Following the Independent’s April 24, 2026 article about Patrick Van Cott’s brazen theft of thousands of dollars of food and equipment from the School Department over the course of 11 years, I went before the School Committee and advised them that a title rundown of his home in Sandwich, which was assessed for $683,900 for fiscal year 2026, revealed that the only financial encumbrance was a $50,000 home equity mortgage executed by him and his co-owner on July 31, 2025. I urged the Board to ask the US Attorney to seek to place an attachment on his home, or to ask the Select Board to direct town counsel to do so, in order to be sure that Van Cott can in fact pay restitution.
Following the Independent’s follow up story on September 16, 2026, I checked the title again and found that neither had done so!
– Richard M. Serkey
Serkey is a Town Meeting member representing Precinct 2