Buckingham Township Vice-Chairman Jon Forest read a public apology to Froehlich's Farm at the Aug. 26 Board of Supervisors meeting, then told the room he will not step down.

Six residents called for Forest's resignation during the public comment period that followed. Two others defended his 20-year record on the board.

The apology stems from a $65,000 defamation settlement Forest reached Aug. 18 with Froehlich's Farm & Garden Inc. and Brian Stover, as Patch first reported. Forest admitted he created and mailed a flyer titled "Update: Froehlich's Illegal Mulching Operation An Unfortunate Political Turn" to roughly 135 Republican households in the Devonshire neighborhood during his October 2023 re-election campaign. The flyer falsely accused the farm of corruption and quid pro quo dealings with Supervisor Mike Bateman.

In his written apology, posted to his campaign Facebook page Aug. 24, Forest said the accusations were based on conversations that never happened. The settlement required him to mail the apology to the same households that received the original flyer.

Forest told the board he looks forward to serving the community for the remaining three years of his term, according to the meeting minutes.

That did not satisfy the crowd.

Stephanie Weisser of Amberton Way, Alyson Zimmer of Green Meadow Drive, Jeff Glauber of Twinbrook Circle, Bruce Fell of Burnt House Hill Road, Shannon Sticker of Kavon Court and Lisa Braud of Dark Hollow Road each called on Forest to resign. Glauber also asked the board to pass a resolution that evening condemning Forest's conduct.

Braud, who identified herself as a fellow farmer, said she was disappointed in Forest's actions against another farming business and asked him to step down as government liaison to the Agricultural Security Area Commission.

Ravi Bala of S. Whittmore Street asked Township Solicitor Craig Smith whether ethical standards require supervisors to be honest. Smith said there are ethical standards for every public official and a Pennsylvania board that administers the code.

Bateman, the supervisor named in the false flyer, shared a 2011 Facebook post in which Forest had written about the importance of ethics in campaigning. Bateman said "by Mr. Forest's own standard he should resign as Buckingham Township Supervisor."

Not everyone agreed. Paul Calderaio of Green Ridge Road said Forest has served the township for 20 years as a supervisor and longer as a constable, crediting him with helping Buckingham earn a AAA bond rating and the lowest taxes in the county. Chris Taylor of Hillcrest Drive called Forest a great steward of the community and thanked him for his service.

Chairman Maggie Rash displayed a list of the township's 6,000 acres under conservation easements and said the broader dispute traces to a conservation easement violation at Froehlich's Farm, located at 3143 York Road. That easement was purchased for more than $1.2 million in 1999 by the state, county and township. Rash warned that overturning the easement would put every conserved property in the township at risk.

Sean McArdle of Indian Spring Road asked Forest to also apologize to Bateman. Mike Feeney of Byecroft Road, a 56-year Buckingham resident who said he has preserved more than 200 acres, noted at least seven current lawsuits against the township and urged Forest and Bateman to settle the Froehlich matter.

The Aug. 26 meeting minutes were approved by the board Sept. 23 and published to the township website Sept. 22.