2 Central Bucks Board Members Say They Are Ready To Step Down

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Two Central Bucks School Board members told supporters following the Feb. 13 school board meeting that they plan to resign their board seats.

Minority board members Lisa Sciscio and Debra Cannon, speaking to a small group of supporters who stayed after the adjournment of the monthly board meeting, expressed frustration with the board majority for not letting them speak. And they raised concerns about the potential for being individually liable for costs associated with the board's actions.

Before the adjournment, Sciscio began reading from a prepared statement, first expressing "grave concerns" that every board member was not being provided with information regarding actions being taken by the board's new solicitor concerning former superintendent Dr. Abe Lucabaugh's $700,000 separation agreement with the district.

"For merely asking for information and documentation on the matter, I was accused by (school board solicitor) Mr. (David) Conn of colluding with the attorney representing Dr. Lucabaugh," said Sciscio, who said she found it "quite disturbing" that the newly appointed solicitor refused to provide a confidential memorandum to keep every board member up to date and in the know. "Instead, he used (board president) Karen Smith as his mouthpiece to claim he required a majority of the board to do so. Frustrating," she said.

Board President Karen Smith said every board member had the opportunity to attend an executive session with the solicitor regarding the matter in early January. The board minority chose not to attend, she said.

Sciscio called the current actions being taken against the former superintendent "a witch hunt," citing a lengthy memorandum sent by Dr. Lucabaugh to the former board leadership complaining about remarks made by now-board president Karen Smith.

During Sciscio's remarks, board members repeatedly cautioned her against bringing up executive session topics, before abruptly adjourning the meeting leaving Sciscio and Cannon at the board table with their microphones turned off.

Patch reached out to both women for comment and a confirmation or a denial of their resignations. The board members have not responded to the email.