LAKEWOOD — The FBI has issued a subpoena to the Board of Education for contracts, bills and invoices dating back to 2008 with Catapult Learning, Catapult services and Ocean Health Initiatives, the board attorney announced during Monday night’s meeting.
Steve Edelstein, attorney for the school board, said the FBI’s subpoena also asked for invoices, board minutes, resolutions and agendas for the last five years. The subpoena requests all documents regarding the board’s interactions with Catapult Learning and Ocean Health Initiatives and includes current and former district employees involved with Catapult, Edelstein said.
Catapult Learning has a multimillion-dollar contract with the school board to provide special-education services at both public and private schools. Ocean Health Initiatives’ contract with the board could not be determined Monday; however, its website describes the company as providing “high quality, accessible and affordable family healthcare to the area’s residents regardless of insurance at our three locations in Lakewood, Toms River and Stafford.”
The standing-room-only board meeting began with the unexpected announcement and ended with four board members, Zecharia Greenspan, Jonathan Silver, Yizeriel Friedman and vice president Yechezkel Seitler, all trying to make a motion to remove Edelstein as the current board attorney, citing what they said were high legal fees. View the video above to see some of the proceedings from Monday night’s school board meeting.
The motion, however, failed, after Edelstein and Board President Carl Fink said it was out of order and inappropriate. Seitler, meanwhile, resigned as vice president, but said he will remain on the board.
“This district was a mess when we came in here,” Edelstein said. “There were about 28 open cases, and they’ve all been settled.”
In response to the motions, Fink set up a committee to consider hiring a new attorney, appointing himself, as well as board members Joel Schwartz, Tracey Tift and Lee Mund. The Board of Education is suing its prior board attorney, Michael Inzelbuch, for conflict of interest involving his representation of students in lawsuits against the district App.com
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