Security contract will stand at Eastport South Manor

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Eastport South Manor School District officials do not intend to rescind a one-year contract with Garrison Protective Services, the district’s new security provider.

Following an examination of issues raised by residents at a School Board meeting late last month, school officials said this week that the concerns did not warrant cancelling the firm’s security contract, which began on August 3.

At a School Board meeting on July 29, a number of residents voiced concerns about Garrison Protective Services, a nationwide security firm with offices in Nesconset. The firm replaced the district’s long-time security provider, Crystal Investigation of Yaphank. New York State requires school districts to re-bid their security contracts every year and to award the bid to the lowest responsible bidder.

Among the issues raised at the meeting was a $50,000 fine imposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation against Garrison for not performing the necessary background checks on more than 100 security screeners and cargo handlers working at the Miami International Airport in 2002. Also, a 1995 New York State Court of Appeals decision found Garrison guilty of four counts of mail fraud and fined the firm $177,000 and forbid it to bid on contracts with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection for a period of five years. The company also has had numerous tax liens owed to the Internal Revenue Service.

Officials from the firm did not return calls seeking comment.

At last month’s meeting, Thomas Welge, an employee of the Suffolk County sheriff’s office, said he was concerned district officials did not thoroughly examine Garrison’s bid. Last month, School Board member and former President Karen Kesnig voted against awarding the contract because she wanted more information about Garrison before making a decision.

Debbie Ippolito, a parent and Manorville resident, said the fines against Garrison raised concerns about the quality of services the company will provide.

“The current company knows the kids, they worked with the kids, they are adults, they are well trained and they respect the kids,” Ms. Ippolito said. “I just want to make sure we get the same services that we’re getting now.”

Earlier this week, School Board President Vincent Sweeney said Assistant Superintendent for Business Richard Snyder finished an investigation into the issues raised at the board meeting and submitted a four-page report to Superintendent of Schools Mark Nocero. Mr. Nocero then issued a summary to board members recommending that Garrison’s contract be upheld, Mr. Sweeney said.

“In a nutshell, there wouldn’t be any reason for us to rescind the awarding of that contract,” Mr. Sweeney said. “There isn’t any evidence at this point that they misrepresented themselves in anyway” during the bidding process, which began in the summer.

Under the contract, Garrison will pay its security guards an hourly rate ranging from $17.42 to $19.49. That rate undercuts the $21.50 hourly rate paid by Crystal Investigation. The total cost of the contract is expected to be $400,000. The lower hourly rate will save the district about $50,000, according to Mr. Snyder.

He also said that Garrison hired five former Crystal Investigation security guards who served on the day shift at the junior-senior high school.

Mr. Nocero said district officials investigated the issues raised at the meeting but found nothing of concern about Garrison’s bid with the district. He added that school officials contacted other businesses that have worked with Garrison.

“All the references we checked—and that was more than a dozen—spoke of this organization as a professional organization and indicated that they were very pleased with the services they provided,” Mr. Nocero said.

Crystal Investigation owner Jim Garcia criticized Garrison for not hiring more than five members of his 15-person security staff. He said Garrison did not contact the remaining 10 employees to offer them jobs.

“If you want to talk to my people, talk to everybody, just don’t go for a selective deal,” said Mr. Garcia. “That’s poor taste.”

But School Board Vice President Arthur Abbate said he was pleased that most of the day staff at the high school were retained by Garrison.

“We have a lot of the same players,” Mr. Abbate said. “So, yeah, I’m pretty confident they will do a good job.”