4 Warrington Supervisors Violated Sunshine Act: District Attorney

Four members of the Warrington Township Board of Supervisors violated the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act, Bucks County District Attorney David W. Heckler announced this week.

The board members violated the Sunshine Act by agreeing to hire a management consultant through a private e-mail vote, he said.

The supervisors – Board Chair Shirley Yannich, Vice Chair Carol Baker, and members Millie Seliga and Fred Gaines – acknowledged that they had violated the statute during an interview last month, the District Attorney’s Office said.

The Sunshine Act mandates that elected officials make deliberations and take official action at a meeting that is open to the public.

According to information from the District Attorney:

Supervisors Yannich, Baker, Seliga and Gaines agreed to retain managerial search consultant David Nyman over the course of a series of group emails beginning March 24 and ending March 29. The four also agreed to direct Nyman to advertise the manager’s position in the May edition of Pennsylvania Township News, a publication of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, and to have the cost of the advertisement billed to Warrington Township.

A fifth supervisor, Matthew Hallowell, refused to participate in the online vote and criticized the action at a subsequent public meeting, where the supervisors formalized their private agreement with a public vote. Hallowell also brought the matter to the District Attorney’s attention.

Heckler launched his investigation after receiving Hallowell's complaint.

Warrington Township Solicitor Terry Clemons told the District Attorney’s Office he is taking remedial steps to ensure that the elected officials receive more thorough training in the Sunshine Act, the announcement from the District Attorney's office said.

PHOTO: Warrington Township