This is
installment three of a multi-part opinion/analysis series that will highlight
some interesting information about current and former members of the Penn State
University Board of Trustees. Exhibit 3: Mark Dambly.
by BHF23
After reviewing the previous installments of the series, I realize that our examination of the November 2011 trustees has suffered from a complete absence of two things: 1. feck; and 2. actual convictions.
by BHF23
After reviewing the previous installments of the series, I realize that our examination of the November 2011 trustees has suffered from a complete absence of two things: 1. feck; and 2. actual convictions.
Let’s
talk about Mark Dambly.
While
a student at Penn State in 1979, Mark Dambly pled guilty to a disorderly
conduct charge and spent five days jail following an altercation in downtown
State College. Those close to the story called it a "sweetheart deal." You can read the details below.
I won’t transcribe WJAC-TV’s interview from November of 2013 with him here, but I will say that Dambly’s comical denial of any recollection of the event lacked only a “Yeah….that’s the ticket” flourish at its conclusion.
I won’t transcribe WJAC-TV’s interview from November of 2013 with him here, but I will say that Dambly’s comical denial of any recollection of the event lacked only a “Yeah….that’s the ticket” flourish at its conclusion.
You’d think the interview might also have
jogged Dambly’s recall of a more recent arrest on DUI, possession of marijuana
and moving violations charges in Chester County on April 22, 1987. Dambly
entered a one-year Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition plan on August 18,
1987, paying costs and fees, and having his license suspended for three months.
So now we’ve got “convictions” covered.
Maybe
the memory thing is a chronic problem. Dambly also wasn’t quite sure when he
learned about the Sandusky investigation, first pointing to Cynthia Baldwin’s
report to the board in May of 2011, but later telling the New York Times: “We found out about it when
the rest of the world found out about it.” Or possibly before or after that. Or
maybe last Tuesday.
More
disturbing as it relates to his current responsibilities are this paragon of
virtue’s business history and associations. His Rewis & Dambly
Developments, Inc. real estate partnership defaulted on a $1.3 million loan in
1992. His company’s (Pennrose Properties) preferred general contractor, J. J.
DeLuca Co., Inc. was caught urging his subcontractors to submit $1.6 million in
false invoices to the developer of a $79 million townhome/condo project in
South Philadelphia, eventually resulting in a net $2.3 million award against
DeLuca. (J. J. DeLuca Company, Inc., Appellant v. Toll Naval Associates, Toll
PA GP Corp., Inc., and Toll Bros., Inc., Appellees, 56 A.3d 402 (2012), 2012 PA
Super 222)
Allegations
of political palm-greasing surfaced following a fund-raiser Dambly held for
Republican U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon in September of 1992 (County Democratic vice
chairman Joseph Merlino: “The word is, if you want to do business in Delaware
County, you’ve got to do this to get into the club.”). So what’s Dambly been up
to lately? Here are a few random facts for you: 1. Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski
has been accused by the U.S. Justice Dept. (4/21/16) of
taking bribes and kickbacks, treating campaign contributions “as incentives for
past, continued and future official actions, and conspir(ing) and agree(ing) to
commit extortion and bribery offenses in violation of federal criminal law”; 2.
Since 2003, Dambly’s PAC has been Pawlowski’s largest single contributor at
$42,000; 3. Dambly/Pennrose Properties have been awarded several contracts in
Allentown, including one in 2013 for $45 million to develop a seven-story
apartment and retail complex in the downtown area; and 4. On 1/27/16, Dambly
and Pennrose were named in a subpoena related to the federal investigation of
Allentown’s contracting practices. Cynics might suggest that two or more of
these facts could be related. Me? I think he just forgot how this might look.
I’m sure everything is fine.
Senator Dominic Pileggi |
Former PA Governor Ed Rendell |
At any rate, Dambly’s
sponsor (mover and shaker Dominic Pileggi)and Governor Ed Rendell don’t
need no stinkin’ background checks. Rendell appointed Dambly to the Penn State
board effective October 2010.
Mark, a solid “move on” guy, was elected to the
executive committee in March 2012, and was given the combination to the safe on
July 1, 2013, when Chairman Keith Masser appointed him to the first of three
consecutive terms as chairman of the board’s Finance, Business and Capital
Planning Committee.
Three
years in a row. Somebody (Masser? Or someone else?) sure wants
him in that position. In charge of, among other things, major construction
projects. Dambly, Masser, former Second Mile financial guy Cliff Benson and
Mary Lee Schneider also comprise the Finance subcommittee. I ran out of fingers
and toes trying to add up the dollars in projects Dambly has gotten approved by
the board since 2013. It’s a lot. In the board meeting of 11/20/15, he famously
stomped his feet, held his breath, took his ball and went home when John
Hanger, the non-voting representative to the board appointed by Governor Tom
Wolf, dared ask a few questions about $101.7 million in requested expenditures
for a residence hall and student union and dining building at Penn State
Brandywine, and a student apartment building at Penn State Abington. Unmoved by
the whining of the thrice “troubled” Dambly, Hanger responded: “I find it
really remarkable - the tone of trustee Dambly’s comments. I will also say that
this governor and his representatives on any board are not rubber stamps. And
at least I do not apologize for asking tough questions, even if it’s relatively
late in the process. Those questions are going to be asked and if people don’t
like it, it’s kind of too bad, because we’re going to keep asking the tough
questions.”
On
12/15/15, the Board rubber stamped the request. (Sorry…sometimes I can’t help
myself.) See, this was seven months after Gov. Wolf had
announced that Pennrose Properties had been awarded $11 million in tax credits
over 10 years for a senior housing and office space project in…you guessed
it…beautiful downtown Allentown! And John Hanger is now asking those tough
questions at home in Massachusetts, after resigning to “spend more time with
his family.” (Clarification: That is a point of information, not a suggestion
that his departure is related to his questions at the board meeting.)
So…this
$100+ million project? Sure would be an easy way to siphon buckets of money out
of the till. StinkStankStunk has done some great work on this, and concluded
that for $100 million, the project could be completed with enough left over to
buy a couple small islands and a decent NBA free agent. Budget and cost review?
Financing? Appraisal? Construction draw requests? Validity of invoices?
Developer’s fees? Delays and cost overruns? “Contingencies”? Disbursements…disbursements…and
more disbursements? All that and who knows what else, watched like a hawk
by…Mark Dambly! So who’s watching Dambly?
In
November of 2011, Mark Dambly knew what had to be done: “I personally thought
that Joe did not fully meet his moral obligation and for that reason I felt he
could no longer lead the University. I offered the thought, the trustees
considered it and the feeling was unanimous.”
Ladies
and gentlemen…Penn State’s financial watchdog and moral compass…a man with real
conviction(s): Mark Dambly.
Sleep well. I’m sure
everything is fine.
Update: Mark
Dambly is up for election as the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees which
will occur this Friday when they meet at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
So the BoTs, administration, whomever does no background check? Jiminy Crickets! Retail stores, restaurants, anywhere does background checks. These people are jokes.
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