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Groups opposed to closing Meyers High School meet

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Pennsylvania softball squad stays alive in East Regional hosted by West Pittston

WILKES-BARRE — Bob Sypniewski evoked cheers and thunderous applause with the brief introduction Monday of a plan to bring big money from private investors to the rescue of Wilkes-Barre Area School District’s three high school system, and warm response from a crowd gathered at Rodano’s Tuesday. But Luzerne County records suggest Sypniewski has had woes of his own, with recurring liens and claims filed against him since 2008.

The biggest claim was a mortgage foreclosure by IndyMac Federal Bank filed Sept. 26, 2008, against Robert and Tara Sypniewski for “premises … known as 223 Machell Avenue, Dallas” for a total of $103,503. The address matches the one given for Sypniewski’s business, 5:19 Investments LLC, in state paperwork.

Other listings in court documents:

• A lawsuit filed by Wachovia Bank, National Association against Robert and Tara Sypniewski dated Feb. 9, 2009, as mortgagors residing at the Machell Avenue address, owing a total of $63,158.

• A municipal claim filed Dec. 7, 2010, filed against the couple by the Dallas Area Municipal Authority for $1,189 for municipal services billed “up to and including July 1, 2010.”

• A lien filed by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue on March 28, 2012, for Personal Income Tax from 2006 and 2007 totaling $5,713.

• A second lien by the state Department of Revenue filed Aug. 24, 2012, for personal income tax from 2008 for $915.

• A second claim from the Dallas Area Municipal Authority filed June 13, 2013, for $1,739 for charges imposed and billed up to and including March 31, 2013.

• A third lien by the state Department of Revenue, dated May 2, 2013, for Personal income tax from 2008 for $930.

Following a meeting with about 40 people joining to oppose the School Board’s high school consolidation plan, Sypniewski declined comment on the filings, saying he would not answer personal questions because the issue at hand is an offer by investors to help the school district.

Sypniewski is pitching a proposal to fully fund high school renovations or new construction with what would effectively be a loan for up to 30 years from a group of unnamed investors. The repayment and interest rates would be worked out as the proposal is refined, he said.

The district would have ownership and control of the buildings while the investors would decide what architects and contractors to hire for the work. The offer has been embraced by a group of residents who oppose the board’s current plan to close Meyers and Coughlin, moving most students to a new facility built at the Coughlin site for grades 9-12. Kistler Elementary would be expanded to house grades seven and eight from Meyers.

Who is Bob Sypniewski? Times Leader archives paint a trail from high school senior basketball player, political aspirant and self-made businessman.

Earliest mentions of the 40-year-old who says he has major investors willing to loan up to $300 million to Wilkes-Barre Area School District are about his promise as one of the “players to watch” in 1994, his senior year at GAR high school. He’s listed, incidentally, in the same article that put current Wilkes-Barre Area School Board Member Shawn Walker in a similar “to watch” designation for the Meyers Mohawks.

Sypniewski re-emerged in the news in March of 2008 as the chairman of James May’s campaign to replace Karen Boback on the Republican ticket for state representative in the 117th Legislative District.

May billed himself in the primary as a Republican “in bold, unmistakable colors, rather than pastel shades.” Sypniewski, owner of Penn Mortgage Inc. in Dallas, said it was time to elect people “who are going to ruffle some feathers.”

A year later Sypniewski tossed his own hat into the primary election ring, running for the Republican nomination for Luzerne County controller. He cited his experience serving on the county Assessment Appeal Board as a “major factor” for the move.

“As I helped people through the appeals process, I saw the harm government can inflict on its citizens when it is poorly run,” Sypniewski said. “I decided that I could no longer simply sit back and watch a steady stream of politicians put their own self interest above the interests of the people they were chosen to represent.”

At that point, Sypniewski was a GAR graduate who had attended Luzerne County Community College, majoring in human services. Asked about college experience after Monday’s meeting he made no mention of LCCC, saying he learned from the “school of hard knocks.”

The 2009 primary was won by Walter Griffith, who went on to win the controller post in the November election. But Sypniewski landed on his feet, politically. In December of 2009 Luzerne County Prothonotary-elect Carolee Medico Olenginski tabbed Sypniewski as her deputy prothonotary, at a salary of $36,050.

“I’ve gotten to know him over the last year, and I’m confident that he has the skills, work ethic and integrity we need to restore public trust in the office,” Medico Olenginski said in announcing his appointment. She cited his 12 years as a self-employed mortgage consultant, though didn’t name the company Penn Mortgage, which state records show was incorporated in October 1999.

The article announcing Sypniewski as deputy controller noted he was on the board of the Pennsylvania Family Coalition, a member of the Cross Creek Community Church in Trucksville, and married to Tara Harteis for 11 years. The couple had three children.

For a while, it was common to see Medico Olenginski and Sypniewski together in reports. In January 2010, the two had hard questions regarding the work and fees of LRW Solutions Group, hired in 2005 by the county to organize county records.

LRW later became a pivot point in corruption charges against Clerk of Courts Bob Reilly, accused of steering work to Contractor Barton Weidlich in exchange for $1,500 in kickbacks. Most of Weidlich’s payments were hidden because Reilly paid the company through LRW Solutions.

A brief appearing in the paper April 23, 2010, noted Sypniewski asked the county Election Board to request cancellation of a $250 campaign expense report late filing fee from his run for county controller. He said he had mailed the report but wasn’t informed by the election bureau of a 30-day limit to appeal.

A few days later, Medico Olenginski announced she had tabbed Sypniewski and administrative assistant Al Pellegrini to take charge of assigning attorneys to the county arbitration panel, which hears civil court challenges involving claims of $50,000 or less.

“There are some attorneys who indicated … they were on the list but not being contacted,” Sypniewski said. “Some were discouraged because only the same people were getting called to serve.”

A month later, when Reilly resigned from the committee overseeing the records improvement fund that involved LRW Solutions, committee members quarreled over who should chair the committee. At one point Medico Olenginski recommended Sypniewski, but was told it had to be a sitting member of the committee.

A month after that, in June 2010, things soured dramatically between Sypniewski and Medico Olenginski — so much so he was fired, reportedly at the recommendation of Medico Olenginski’s solicitor Sam Stretton. No reason was given, though Sypniewski suspected it was related to his effort to have an administrative assistant reprimanded on a day Medico Olenginski was not in the office.

By October of the same year the rift seemed complete. A battle between Medico Olenginski and the union had escalated with multiple grievances and formal complaints filed by union members.

At the time, union President Paula Schnelly said the union had evidence of questionable behavior by Medico Olenginski, including written statements from Sypniewski.

State records show that Sypniewski had delved into the world of investment, forming 5:19 Investments LLC in September 2008. The filings were made under his wife’s name, listing the address as 223 Machell Avenue in Dallas.

A manta.com entry says 5:19 Investments “has an annual revenue of $140,000 and employs a staff of approximately two.”
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_meyersgroups02.jpg" alt="" />
<div class="neCaption">Private investor Bob Sypniewski speaks at Tuesday’s meeting at Rodano’s by groups fighting to save Wilkes-Barre’s three high schools.</div>
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<div class="metaInfo">https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_meyersgroups02.jpgPrivate investor Bob Sypniewski speaks at Tuesday’s meeting at Rodano’s by groups fighting to save Wilkes-Barre’s three high schools.</div>
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<div class="metaInfo">Financial issues in Bob Sypniewski’s past</div>
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By Mark Guydish

mguydish@www.timesleader.com

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<strong>INSIDE</strong>

<strong>More coverage: </strong>Bob Sypniewski address groups trying to save two high schools, <strong>Page 2A</strong>

<strong>Column: </strong>Will an angel swoop in to save high schools?<strong> Page 4A</strong>

<strong>Editorial:</strong> School financing proposal warrants full and careful consideration, <strong>Page A11</strong>

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Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish

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Bob Sypniewski: From GAR athlete “to watch” to Meyers' best bet?