Central Bucks pays $75,000 to settle Sunshine Act case – Bucks Round-Up – August 27, 2025
Central Bucks pays $75,000 to settle Sunshine Act case
The Central Bucks School District will pay $75,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging violations of Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act during its first meeting under the board’s new majority in December 2023. Residents John Jay Callaghan and Karen Vecchione argued the board improperly added agenda items without 24 hours’ public notice, as the law requires. Among those additions was the appointment of solicitor David Conn. The district admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement, approved last week. The case drew added attention after the district was sanctioned $1,500 last year for delays in turning over records tied to Conn’s hiring. Plaintiffs also alleged board members used the Signal app with auto-deleting messages despite a litigation hold. Testimony showed Conn never instructed members to preserve those communications. Whether such apps comply with state records rules remains unresolved. Central Bucks officials say they will clarify procedures going forward. The outcome highlights how even procedural missteps can carry steep costs under Pennsylvania’s open-meeting laws.
Bensalem leaders urge caution as schools reopen
The new school year began Monday in Bensalem and township officials are urging drivers to slow down and stay alert around school zones and bus stops. Councilwoman Stacey Champion stressed that children are waiting for buses in the early morning hours and need drivers’ full attention. Council President Joe Knowles pointed to recent concerns over young riders weaving through traffic on scooters, quads, and e-bikes, adding that the start of school heightens the risks. Officials reminded motorists that state law requires drivers to stop for buses with flashing red lights and extended stop arms. Violations caught on new bus-mounted cameras carry a $300 fine, while police enforcement brings penalties including a $250 fine, license suspension, and points on a driver’s record.
Falls Township adds two police officers
Falls Township supervisors voted unanimously to hire two new police officers, addressing staffing shortages that have left the force below full strength. The hires are Peter Lees Jr., an Army National Guard sergeant and former teacher from Trevose, and Brendan Sheehy of Middletown, who previously managed the Fairless Hills Garden Center and is the son of a Bensalem police veteran. Both men will begin training this fall, with the goal of bringing the department closer to its authorized 53-officer roster.
Joe LeCompte hosts LeCompte in the Morning on WBCB 1490.
