Five Huntington Highway Department foremen are under investigation involving time they claimed they worked when they did not, according to the Northport Observer.
The discrepancy was revealed by town vehicle GPS records, the Northport weekly newspaper reported.
Superintendent Andre Sorrentino did not respond to the Observer’s calls, the paper said, but said town spokeswoman Christine Geed confirmed that the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office is investigating the matter, and quoted her as saying, “We don’t disclose any information pertaining to employee issues and I will further state that this is under investigation. It is in the hands of the district attorney’s office and we do not comment on one, employee issues, and two, anything that is being investigated.
“So unfortunately we have no further comment than that.” “It is under investigation by the District Attorney’s office and if you have any questions you can refer them to the DA,” Ms. Geed said.
The paper said an investigation began after a resident reported that a tree had fallen across his property, blocking his driveway last month but though he was told a highway crew would be dispatched, the tree was not removed. The resident called Town Hall to complain, leading to an investigation by the offices of Supervisor Ed Smyth and the town attorney. Though a foreman was punched in to work at the time, and he was paid for work, his town vehicle was never at the site of the downed tree.
This complaint led to an investigation of other workers using GPS data.
Two of the five under investigation have been suspended, the Observer said.