Scandal-Plagued Haredi-Controlled School Board To Sell Unnecessarily Vacated School To Hasidim At $1 Million Below Market Value
The scandal-plagued haredi-controlled East Ramapo school board approved the sale of the Hillcrest Elementary School to the school's current tenant, Congregation Avir Yakov of New Square, for $4.9 million – at least $1 million below its market value.
Scandal-Plagued Haredi-Controlled School Board To Sell Unnecessarily Vacated School To Hasidim At $1 Million Below Market Value
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
The scandal-plagued haredi-controlled East Ramapo school board approved the sale of the Hillcrest Elementary School to the school's current tenant, Congregation Avir Yakov of New Square, for $4.9 million – at least $1 million below its market value.
The school was closed by the board in 2010 due to claims of declining enrollment. But those claims were false and drew a strong outcry from public school parents who saw the closure as a putative step taken against their children by the haredi-dominated board.
The school was sold the Skvere hasidic congregation after that, but that sale was voided by the state due to irregularities including a sale price $2.7 million below market value.
Avi Vardi, the appraiser selected by the school board to handle the appraisal for that sale, is facing felony charges due to his conduct in it. An investigation by New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman found Vardi took a $5,000 bribe from Avir Yakov and falsified the appraisal to get the Avir Yakov a lower price. Vardi appraised the property's value at $3.2 million. Another appraisal by a different firm determined valued the property at $5.9 million.
The Board of Education voted 6-0 to give the board’s president, Yehuda Weissmandl, the power to execute a contract of sale for the school at a specially called meeting, the Journal News reported.
Present reportedly were Board President Yehuda Weissmandl, Vice President Harry Grossman, and Trustees Eliyahu Solomon, Jacob Lefkowitz, Yakov Engel and Moshe Hopstein. Three other board members were not present.
One other offer from an unnamed education entity was made for the property, board president Weissmandl reportedly said, but that prospective buyer backed out for unnamed reasons.
"The board's objective is to sell it for the highest and best and we believe at this point that this is the highest and best," Weissmandl said.
The board is also in the process of selling the Colton Elementary School for $5.1 million. The sale is reportedly almost completed.
Past rental agreements and attempted sales of the two schools are the subject of an ongoing investigation by Schneiderman.
The New York State Education Department appointed a crony of Governor Andrew Cuomo as the East Ramapo school district’s special fiscal monitor in response to the ongoing scandals, including allegations of illegal use of public funds to benefit private haredi schools, and a call from Cuomo many believe to be disingenuous to do so.
It is unclear if that monitor participated in the approval process for either sale or if he even has begun his oversight duties, although sources tell FailedMessiah.com the monitor has not left Albany to come to East Ramapo and is still negotiating his contract. Some local activists believe that delay is intentional, and was put in place to allow the board to sell Hillcrest and Colton before the monitor is actually in place.
Cuomo is a longtime friend of the haredi community and, like his father before him especially close to both factions of Satmar hasidim.
Related:
How much more thiever and corruption can the community suffer?
Posted by: Sashinka | July 04, 2014 at 12:28 PM
I wonder why the 3 Board members were not present. It's funny the 2 non-Jewish members were absent. The same 2 who recently voted against rehiring D'agostino. A guy took a bribe from someone at Yeshiva Avir Yaakov to falsify the appraisal and faces felony charges and Avir Yaakov still gets to buy the school. Amazing! These guys will one day have to answer to a higher authority.
Posted by: yehudis | July 04, 2014 at 01:09 PM
Yes, all true. Yehudis, it is incredible that the alleged bribes get to walk away with the school. Just down the road from Hillcrest was Rueben Gittleman School. That school on much less than half the size and acreage sold for 7 million dollars 2 years ago in a much worse real estate market. Selling 2 schools in 2 days is an abomination. Yes, the whole lot if them will have to answer for these actions in court and finally before the Almighty.
Posted by: Pearl of Wisdom | July 04, 2014 at 01:51 PM
POW
Nice thing though that Gittelman is out of business. Haredism is thriving. Plotzen zolstu!
Posted by: Jekyll Jacobson | July 04, 2014 at 02:45 PM
Jekyll, yes Gittleman closed due to dropping enrollment as have many Catholic schools. The recession really took it's toll on those communities. Interesting that Yeshivas see growth in enrollment, despite claims of poverty in their community. That doesn't make sense to me.
Posted by: Pearl of Wisdom | July 04, 2014 at 05:32 PM
Will they actually cough up the money?
Posted by: Sarek | July 05, 2014 at 10:59 AM
Jekyll, by thriving you mean leeching off their neighbors? The level of social services by the thriving Hasidim speaks for itself. I see your "morality" only applies to your cult. Next time you dress up remember who you really are.
Posted by: Jacob mental | July 06, 2014 at 09:44 AM