Lower Saucon Council adopts confidentiality policy after residents warn it could silence whistleblowers

During public comment at the reorganizational meeting, multiple residents raised objections to a proposed confidentiality policy that council planned to adopt for township employees, arguing it could be used to silence staff and create conflicts of interest regarding legal representation for whistleblowers.

Jason Bonus and other speakers criticized proposed non‑disclosure language and said forcing NDAs on employees could prevent disclosures of wrongdoing. Marie Slavic and other commenters identified specific provisions they described as overly broad — including restrictions on discussing "unpublished goals, forecasts and initiatives" and limits on disclosing financial information — and said those provisions raised red flags about the potential for suppressing internal reporting.

Township solicitor Mr. Guzian responded during the meeting that, "nothing in this resolution does that. If someone has a claim under the whistleblower act, it is preserved." He told the council the policy cannot override state law and employees retain the right to pursue claims under the Pennsylvania Whistleblowers Act.

Council moved to adopt policy 2026‑2 and approved it by roll-call vote 5-0. After the vote, the solicitor and staff said the policy will be implemented consistent with statutory protections and that any questions about its effect on legal rights should be addressed through normal legal channels.

Residents said they remain concerned about the policy’s language and about how the township will handle internal complaints and legal representation for employees who raise allegations; the meeting did not include details on administrative procedures for whistleblower complaints or whether the township will provide separate counsel in all conflict scenarios. The council recorded the adoption and directed staff to proceed with implementation.