Public and board members press Southmoreland SD for transparency after alleged executive-session leak

During public comment at the July 29 Southmoreland School District meeting, a resident urged whoever leaked information from a recent executive session to come forward and take responsibility.

"It was revealed that there was leaks from the executive board session to the public," a public commenter identified in the record as Bud Santamier said. Santamier cited Pennsylvania statutes and asked that the individual responsible stand up, admit the action and resign if it happens again. He also asked whether board members are mandated reporters for violations of the statute.

Board members answered that mandatory-reporting duties do not apply in the way the commenter asked. Another board member referenced a recent Commonwealth Court panel decision that ordered the unredaction of subject lines in outside legal invoices and pressed for unredacted copies of the district’s legal bills going forward. The member said redacted invoices had obscured why public funds were spent and requested that future responses to legal-cost requests be less redacted so taxpayers can see how money is being used.

No board member admitted leaking executive-session information during the meeting. Leadership reiterated that details involving building security access and certain personnel or safety details might need executive-session discussion rather than public disclosure.

What happens next: public commenters and at least one board member asked for clearer records of legal costs and less redaction when legally permissible; the board did not vote on changes to disclosure policy at the session.