Ryncavage Files for Release of Crestwood Settlement Details Under State Law

April 1, 2026

LUZERNE COUNTY – On the heels of the Crestwood School Board declining to provide any details regarding cost, terms, or the use of taxpayer funds, State Rep. Alec Ryncavage (R-Luzerne) announced today that he has formally filed a Right-to-Know (RTK) request seeking full disclosure of a settlement agreement approved by the school board following the sudden resignation of its superintendent.

“Taxpayers should never be kept in the dark about how their money is being spent,” said Ryncavage. “If public dollars are involved, the public has a right to know the full details. That is not optional. That is the law.”

Ryncavage emphasized that Pennsylvania law is clear when it comes to transparency surrounding settlement agreements involving public entities.

“Settlement agreements between public agencies and third parties are public records,” he said.
He pointed to established rulings from Pennsylvania appellate courts and the Office of Open Records, which have consistently rejected attempts by public agencies to shield such agreements from disclosure.

In Newspaper Holdings, Inc., the Commonwealth Court made that principle explicit by saying: “A public agency may not contract away the public’s right of access to public records because the purpose of access is to keep open the doors of government, to prohibit secrets, to scrutinize the actions of public officials and to make public officials accountable in their use of public funds. A confidentiality clause contained in a settlement agreement that runs afoul of the RTK law violates public policy and is unenforceable.”

Crestwood School Board President Lauren McCurdy acknowledged the lack of public disclosure, stating in an April 1, 2026, article from The Wileks-Barre Citizens’ Voice: “The taxpayer ends up paying for a lot of things that they’re unaware of and that’s not the way government should be. But for legal reasons, we often don’t provide a lot of that information to the public. It’s not a good reason, but I feel like that’s as much as I can say on the subject.”

Ryncavage said the statement is both troubling and incorrect.

“That is simply not accurate under Pennsylvania law,” Ryncavage said. “You do not get to spend taxpayer dollars in secret and then claim the public can’t be told. The law is clear. Settlement agreements involving public funds are public records, and no confidentiality clause overrides that.”

He added that framing secrecy as unavoidable only undermines public trust.

“Transparency is not optional. It is a legal obligation,” he said. “If taxpayer money is being spent, the public has a right to see it. Period.”

Ryncavage is urging the Crestwood School Board to immediately disclose:

• The total cost of any severance or settlement agreement.
• The source of funding for those payments.
• The nature of any legal claims or disputes that led to the agreement.

“Public service comes with a simple obligation: accountability,” Ryncavage concluded. “If you are asking families to pay taxes, you owe them answers, not silence.”

Representative Alec Ryncavage
119th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Melissa Fox
717.260.6522
mefox@pahousegop.com
RepRyncavagePA.com / Facebook.com/RepRyncavage