The Town of Clarkstown has placed Engineering Director Michael Gianatasio on immediate paid administrative leave following an extensive internal investigation that led to a formal ethics complaint before the Town Ethics Board, according to a statement released Tuesday by Town Attorney Kevin Conway.

Conway said the investigation began last year after the town received a complaint from a town vendor regarding Gianatasio’s conduct. The town retained independent counsel to investigate the allegations and interview Gianatasio.

According to the statement, the Town Attorney filed a formal ethics complaint based on the investigator’s preliminary findings, which included what the town described as Gianatasio’s recorded admissions. The complaint alleges Gianatasio made overtures to Siemens regarding potential business relationships involving his wife’s business.

The investigation also allegedly uncovered approximately 17 instances in which Gianatasio failed to disclose personal business interests as required under the Town’s Code of Ethics.

Among the allegations, the town claims Gianatasio is registered as the “second qualifying agent for business” for C.A.C. Industries Inc. in Florida, using the company’s New York address, and failed to disclose that relationship while the company sought business with Clarkstown. The town further alleges he took actions in his role as Town Engineer that benefited the company, including working with the Highway Superintendent to repave a town road with a paving material not authorized by the New York State Department of Transportation and without Town Board approval. The town also states that C.A.C. Industries later bid on a multi-million-dollar project that Gianatasio oversaw.

Conway said the town believes Gianatasio’s alleged failure to disclose these interests and his actions while serving as Town Engineer constituted “a grievous breach of the public’s trust.”

The statement also rejects Gianatasio’s public claims that he is a whistleblower, asserting that his allegations against other town officials surfaced only after he became aware of the outside investigation. “Mr. Gianatasio is not a whistleblower,” Conway said, adding that the town believes the claims were an attempt to divert attention from the ethics investigation.

The Town Attorney’s Office also confirmed it has communicated its investigative findings to the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office and said additional information will be released after the independent Ethics Board completes its review.

The Ethics Board has the authority to recommend termination, professional misconduct proceedings, or referral for criminal prosecution if warranted. Town officials said they have full confidence in the Ethics Board’s independent process and will await its findings.

The allegations remain under review, and no final determination has been made by the Clarkstown Ethics Board.