Grateful Hands

XI. News Articles

W-B towing contractor: No receipts for towed vehicles

By Andrew Staub (Staff Writer)

Published: January 1, 2012

Wilkes-Barre's towing contractor has no record of what he charged or why he towed vehicles for nearly all seven years he's been on the job.

LAG Towing normally does not keep records after customers pay for impounded vehicles, said Thomas Ford, the company's attorney. The business, which pays the city $50,050 annually for exclusive towing rights, only started keeping receipts after The Citizens' Voice filed an open records request for detailed reports more than six months ago.

The request asked for documentation dating back to April 2005, when Wilkes-Barre hired LAG Towing. The company's owner, Leo A. Glodzik III, provided 116 receipts from Aug. 1 to Nov. 29, but did not release any documents from before July 22, the date of the records request.

Mr. Glodzik only began keeping receipts and tow reports upon Mr. Ford's advice, the attorney said in a letter accompanying the documents.

With 76 months of receipts unavailable for review, Mr. Glodzik has offered just a snapshot of his pricing practices under the city contract. Some receipts do not specify charges, but Mr. Glodzik made at least $19,926 over the four months and averaged $171.78 a tow, including storage and labor costs.

That places Mr. Glodzik within his fee schedule, which states he can charge anywhere from $125 to $175 depending upon the circumstances of the tow.

Bob Kadluboski, who held the city contract before LAG Towing, has long insisted his successor has charged more than his fee schedule specifies and said he has receipts to back up the claim.

The owner of City-Wide Towing obtained an LAG towing receipt dated Dec. 16 that indicates Mr. Glodzik charged a city woman $650 after her vehicle was impounded after an accident on Park Avenue.

Mike McGovern, a former tow truck driver who works as an attorney concentrating on the towing industry, said Mr. Glodzik's assertion that he has receipts for just four out of 80 months "doesn't pass the smell test."

The practice amounts to "bad business," Mr. McGovern said. Receipts might be necessary for tax purposes and detailed invoices could be useful for defending claims the towing company damaged someone's vehicle, he said.

The lack of receipts also raises questions of whether Mr. Glodzik always charged his stated fees, Mr. McGovern said.

"It raises a suspicion that he's been overcharging. That's obvious," Mr. McGovern said. "It just raises suspicions that all of a sudden, noise is being made about towing fees and he only has receipts from (Aug. 1) forward."

While Mr. McGovern said many municipalities set caps on tow charges and require their towing contractors to provide monthly invoices, Wilkes-Barre's contract with LAG does not include such stipulations.

"Shame on the municipality for not having some methodology in place for reviewing their contract," Mr. McGovern said.

Mr. Glodzik can charge whatever he would like for city-directed tows, provided the prices are "reasonable and according to the standards of the industry," according to the contract.

Mr. McGovern said he's not sure how contractual language requiring industry-standard prices can be applied practically and expressed surprise the contract permits Mr. Glodzik to set his own prices.

"That's what the contract says? Geez," Mr. McGovern said. "That's not a contract at all."

Neither Mr. Glodzik nor Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton returned telephone messages seeking comment about the records.

Mr. Glodzik has become a focal point of public criticism in recent months, especially from Mr. Kadluboski and Mark Robbins, a Forty Fort man Mr. Glodzik towed last year. Mr. Robbins believes LAG Towing's prices leave poorer residents susceptible to an "economic death spiral."

Mr. Robbins points to the case of Senta Boyer, a 41-year-old city resident who said she must walk from her home near Hazle Street to work at a furniture store off Kidder Street after the city had her car impounded Oct. 27 because of expired tags.

The next day, LAG Towing told MS. Boyer she had to pay a $250 towing fee and a $50 storage charge, Ms. Boyer said. With no insurance and a part-time job paying $9 an hour, Ms. Boyer said she couldn't afford the fee.

"I pretty much bawled my eyeballs out all day long," Ms. Boyer said, adding her long walk inflames her arthritis.

Since the end of October, storage fees have inflated the impound bill to more than $3,000 for a 1997 Ford Taurus, Mr. Robbins said.

Mr. Robbins, who agreed to pay the fee, tried to retrieve the car from LAG Towing's Carey Avenue shop on Thursday, but refused to pay when Mr. Glodzik insisted he pay in cash and declined to allow Ms. Boyer to see the car first, Mr. Robbins said.

Contact the writer: astaub@citizensvoice.com

LAG's paper trail lacking

By Andrew Staub (staff writer)

Published: January 1, 2012

Article Tools

Font size: [A] [A] [A]

Our Social Networks

Facebook

Mark Moran / The Citizens' Voice LAG Towing owner Leo A. Glodzik III only began keeping receipts recently upon the advice of the towing firm's attorney.

Wilkes-Barre's towing contractor has no record of what he charged or why he towed vehicles for nearly all seven years he's been on the job.

LAG Towing normally does not keep records after customers pay for impounded vehicles, said Thomas Ford, the company's attorney. The agency, which pays the city $50,050 annually for exclusive towing rights, only started keeping receipts after The Citizens' Voice filed an open records request for detailed reports more than six months ago.

Glodzik only began keeping receipts and tow reports upon Ford's advice, the attorney said in a letter accompanying the documents.

Ford originally fought the release of the records. He argued their publication would unfairly reveal Glodzik's business practices, but never mentioned they did not exist.

With 76 months of receipts unavailable for review, Glodzik has offered just a snapshot of his pricing practices under the city contract. Some receipts do not specify charges, but Glodzik made at least $19,926 over the four months and averaged $171.78 a tow, including storage and labor costs.

That places Glodzik within his fee schedule, which states he can charge anywhere from $125 to $175 depending upon the circumstances of the tow.

Mike McGovern, a former tow truck driver who works as an attorney concentrating on the towing industry, said Glodzik's assertion that he has receipts for just four out of 80 months "doesn't pass the smell test."

The practice amounts to "bad business," McGovern said. Receipts might be necessary for tax purposes and detailed invoices could be useful for defending claims the towing company damaged someone's vehicle, he said.

The lack of receipts also raises questions of whether Glodzik always charged his stated fees, McGovern said.

"It raises a suspicion that he's been overcharging. That's obvious," McGovern said. "It just raises suspicions that all of sudden noise is being made about towing fees and he only has receipts from (Aug. 1) forward."

Bob Kadluboski, who held the city contract before LAG Towing, has long insisted his successor has charged more than his fee schedule specifies and said he has receipts to back up the claim.

The owner of City-Wide Towing obtained an LAG towing receipt dated Dec. 16 that indicates Glodzik charged a city woman $650 after her vehicle was impounded after an accident on Park Avenue. That included a $375 towing fee, $150 for four days of storage, $75 for labor and $50 for cleanup costs, according to the receipt.

While McGovern said many municipalities set caps on tow charges and require their towing contractors to provide monthly invoices, Wilkes-Barre's contract with LAG does not include such stipulations.

"Shame on the municipality for not having some methodology in place for reviewing their contract," McGovern said.

Glodzik can charge whatever he would like for city-directed tows, provided the prices are "reasonable and according to the standards of the industry," according to the contract.

McGovern said he's not sure how contractual language requiring industry-standard prices can be applied practically and expressed surprise the contract permits Glodzik to set his own prices.

"That's what the contract says? Geez," McGovern said. "That's not a contract at all."

Neither Glodzik nor Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton returned telephone messages seeking comment about the records.

Glodzik has become a focal point of public criticism in recent months, especially from Kadluboski and Mark Robbins, a Forty Fort man Glodzik towed last year. Robbins believes LAG Towing's prices leave poorer residents susceptible to an "economic death spiral."

Robbins points to the case of Senta Boyer, a 41-year-old city resident who said she must walk from her home near Hazle Street to work at a furniture store off Kidder Street after the city had her car impounded Oct. 27 because of expired tags.

The next day, LAG Towing told Boyer she had to pay a $250 towing fee and a $50 storage charge, Boyer said. With no insurance and a part-time job paying $9 an hour, Boyer said she couldn't afford the fee.

"I pretty much bawled my eyeballs out all day long," Boyer said, adding her long walk inflames her arthritis.

Since the end of October, storage fees have inflated the impound bill to more than $3,000 for a 1997 Ford Taurus, Robbins said.

Robbins, who agreed to pay the fee, tried to retrieve the car from LAG Towing's Carey Avenue shop on Thursday, but refused to pay when Glodzik insisted he pay in cash and declined to allow Boyer to see the car first, Robbins said.

"It's sitting there in dirt behind the fence," Robbins said. "For the money to get her car, you could have like a $750 apartment for four months. That puts it in perspective."

astaub@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2052

Betty Roccograndi Former Times Leader writer August 2011

We’re beginning to wonder whether LAG towing company owner Leo Glodzik works for the city of Wilkes-Barre or the other way around.

Once again, city Mayor Tom Leighton is going to bat for Glodzik. He’s determined to sell the former Old River Road Bakery property to him for $38,000. In order to do that, the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board must agree to forgive $440,000 in back taxes.

What do you say, taxpayers? Are you okay with this as is Mayor Leighton? Are you also okay with selling a property, any property, assessed at over $450,000, for $38,000?

Leighton, who is in the real estate business, maintains that political donations have nothing to do with city business transactions, so we’ll just have to take his word for it. Glodzik has donated $10,400 to Leighton’s campaign committee since 2005, The Times Leader reports. Glodzik also pays the city $50,000 for an exclusive city contract to tow vehicles.

Maybe Wikes-Barre just enjoys doing business with the affable Glodzik or maybe the tower just has this sixth sense in knowing when the city wants to dump a property for well below its assessed value – like the one on Carlisle Street, a sale which also was not advertised. Glodzik was lucky stumbling on that one too.

In 2007, the city bought the double-block home at a tax sale for $8,500 and paid an additional $1,500 to close out a mortgage on the property, The Times Leader reported last month.

The city then sold the property last year to Glodzik for $7,500. Somebody in City Hall needs to brush up on his or her math skills. Leighton is the real estate broker, so maybe he knows something we don’t as to why the city would sell a property for $2,500 less than it paid for it and one reportedly assessed at $74,500 for $7,500.

The city had gotten an appraisal of $7,500 for that property. Then we’d have to say it got snookered, spending $10,000 for it.

Leighton is optimistic that the school board will forgive the taxes on the Old River Road parcel even though it declined to do so last September.

“We’re working with the school district to rectify the problem and get the property back on the tax rolls,” the mayor told the TL.

Unfortunately for Leighton and Glodzik, the company which collects back taxes for the county isn’t so anxious to let this one go for a song without a fight.

Northeast Revenue Service LLC President John Rodgers filed paperwork to get the former bakery property back on the tax sale list. It was removed previously after the city fought its inclusion.

Good for Northeast Revenue Service. Even though it may be a long shot, who wouldn’t want to at least try to sell the property and collect back taxes totaling $446,825?

Oh , right, the mayor of Wilkes-Barre and the city’s tower.

Towing owner charged with DUI

TIMES LEADER

KINGSTON TWP. – The owner of LAG Transport, which has the towing contract with , was charged on evidence of drunken driving after he allegedly rammed a vehicle into his ex-girlfriend’s car and struggled with an officer in a hospital’s emergency room.

Leo Alfred Glodzik III, 39, of Foote Avenue, Duryea, was arraigned Sunday on two counts each of driving under the influence, resisting arrest and harassment and one count each of aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and public drunkenness.

He was released after posting $10,000 bail.

Glodzik did not return a message for comment on Wednesday.

According to the criminal complaint:

Township police responded to a Carverton Road residence at about 10:07 p.m. Saturday after Marti Calpin reported someone entered her residence and stole a gold necklace with diamonds. Calpin told police she had an idea who stole the necklace but did not want to get the person in trouble.

Police returned to the residence about 25 minutes later when Glodzik allegedly rammed his car into Calpin’s car. Police said they observed Glodzik standing at the driver’s-side door looking at Calpin, who had locked herself in her vehicle.

Calpin told police Glodzik rammed into her vehicle on Maple Street and pinned her door shut to prevent her from escaping. Glodzik screamed at Calpin as she pulled into her driveway. Glodzik denied “any actions that had taken place.”

Police said an odor of alcohol was detected on Glodzik’s breath and he admitted he had been drinking.

Glodzik refused to submit to a breath test and was taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Plains Township, where police allege he tried “head butt” an office during a struggle in the emergency room. Glodzik was secured to a hospital bed and submitted to a blood-alcohol test.

Calpin told police she tried to “break off” her relationship with Glodzik, who told Calpin, “You started a war.”

A preliminary hearing is scheduled on Sept. 16 before District Judge James Tupper in Kingston Township.

Wilkes-Barre city officials in 2004 named LAG Transport as the city contractor for towing services.

Wilkes-Barre Councilman Tony Thomas said he believed the charges filed against Glodzik would not result in the termination of the towing contract.

“I have to wait and see what the final decision is with the hearing and see if all the allegations are true or false and then we can go from there,” Thomas said.

“I know he had many workers that work for him, and I know he doesn’t come out for every call by himself. He has a variety of workers that work for him that I know of that come to the scenes. He is not present all the time,” Thomas said.

“We’ll look at the contract and see if there is anything in the contract that states he has to behave in a certain way, which it should be and go from there,” he added.

Edward Lewis, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7196.

Woman says city stole her car

Bill O'Boyle - boboyle@timesleader.com - 570-829-7218 - Twitter: @TLBillOBoyle

Photos

LAG owner Leo A. Glodzik in his office in January 2007. A city woman has charged Glodzik and Mayor Tom Leighton with theft after her car was towed and LAG’s pricing made it impossible for her to pick it up. LAG is the city tower.

Select images available for purchase in the
Times Leader Photo Store

A city woman has filed legal paperwork charging Mayor Tom Leighton and Leo A. Glodzik with theft of a motor vehicle.

Senta Boyer, with assistance from Mark Robbins, the Forty Fort man who has stridently criticized Leighton, Glodzik and the city police department at several city council meetings, said her car was towed and LAG’s pricing made it impossible for her to get it back.

Boyer and Robbins mailed the charges to District Judge Rick Cronauer asking Cronauer to recuse himself because he was a member of city council until Dec. 31. Cronauer’s office forwarded the charges to the county District Attorney’s Office for determination.

Sam Sanguedolce, first assistant district attorney, said an assistant DA will determine if the allegations in the affidavit are sufficient to find probable cause to support the allegations. “If approved, they are sent to the district magistrate with instructions to hold a preliminary hearing,” Sanguedolce said. “If disapproved, notice is sent to the district magistrate and the complainant with the reason for the disapproval.”

Drew McLaughlin, spokesman for Leighton, said the mayor had no comment on the charges being filed. Glodzik did not return a message left at his office.

In the filing, Boyer said her car was towed on Oct. 28 and taken to LAG’s garage. She said the fine was $160; LAG’s fee was $250 plus a daily storage fee of $50 for a total of $460. Boyer said she is a single mother making $9 an hour.

Boyer’s car has been at the LAG garage for more than 60 days, and with storage charges her bill now exceeds $3,200.

“I knew at week two my car was gone because the cost was greater than the value of the car,” Boyer wrote in her filing.

She said she has visited the LAG garage and asked to see her car, but has been denied. Robbins said he offered to pay Boyer’s bill with a credit card, but Glodzik demanded cash. Boyer said the loss of her car has created several hardships for her and her son.

In a recent interview, Glodzik said Boyer doesn’t have insurance for the vehicle and didn’t have a current registration for it.

“I can’t release a vehicle without insurance,” he said.

Glodzik said he still has the car at LAG.

In a related matter, the city and Glodzik have been ordered by the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records to turn over seven years of receipts for business conducted with the city. Glodzik claims he hasn’t kept those records, saying he began compiling them only in August on the advice of his attorney. Glodzik has 30 days to produce the records or appeal the ruling to the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas.

LAG has been the city’s contracted towing company since April 2005. The company pays the city $50,050 each year to provide the service.

Tower shows car, eyes negotiating

Woman says she owes more on the car than it’s worth and Glodzik, the tower, can have it.

Bill O'Boyle - boboyle@timesleader.com - 570-829-7218 - Twitter: @TLBillOBoyle

Photos

Leo Glodzik with Senta Boyer’s car, Friday. It was towed in October for $175 and a $50 per day storage fee. Glodzik said he talked to Boyer the day after towing the car. The car was not picked up and the bill grew to over $3,000.

Select images available for purchase in the
Times Leader Photo Store

Leo Glodzik, owner of LAG Towing, invited the media to see Senta Boyer’s car on Friday, refuting claims that he sold the vehicle for parts and had it disposed of at a salvage yard.

“Here it is,” Glodzik said pointing to a 1997 red Ford Taurus. “Here’s the VIN number.”

Glodzik started the car and said he would be willing to negotiate a settlement with Boyer to get the car back.

“He can have it,” Boyer said when contacted Friday. “It’s only worth $1,500 and he wants me to pay him more than $3,000. Thanks, but no thanks.”

Glodzik said he towed the car to his garage in October after city police noticed Boyer’s registration had expired and pulled her over. The car was towed when Boyer did not produce proof of insurance, Glodzik said.

Glodzik said he towed the car at 2 a.m. on Blackman Street.

Glodzik said he spoke to Boyer the next day and told her the towing fee was $175 and there would be a $50 per day storage fee. He said Boyer called back about two weeks later and he told her the bill was now around $700.

He said he spoke to her again two months later and now the bill had risen to more than $3,000.

Mark Robbins of Forty Fort got involved and tried to pay Boyer’s bill with a credit card, Glodzik said.

“I still don’t know why Mark Robbins got involved,” Glodzik said. “But I wouldn’t accept the credit card because I was afraid the charge would be cancelled after they left with the car. I asked for cash or certified check.”

Boyer has filed charges against Glodzik and Mayor Tom Leighton, claiming her car was stolen. The Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the charges to determine if they are valid.

District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said Friday she reviewed the complaint and decided to send it to the state Attorney General to determine if there is a conflict in her office handling the case. She said it could take a week to hear back.

“They accused me of stealing the car and taking it to a chop shop to sell the parts,” Glodzik said. “And here’s the car – intact and running.”

Glodzik said he is willing to discuss a settlement with Boyer.

“Anything is negotiable,” he said. “I’ll accept a reasonable offer. I’m willing to talk to her.”

Boyer said she can’t afford to get the car back. She said she has no beef with Leighton; she’s just upset that “he always sticks up for Glodzik.”

“(Glodzik) took me through hell with this car,” she said. “I’m not talking to him.”

Boyer said she has another vehicle that’s in the shop for repairs. She said she is struggling to get back and forth to work.

The city and Glodzik have been ordered by the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records to turn over seven years of receipts for business conducted with the city. Glodzik claims he hasn’t kept those records, saying he began compiling them only in August on the advice of his attorney. Glodzik has 30 days to produce the records or appeal the ruling to the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas.

Glodzik said he sends his receipts and bank statements to his accountant every month and a half. He said the city has never asked him to submit reports as required by the contract.

LAG has been the city’s contracted towing company since April 2005. The company pays the city $50,050 each year to provide the service.

One man ready to speak up about LAG Towing – Mark Robbins

July 12th, 2011

Goto comments Leave a comment

Mark Robbins believes every car impounded in LAG Towing’s lot on Carey Avenue has a story to tell.

Maybe one of the cars there belongs to a single mother, the type of person Robbins said he helps through his Grateful Hands ministry. Maybe she works a minimum-wage job. Maybe she can’t afford the towing fee, a minimum of $125, or the $50-a-day storage fee LAG Towing charges when it hauls in an illegally parked or wrecked car.

“I’m thinking if this happened to some of the people I’m helping, they’d go into an economic death spiral,” Robbins said recently.

The Forty Fort man plans to come to the Wilkes-Barre city council meeting Tuesday night to speak up about LAG Towing, which owns the exclusive towing contract with the city. He wants to talk about the”favorable deals” the owner of the company, Leo A. Glodzik III, has received from the city, he said. That means stories about the Old River Road Bakery, which the city pulled from a 2009 tax sale and sold to Glodzik for 8 percent of its assessed value. Or the instance in August when the city sold a Carlisle Street home to Glodzik for $7,500 — after investing $10,000 to buy the home and pay off outstanding loans connected to it.

And Robbins will probably bring up his own experience with LAG towing. Glodzik hauled in Robbins’ car June 1 after he parked it too close to a crosswalk on Franklin Street. Robbins’ registration was also expired. Glodzik charged Robbins $200 to retrieve his car — $175 for the tow and $25 to unlock the car to undo his shifter, Glodzik said.

While LAG Towing’s contract with the city allows Glodzik to set his own prices, the rates must be “reasonable and according to the standards of the industry generally,” according to the agreement.

Other towing contractors charge far less than Glodzik, Robbins said. When Bob Kadluboski owned the contract, he said he charged $70 for a tow and $20 a day for storage.

The city has broken its contract with LAG Towing in Glodzik’s favor, Robbins said. He also believes city council even labeled Glodzik’s prices as predatory when it passed an ordinance that stipulated towing companies could charge a maximum of $125 for non-consensual tows from private property. Glodzik’s own fee schedule sets prices at $125 for a wrecker tow and $175 for a rollback tow. The ordinance allowed towing companies to charge up to $175 for tows requested by the city. LAG Towing’s work would fall under that category.

The city has since suspended the ordinance to work out enforcement issues.

But worst of all, Robbins said, Wilkes-Barre police didn’t seem to care much when he wanted an incident report about damage he said Glodzik caused to his vehicle during the tow.

Something isn’t right, Robbins said. He wants someone, maybe Luzerne County District Attorney Jackie Musto Carroll or the FBI, to investigate. He wants an audit of LAG’s finances. He’s circulated a detailed packet outlining his allegations against LAG Towing and the city. On Tuesday, he plans to read a five-minute statement to council. Robbins wants others to notice. Most of all, he wants to help people get back their vehicles, he said.

Glodzik didn’t say much when contacted Monday. He talked only briefly, saying he was in the middle of a tow, but characterized Robbins as the one causing problems.

“He gave 911 a problem. He gave officers on scene a problem,” Glodzik said of his encounter with Robbins. “That was all I really know about that.”

— Andrew Staub

City towing contractor accused of assaulting ex-girlfriend

By Andrew Staub (Staff Writer)

Published: September 24, 2011 (2nd Incident)

Leo A. Glodzik III has found trouble again.

Kingston Township police on Friday accused Wilkes-Barre's towing contractor with assaulting his ex-girlfriend and slashing her vehicle's tire a month before Glodzik will stand trial on charges he head-butted a police officer last year.

Glodzik was cited with criminal mischief and harassment, both summary offenses, after police say he bent his ex-girlfriend's hand, pushed her down and then slashed the tire during a dispute at the woman's Carverton Road home.

Glodzik's latest legal snafu adds to a past that includes questionable property deals with Wilkes-Barre, a federal lawsuit that alleges he violated a couple's civil rights and accusations his company, LAG Towing, has been allowed to charge inflated towing fees.

Friday's incident involved the same woman who was part of the dispute that led to Glodzik's assault charges, police said.

On Sept. 4, 2010, Kingston Township police found Marti Calpin locked in her car after Glodzik apparently rammed her car with his own vehicle, according to court documents. When questioned at the scene, Glodzik said he had "maybe three drinks," but refused a Breathalyzer test, police said.

Police took Glodzik to the hospital for a blood test, where they said he tried to head-butt a Dallas Township police officer. Glodzik's attorney has said his client - despite having numerous tattoos - fears needles and squirmed during the blood test.

Glodzik will stand trial Oct. 24 on aggravated assault, a felony, and two misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest charges. The city's towing contract allows Wilkes-Barre to fire Glodzik upon conviction of a crime greater than a summary offense, Mayor Tom Leighton has said Glodzik's legal issues are related to his private life.

Still, Glodzik has drummed up ample controversy for public officials.

A couple has filed a federal lawsuit alleging Glodzik, Leighton and assistant city attorney Bill Vinsko took part in a "back-door deal" to remove the Old River Road Bakery building from a public tax sale so it could be bought by Glodzik. The couple was interested in a sliver of the property.

While the bakery deal was rescinded this summer, the city also invested $10,000 in a Carlisle Street property, then sold it to Glodzik for $7,500. Another city resident said he was "buffaloed" out of a New Hancock Street home Glodzik eventually bought and began to renovate. In both cases, the city cited Glodzik with failure to obtain proper permits.

Mark Robbins, a Forty Fort man towed by Glodzik, held a protest last week after alleging Glodzik has bilked residents with inflated towing fees. Glodzik has refused to release receipts related to city-directed tows to silence the claims, prompting The Citizens' Voice to appeal to the state Office of Open Records to obtain the records.

Glodzik could not be reached Friday. A city spokesman also did not return a message seeking comment about Glodzik's continued troubles.

That includes a January run-in with Bob Kadluboski, who preceded Glodzik as the city's towing operator before being fired in 2004. The two clashed in the city hall parking lot in January, though Wilkes-Barre police filed no charges against either man.

"He attacked me in the parking lot - put me in fear of my life, of being hurt - and they wouldn't even do nothing about it," Kadluboski said. "It just goes to show you, how much more are they going to cover for the guy?"

astaub@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2052

LAG tower cited with slashing tire, harassing woman (2nd Incident)

Photos

Leo A. Glodzik, owner of LAG Towing in Wilkes-Barre.

Select images available for purchase in the
Times Leader Photo Store

Township police said they cited Leo Glodzik, 40, with criminal mischief and harassment after a woman claimed he struck her and slashed a tire on her car Friday morning.

The alleged incident occurred a month before Glodzik, of Foote Avenue, Duryea, is scheduled for a trial in Luzerne County County on charges he assaulted a township police officer investigating a domestic dispute with the same woman in September 2010, according to court records.

Police said they responded to Carverton Road at about 9:30 a.m. and learned that Glodzik had allegedly assaulted a woman and slashed a tire on her car.

Wilkes-Barre city officials in 2004 named Glodzik's business, LAG Transport, as the city contractor for towing services.

Towing company owner arrested

By Bob Kalinowski, Staff Writer

Published: September 8, 2010 (1^st Incident)

The owner of a towing company with an exclusive contract with Wilkes-Barre City attempted to head butt a police officer after being arrested Saturday evening for ramming an ex-girlfriend’s car while intoxicated in Kingston Township, police said.

Leo Glodzik III, 39, owner of LAG Towing, is charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, recklessly endangering another person, driving under the influence of alcohol, public drunkenness and harassment.

According to arrest papers:

Police were called to 65 Carverton Road in Kingston Township on Saturday around 8:30 p.m. for the second time in a half hour, the first being a theft of a diamond necklace. The victim, Marti Calpin, had locked herself in her vehicle after Glodzik began ramming her car with his vehicle as she tried to leave.

Glodzik was standing by Calpin’s driver’s side when police arrived.

Police detected an odor of alcohol and determined Glodzik exhibited signs of intoxication. Glodzik refused to take a portable breath test and was placed under arrest for DUI.

Caplin told police that after the break-in and theft, she planned to go to his sister’s home. As she was leaving, Glodzik arrived in a silver Ford Taurus, and rammed her car, pinning her inside.

While being taken for blood testing, Glodzik attempted to pull away from officers. At the hospital, Glodzik "continued to be disruptive and then also became violent," police said.

At one point, Glodzik sat up from a hospital bed and attempted to headbutt an officer. The officer dodged the headbutt and took Glodzik to the ground.

Glodzik was then secured to the bed and blood was taken. The blood results are not yet available.

In 2005, Glodzik’s company was granted a contract as Wilkes-Barre’s exclusive tower after firing Bob Kadluboski of City-Wide Towing for "lacking professionalism and failing to provide itemized receipts."

City officials did not immediately respond to questions regarding Glodzik’s arrest.

bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2055

W-B towing dispute turns into rally

Photos

Betsy Summers, candidate for mayor, protests in front of W-B City Hall on Saturday.

mhughes@timesleader.com Times Leader

WILKES-BARRE – What started as a dispute between the owner of a towed car and the city’s contracted tower ballooned into a small political rally Friday, complete with placards, bull-horns and candidates eager to get their message out.

The gathering in front of City Hall was organized by Forty Fort resident Mark Robbins, who since July has made allegations that city-contracted tower Leo Glodzik is involved in a kickback scheme with Mayor Thomas Leighton and Police Chief Gerard Dessoye. Robbins’ vehicle was towed June 1 by Glodzik’s company, LAG Towing, and Robbins contends he overcharged for the tow and that LAG damaged his vehicle. Robbins advertised Saturday’s event as a “protest against the Mayor and the City who allow monopoly pricing to exist,” but the protest morphed into a more general political rally.

“I came here to make sure that the contracts that the city engages in are being upheld as they are supposed to be,” said Republican candidate for mayor Lisa Cope, who attended the event. “It seems to have turned into a political rally.”

Cope was joined at the rally by other candidates, including Republican candidate for city controller Karen Ceppa and Libertarians Betsy Summers, candidate for mayor, and Tim Mullen, candidate for Luzerne County Council. All told about 20 turned out, holding placards reading messages like “corruption in Leighton land” and “government servants not masters.”

“I’m surprised to see that he’s not from the city; that he’s an outsider that has an issue with the city,” Ceppa said of Robbins. “…I think people will start to see that it isn’t just the City of Wilkes-Barre, that there are people that live outside the city that have issues with the city, and I hope that people will recognize that when it comes time for the November election.”

City officials were not present during the event. City spokesman Drew Mclaughlin declined comment.

Robbins said he hoped the event would bring like-minded people together, and he felt it did.

“There’s a lot of people in Wilkes-Barre that have been victims of corruption, and that needed to suffer in silence,” Robbins said. “This is a forum where they can have a voice and meet other like-minded people.”

Vinsko's Mess- River Road or Railroad (Vinsko is WB city attorney)

Today's Times Leader features this article by veteran reporter Jennifer Learn-Andes reporting that Wilkes Barre (aka Tom Leighton's Cook County Version) was rescinding its controversial deal with Leo Glodizk III to sell him the former Old River Road Bakery.

The city is expected to appear before the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board today seeking forgiveness of more than $445,000 in back taxes on the property so it won’t be listed in a September back-tax auction.

School board members said no to the request once, in part due to public complaints about the handling of the sale to Glodzik.

The city did not publicly advertise the property to ensure it obtained the highest offer from prospective buyers. Glodzik, owner of LAG Towing, the city’s towing contractor, has donated $10,400 to city Mayor Tom Leighton’s campaign committee since 2005.

Leighton has said in the past that political donations have no bearing on city business. The mayor also said other buyers had expressed interest in the property, but none were willing to pay close to the $38,000 offered by Glodzik.

Take a look at that picture and convince yourself that the building and property aren't worth more than $38,000.00. It was assessed at $478,300.00.

Sources close to SOP tell us that Attorney Vinsko failed to file papers on time in this matter leading to the current situation.

Leo Glodzik III of L.A.G Transport Inc, a staunch Leighton political supporter, wanted to use the property as storage for his towing business.

A federal lawsuit was filed in Scranton back in 2009 over this property as described in this Times Leader article by Terri Morgan-Besecker.

Tyler and Antonia Hammond claim Leighton and Vinsko took steps to deprive them and other persons of the right to purchase the property at 250 Old River Road so that it could be sold to a person who was a private client of Leighton’s real estate business and Vinsko’s law firm.

The suit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Scranton by attorney Cynthia Pollick, does not identify the person to whom the property was sold. But details contained in the suit indicate it revolves around the sale of the defunct bakery to Leo Glodzik III of L.A.G Transport Inc.

Glodzik recently purchased the property for $38,000 to house a storage facility for his towing business. Luzerne County had assessed the 1.14-acre property at $478,300.

Wilkes Barre City is asking for the Wilkes Barre Area School Board to forgive $445, 000.00 in back taxes owed on the property. Or is the translation Leighton is asking the school board to forgive $445, 000.00 in back taxes so he can get Vinsko off the hook and sell the property to his political buddy, Leo Glodzik, III.

It should be worth noting that the City of Wilkes Barre enforced liens it had on the Hotel Sterling project against CityVest according to this TL article by Jennifer Learn-Andes back on June 21. Ask Wilkes Barre Area to do what the Wilkes Barre City wouldn't. Hmmmmm

Tammany Hall..lets see...

Posted by McGruff at 2:05 PM

Labels: Jennifer Learn-Andes, leo glodzik III, Tom Leighton, Wilkes Barre, Wilkes Barre Area School District

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Whatever became of the townhouses the County was told would be built on the Bakery property, if the County forgave its part of the owed back taxes? Were the County Commissioners deceived, or lied to?
And if so, by whom?
I've had it with the leadership of this administration, and all their shenanigans.

August 4, 2011 9:31 AM

Anonymous said...

According to Steve Urban, the County Commissioners were told that if they forgave their portion of the owed taxes, the Bakery property would be developed into townhouses?
Were they deceived? Were they lied to? And by whom?. If the School Board has gotten along for this long without the $400+ in back taxes, whats the rush to forgive? Slap a lien on the property, and wait for the administration to go back to the original plan and develop it. Whatever happened to the Planters Bldg that was to be a strip mall? I think the City has no business being in the real estate business.Time to drain the pond, and let the bottom feeders die.

August 4, 2011 11:38 AM

The Facts in Glodzik / Robbins Dispute

This is a listing of the facts in the dispute between Mark Robbins and tow truck businessman Leo Glodzik III. Robbins has accused Glodzik of charging exorbitantly high fees which violate Glodzik's contract with the City that mandates reasonable fees in accordance with industry standards.

Facts not in Dispute:
Glodzik charged Robbins a total of $200 for a tow.

Facts in Dispute.
Robbins quotes the contract between Glodzik and the city as stating "Contractor is permitted to charge its own fees... provided so long as the same are reasonable and according to the standards of the industry generally." Glodzik told the Times Leader that the charge of $175 for a base rate on a "rollback tow" is a "standard industry charge". (He did not mention what the remaining $25 of the $200 total was for.) More importantly, Glodzik made a rollback tow sound like some sort of special, expensive tow.

However, former city tow truck contractor Bob Kadluboski, owner of City Wide Towing, has implied that he charged $75 for such a tow when he held the city contract. We found a rate quote of $83 for a rollback tow from Ace Towing in North Carolina. It would be strange if the price in NC -$83 was over double what Glodzik charges -$175- in the Wyoming Valley. If these numbers are correct, then there is suspicion enough to warrant an investigation into Glodzik's records to make sure he is charging industry standard.

Problematic Enforcement
Robbins believes there is much more going on than predatory pricing and that the Wilkes-Barre police chief may be up to no good. This is significant because in the contract the police chief, Dessoye, has the power to demand an inspection of Glodzik's receipts*. If Dessoye and Glodzik are in cahoots, then nothing can be done about the alleged predatory pricing.

More Facts not in Dispute
Robbins passed a professionally administered and legally valid polygraph test, and his answers were deemed truthful by the tester. Here they are:

A) When you called Wilkes-Barre 911 on June 1st, did you report Leo Glodzik's threatening behavior?

Answer "Yes" RESULT: NO DECEPTION INDICATED (2.4%)

B) On June 1, did a Wilkes-Barre police officer say to you "l don't give a fuck about your car”? (The cop leaning on the car in the police cruiser picture said this to me... classy, huh?)

Answer "Yes" RESULT: NO DECEPTION INDICATED (0.6%)

C) On June 1st, when Wilkes-Barre police arrived on the scene after you called them, did officers speak to Leo Glodzik first before speaking with you? (3 separate instances... Leo Glodzik gets "extra special attention" from police... even in the face of a 911 call made against him.)

Answer "Yes" RESULT: NO DECEPTION INDICATED (0.1%)

D) On June 1, did Leo Glodzik suggest that you lie to AAA by telling them your car had overheated? (Part of his "fraud proposition"...see Section IV)

Answer "Yes" RESULT: NO DECEPTION INDICATED (0.1%)

Robbins' account seems to indicate that there may be some sort of connection between the police in general and Glodzik.

It seems fishy that only the police chief can demand to see Glodzik's receipts and that other city workers seem totally uninterested in them, with city official Drew McLaughlin telling a Citizen's Voice reporter that records are not necessary.

City attorney Bill Vinsko probably had some sort of say over the contract with Glodzik. Indeed, as of writing this article, Glodzik is friends on Facebook with Bill Vinsko who, according to the Citizen's Voice, "incorporated several businesses for Glodzik." Vinsko is friends with Leighton on Facebook, and Leighton has served as Glodzik's real estate broker (scroll down…)

It seems there is a deep rabbit hole involving Glodzik and property acquisitions. According to the Times Leader, County Commissioner Steve Urban has accused Leighton and his city workers of selling a property to Glodzik for $7,500 without advertising it and after paying $10,000 total for it.

A big deal has been made over the fact that Glodzik has donated $10,500 to Leighton’s campaigns since 2005; but he has been the city’s contracted tower for six years. Glodzik gave $2,500 to Leighton's state senate run, but it is important to note that Falzone's towing also gave this amount, as did Bill Sordoni of Sordoni construction, Albert Boscov, and the McCarthys of McCarthy Tire, so Glodzik's donation amounts are relatively normal among that crowd of businessmen.

Nevertheless, there are far too many coincidences and ties to quell legitimate suspicion. Robbins has made some stunning claims involving everything from possible FBI corruption to possible kickback schemes involving the towed vehicles, all of which are all viewable on his website.

Update 8-1
We neglected to mention that Glodzik pays Wilkes-Barre City $50,000 per year to maintain his city contract. City administrator Marie McCormick took offense at Robbins' criticism of this $50k payment as being a "kickback". But as Bob Kadluboski correctly replied: the fee is actually a tax on the people who have their cars towed, especially if Glodzik is able to get away with charging upwards of $200 per tow. Kadluboski went on to note that these sorts of payoffs, however contractual they may be, were outlawed in New York because of the perverse incentive they promote. Bidding on the contract should have been on the towing rates and not on a payment to the city government. But, understandably, the city wanted the money, and getting in such a round about way shifts discontentment that would otherwise be directed toward them toward Glodzik.
__________________________________
*Section 18 (f) of the city contract with L.A.G. says ”the Contractor shall provide to the chief of police an accurate and running log of all vehicles currently in storage; the tows made by the Contractor under this contract for the preceding month; and a copy of all inventories held. If requested, the Chief of Police is entitled to information pertaining to the amount of money collected under this or pursuant to this contract… and other information that the Administration or the Chief of Police find relevant to maintaining the integrity of the city.

More Info
"City tower’s conduct blasted" http://www.timesleader.com/news/City_tower_rsquo_s_conduct_blasted_07-13-2011.html

"Critical remarks target Wilkes-Barre's towing operator" http://citizensvoice.com/news/critical-remarks-target-wilkes-barre-s-towing-operator-1.1174547

"W-B tower denies driver’s claims" http://www.timesleader.com/news/W-B_tower_denies_driver_rsquo_s_claims_07-13-2011.html

"Wilkes-Barre Towing Contract Not Enforced" http://citizensvoice.com/news/wilkes-barre-towing-contract-not-enforced-1.1174046#axzz1SR2JE8ky

Mark Robbins' Website Detailing the alleged "Cars for Cash Scheme" http://gratefulhands.net/cars_for_cash_kickback_scam

"Judge re-opens Old River Road Bakery lawsuit" http://citizensvoice.com/news/judge-reopens-old-river-road-bakery-lawsuit-1.1136485#axzz1SR2JE8ky

Critical remarks target Wilkes-Barre's towing operator

By Andrew Staub, Staff Writer

Published: July 13, 2011

Article Tools

Font size: [A] [A] [A]

Our Social Networks

Facebook

WILKES-BARRE - Before the gavel rang Tuesday - ending yet another controversial appearance by Bob Kadluboski at a city council meeting - the muckraking tow truck operator left city police Chief Gerard Dessoye with a challenge for Wednesday.

Kadluboski asked the chief to assemble the press and visit his City-Wide Towing garage to compare receipts from Kadluboski's time as the city's exclusive towing operator with the receipts from his successor, LAG Towing. The comparison would offer proof the city allows LAG Towing to "rip off" residents by overcharging for tows, Kadluboski said during another tumultuous council meeting.

"I'll let you go through the receipts and see what's going on," Kadluboski told Dessoye. "Then you can take the press down and have (LAG Towing owner Leo A. Glodzik III) open his records up and show them."

It's a challenge Dessoye said he won't accept.

"He has nothing to do with the city or city contracts," Dessoye said of Kadluboski after the meeting.

Though Kadluboski has complained about LAG Towing's contract numerous times, he found some backup Tuesday. Mark Robbins of Forty Fort told council Glodzik is "profiting off the backs of the poorest, most vulnerable and most defenseless citizens" - people who cannot afford to pay towing or storage fees to retrieve their impounded vehicles.

Glodzik towed Robbins on June 1 after Robbins parked too close to an intersection on Franklin Street. He also had an expired registration and inspection sticker.

After retrieving his car for $200, Robbins accused Glodzik of damaging his car during the tow. He called police for an incident report. When police arrived, they did not treat Robbins seriously, he said, and cursed at him as he tried to obtain a report to take to court.

Robbins also said he believes the city broke its contract with Glodzik by allowing him to charge more than industry standards and by Dessoye's failure to collect monthly activity logs from LAG Towing, a detail uncovered by The Citizens' Voice this week.

"It is obvious that something is amiss," Robbins told council, questioning whether Glodzik's $50,050 annual payments to the city and his $10,000 in campaign donations to Mayor Tom Leighton curried him favor.

Dessoye moved to discredit Robbins, painting him as disgruntled citizen who broke the law, then refused to cooperate with LAG Towing and police. The chief said because the responding officer called his supervisor to resolve the dispute, he is "reluctant to feel the officer's conduct was not appropriate."

Robbins' allegations prompted City Administrator Marie McCormick to defend the police department and Leighton, who was not at the meeting. She said she took "offense" to claims of impropriety and pointed out Glodzik pays the city yearly under the contract. The statement incensed Kadluboski.

"He's not paying you," Kadluboski said. "It's the citizens that get their cars towed that are paying you."

Glodzik wasn't at the meeting, but he defended himself when reached afterward. He said Robbins has some "issues" and wanted to pin repairs he needed to pass inspection on LAG Towing. Though Glodzik offered to take the complaint to district court for a resolution, Robbins still argued, Glodzik said.

"He didn't want to hear that," Glodzik said. "He wanted the officers to slap the cuffs on me."

Robbins said he later took his car to a mechanic, who attributed the damage to improper towing.

As for Kadluboski, Glodzik accused his rival of overcharging and said he is "sore" he lost his city contract.

Wilkes-Barre fired Kadluboski in 2004, alleging improper behavior on his behalf. Kadluboski sued the city and won a $250,000 settlement in 2009 after a federal judge ruled Wilkes-Barre violated his civil rights when a city-appointed arbiter did not ask Kadluboski to present his side of the story in a hearing.

Glodzik also said only he and Dessoye have access to his receipts and that he could not reveal the documents to a reporter because of privacy issues. LAG Towing repossesses vehicles and impounds cars involved in DUIs. Such details are marked on the receipt, Glodzik said.

"I don't think it's really anybody's business why somebody got towed," Glodzik said.

Glodzik said he occasionally cuts residents a break if he learns they had extenuating circumstances - like if their vehicles were towed when they were in the hospital. Dessoye also said he sometimes mediates price disputes between LAG Towing and residents, but said complaints were worse under Kadluboski.

"I don't have those types of complaints," he said. "I'm not looking into complaints of arrogance or uncooperativeness."

Wilkes-Barre towing contract not enforced

By Andrew Staub (Staff Writer)

Published: July 12, 2011

Article Tools

Font size: [A] [A] [A]

Our Social Networks

Facebook

Warren Ruda / The Citizens' Voice Wilkes-Barre police Chief Gerald Dessoye is to receive activity logs from LAG Towing on the 10th of every month, according to the company's contract with the city.

Wilkes-Barre police Chief Gerard Dessoye enforces the law, but not a contract between the city and its exclusive towing contractor, according to information obtained through an open-records request.

Leo A. Glodzik III, the owner of LAG Towing, must provide activity logs to Dessoye on the 10th of every month, according to his contract with the city. The reports must include an "accurate and running log" of all tows Glodzik made under his contract the prior month and an inventory of all vehicles he has in storage.

Failure to meet the condition "shall be considered a default" and would allow the city to terminate Glodzik's contract, according to the agreement.

After The Citizens' Voice requested the activity logs, city clerk and open-records officer Jim Ryan responded that Wilkes-Barre had no such documents. On Monday, city spokesman Drew McLaughlin said in a statement that the logs are unnecessary because Dessoye can track city-directed tows through internal police department records.

The reports are "available on request if they need them," Glodzik said.

One man is ready to speak out against LAG Towing. Read about it on City Watch at blogs.citizensvoice.com/citywatch.

"If they ask for them, I provide them. If they don't ask for them, I don't provide them," said Glodzik, who pays the city $50,050 a year for the exclusive right to remove illegally parked cars from city property and to clear traffic accidents in Wilkes-Barre.

Dessoye can also request documentation of income Glodzik collects under his contract, but the city "has not had any need for this information," Ryan wrote.

The city also denied an open-records request asking for any citizen complaints, compliments or comments about LAG Towing, Glodzik or his employees. Complaints are exempt from the state's open-records law, and city attorney Tim Henry said he believes there have been no written complaints regarding Glodzik.

McLaughlin's statement, though, indicated disputes have arisen between LAG Towing and residents.

"The city has in the past and will continue to look into concerns about specific tows when they are reported and when it has been necessary," he said. "The chief of police has mediated towing issues or price disputes with LAG on people's behalf."

Dessoye did not return messages seeking comment. His secretary referred a reporter to McLaughlin. Mayor Tom Leighton could not be reached.

Glodzik has owned the city's towing contract since April 2005. The city awarded it to him after firing Bob Kadluboski, the owner of City-Wide Towing and an ardent critic of city officials, in 2004 because the city said he did not operate in a "courteous, professional, good and workmanlike manner."

The city settled with Kadluboski for $250,000 in 2009 after a federal judge ruled that Wilkes-Barre violated his civil rights when a city-appointed arbiter did not notify or ask Kadluboski to present his side of the story in a hearing.

On Monday, Kadluboski said the lack of oversight with the current towing contractor smacked of a double standard. He called the city's treatment of Glodzik a "joke" compared to the scrutiny he faced.

"There's no doubt there's favoritism there," Kadluboski said, pointing to campaign contributions Glodzik has made to Leighton.

Since 2005, Glodzik has donated more than $10,000 to Leighton's mayoral campaigns, including a $5,000 contribution in 2007. A federal lawsuit filed against Leighton, Glodzik and assistant city attorney William Vinsko also painted Glodzik as a city insider who once referred to Wilkes-Barre officials as his "buddies."

In that case, the city pulled the Old River Road Bakery from a 2009 county tax sale and sold the property to Glodzik for $38,000. County assessment records listed the bakery's value at $478,000. Another couple interested in the property has since sued the city.

In August, the city also sold Glodzik a Carlisle Street home for $7,500 after buying it from the county Tax Claim Bureau for $8,500 and paying off $1,500 in outstanding loans connected to the property.

A city resident also said he was "buffaloed" out of a New Hancock Street home Glodzik eventually bought.

Joseph Wielgosz said he wanted to a buy the home for $35,000 last summer, but withdrew his bid when an appraiser told him city officials said he would have to rip out an illegal apartment in the garage. Glodzik bought the home in October for $25,000 and began remodeling the apartments Wielgosz was told were illegal.

In the Carlisle Street and New Hancock Street cases, the city cited Glodzik for failure to obtain proper permits or licenses to remodel the homes.

astaub@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2052

Mark@GratefulHands.net