spouses, and their crooked offspring. Period.

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big tony, 08/10/09 01:37

Maybe more to follow, maybe not. US Attorney Martin Carlson resigned effective last Saturday. Was he forced out? If so, the 'handwriting is on the wall'. Somebody got to somebody in the highest levels of the federal government and the probe will quickly grind to a halt. Conahan, Ciavarella, and Powell must be planning a party for tonight.

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Pat S., 08/10/09 01:29

Maybe he will have some more info that will finish off Savokinas. That is far from over.

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Dan, 08/10/09 12:58

Oops, Martin Carlson, the US Attorney leading the corruption probe has resigned. This could be the end of it(probe). Business, and corruption as usual in Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties soon to return.

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Palsha, 08/10/09 12:51

This guy is a joke. I hope he falls hard.

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Keep goin Feds!, 08/10/09 12:28

And the Pittston saga goes on while only working the tip on the iceberg. Feds, your going to be around here a long time if you JUST stay in the Pittston area. That whole process, present and past is corrupt from the get go. I see at least 15 to 20 people going down for starters. Give the area some hope and keep up the good work FEDS. They thought they were untouchable!

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Justice served, 08/10/09 12:20

Oliveri resigns from Pittston Area School Board, county job

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Oliveri resigns from Pittston Area School Board, county job

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