Suffolk County Contract Switch Sparks Political Favoritism Claims

Union leaders and Democratic officials gathered outside Suffolk County’s Public Works building in Yaphank Friday to blast the county’s decision to terminate a nearly two-decade contract with a unionized construction firm in favor of a contractor with political ties to the administration.

The Suffolk County Department of Public Works ended its longtime relationship with Austin Drywall Corp., a Bohemia-based company, last month and moved to award the work to Renu Contracting & Restoration. The new contractor is owned by Michael VanDenburg, who was appointed to the county Planning Commission last year by Republican County Executive Ed Romaine.

Democratic Suffolk Legislator Greg Doroski joined union workers to question the timing and reasoning behind the switch. “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 arrangement a conflict of interest, pointing to VanDenburg’s government position and his history of donations to Republican committees in Suffolk County. They demanded the GOP-led administration reverse the decision immediately.

The controversy extends beyond political connections to potential violations of county law. Suffolk County’s Apprenticeship Law requires contractors on public projects exceeding $250,000 to participate in state-registered apprenticeship programs. These programs train local workers while potentially saving taxpayer money, since apprentices can legally receive lower wages while learning.

Vincent Alu, a union labor leader, accused the county of waiving this requirement. “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,” Alu said.

Additional concerns arose over prevailing wage compliance — the state-mandated minimum pay contractors must offer workers on public jobs. Union officials described the Austin Drywall arrangement as a massive “on-call” contract worth millions that allowed the county to quickly deploy union workers for repairs.

They accused county officials of giving Renu preferential treatment by accepting a bid they believe fell below prevailing wage requirements while applying labor standards inconsistently. The exact contract amount has not been publicly disclosed.

Democratic Suffolk Legislator Jason Richberg emphasized the local economic impact. “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,” Richberg said.

County officials firmly rejected accusations of wrongdoing or political maneuvering but did not explain why they terminated Austin Drywall Corp.’s contract despite previous administrative praise for the company.

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

Bartha stressed 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, but the controversy highlights ongoing tensions between Suffolk County’s Republican administration and organized labor groups that have historically supported Democratic candidates.

The dispute comes as Suffolk County faces budget pressures and questions about transparency in government contracting, issues that resonate with Long Island residents concerned about efficient use of tax dollars and fair employment practices.