Investigation Into School Construction Continues
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Former Broward Schools Construction boss Michael Garretson might be dead, but talk about him goes on.
At least at the Grand Jury.
Jurors meeting this week heard testimony from Garretson’s replacement, Thomas Lindner, Acting Deputy Superintendent for Facilities.
Lindner told a public meeting on Thursday that he had “spent the day testifying and Garretson was the subject of some of the allegations.
He did not go into details exactly what questions prosecutors asked.
Linder also did not tell his audience whether it was the federal or state Grand Jury. He could not be reached for comment this morning.
The new construction chief’s comments confirm that the investigation into wrongdoing in the construction and the purchase of property for schools is still active and could be reaching a critical phase.
Garretson died in June approximately five months after retiring. Before leaving the system, Garretson testified before the Grandy Jury about allegations of corruption in the school construction and land acquisition.
December 3rd, 2010 at 9:06 am
Have they called Barbara Miller, Neil Sterling and Judy Stern yet?
December 3rd, 2010 at 2:03 pm
When you talk you hear about others talking, too. Miller, Sterling and Stern are witnesses. The feds/Satz want the School Board members and staff. Parks is gone, not forgotten. Dinnen received money fromSterling for her lobbying group and then voted for his clients. We all know about Kraft and her husband working for Sterling. Indictments coming soon.
December 3rd, 2010 at 8:54 pm
When will this windbag Linder shut up? No wonder Marty Rubinstein likes Linder…they have a lot in common. They are both pompous wind bags who love the sound of their own voices. Now that Parks and Marko are gone, I give Linder and Notter til the end of March. Linder will go to a local construction firm and Notter will go back to a cushy crony job like a high paid principal or area director.
We’ll just have to let the chips fall where they may.
December 3rd, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Without Garretson and Coates, they have nothing. You watch.
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Linder won’t be the last one of this miserable bunch to sing like a canary. This mess is far-reaching. I am wondering what role Marko will play. Could this be part of the reason why he is retiring? The level of corruption escalated under Notter’s watch. He should be squirming in his seat right about now. Tick, tick, Notter. Your time is up.
December 4th, 2010 at 8:53 am
@ Dead Men Tell No Tales,
I’ll take that bet. I think they do have something. Remember that the school board’s culture of Cover Your Ass leaves trails of evidence to protect the innocent and that also leaves evidence that identifies the guilty. Dead men may tell no tales, but piles of documents and motivated witnesses make it a different story altogether. If you haven’t noticed the political winds have changed and fence dwellers are jumping off like rats on a sinking ship.
December 4th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
The Grand Jury testimony of Garretson and Coates can be introduced. So can all the e-mail, documents and contracts they signed. Dead men will tell a tale.