Long Island Forum
business • January 4, 2026

Suffolk Axes 20-Year Union Contract for GOP-Connected Firm

Union leaders and Democrats criticize Suffolk County for dropping Austin Drywall Corp. after two decades in favor of contractor tied to county officials.
By Sarah Mitchell
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The Suffolk County Department of Public Works ended its longtime relationship with Austin Drywall Corp., based in Bohemia, and moved to award the contract to Renu Contracting & Restoration. The new contractor is owned by Michael VanDenburg, who was appointed to the county Planning Commission last year by Republican Suffolk Executive Ed Romaine.

Democratic Suffolk Legislator Greg Doroski led a protest Friday outside the county Public Works building in Yaphank, flanked by dozens of union workers. “[Austin Drywall Corp.] was praised by the County Executive, praised by Majority Leader [Nick Caracappa,] and had a good record — there are questions that must be answered,” Doroski told reporters.

Union leaders and Democratic officials called the contract switch a clear “conflict of interest,” pointing to VanDenburg’s government position and his history of donations to Republican committees in Suffolk County, according to campaign finance records.

The controversy extends beyond political connections. Labor officials claim the county may have violated its own Apprenticeship Law, which requires contractors on public projects exceeding $250,000 to participate in state-registered apprenticeship programs. These programs train local workers while potentially saving taxpayers money, since apprentices can legally earn lower wages while learning.

“The county appears to have waived that law,” said union labor leader Vincent Alu. “If we are a nation of laws, those who enforce the law must follow the law, and the county must explain how and why it may have violated its own law.”

Union officials also raised concerns about prevailing wage compliance. The terminated Austin Drywall contract was described as a massive “on-call” deal worth millions that allowed the county to quickly deploy union workers for repairs across Suffolk. Officials accused county administrators of giving Renu “preferential treatment” by accepting a bid they believe fell below prevailing wage requirements while applying labor standards inconsistently.

“At a time where we are seeing record numbers of people at food pantries, we don’t want to see our local men and women not in work, we want to see local work done with local people,” said Democratic Suffolk Legislator Jason Richberg.

County officials firmly rejected allegations of wrongdoing or political favoritism, though they did not explain why Austin Drywall Corp.’s contract was terminated despite previous praise from the administration.

“This contract was put out to bid in accordance with the provisions of New York State and Suffolk County law,” said Charles Bartha, commissioner of the Suffolk Department of Public Works. “The bids were carefully scrutinized, and the contract was awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, as the law requires.”

Bartha emphasized that the decision “should not be construed as a negative as to the quality of any other bidder.” Republican sources familiar with the bidding process dismissed the criticism as political theater.

The contract dispute highlights ongoing tensions between Suffolk’s Republican-led administration and union groups that have traditionally supported Democratic candidates. The controversy also underscores broader concerns about government transparency and fair contracting practices that resonate with Long Island taxpayers who fund these public works projects.