Ilene Balsamo, the daughter Assistant Commissioner for Queens Parks and Flushing Meadows Corona Park Administrator, Estelle Cooper runs a private day camp on parks property. Arnold Diaz looked into allegations that counselors from Community Day Camp, were not getting paid. The unpleasant two-part report was broadcast on MY Fox.
The camp - which uses Flushing Meadows Corona Park - charges fees ranging from $ 900 dollars per child for two weeks to $ 2, 675 for eight weeks. The camp however pays the city just $ 1 dollar per child per day according to a source.
According to the report, Camp director Balsamo had a mother of one of the counselors arrested for assault after they got into an altercation over her daughter not getting paid.
At one point in the footage, a person identified as Ilene's son, lifts up his shirt, exposing his huge hairy belly and dances around calling himself a bear in an apparent attempt to block the camera from filming his mother.
More vendors have now come forward saying they too have not gotten paid.
A Parks Department spokesperson confirmed the $ 1 dollar per child per day fee paid by the camp to the city. Asked if the camp would be allowed back, Parks said no permit has been requested for next year. - Geoffrey Croft
Queens
It started with a plea for help from some counselors at a local day camp. It ended with Arnold Diaz trying to get some answers from the camp's director. It was easier said than done. It involves the private, family owned Community Day Camp in Queens. Fox 5 News had received complaints that more than 30 counselors had been paid by the camp director.
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The summer session is over at Community Day Camp in Queens, but the problems continue for the camp's counselors trying to get paid. They're not the only ones complaining about the camp director's broken promises. Other vendors are complaining, too. Fox 5's Arnold Diaz has a follow-up report.
My Fox NY - September 7, 2011 - By Arnold Diaz
