Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 150, No. 39
INSIDE
60 Cents
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Oxford Area Sewer Authority’s financial woes worsen By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
Ever since the Oxford Area Sewer Authority Board approved a 30-percent rate increase in July as the first step toward addressing substantial revenue shortfalls, officials have been working overtime to find long-term solutions that might improve a dire financial situation that threatens to become a fullblown crisis for the Oxford area. But at the Sept. 21 meeting of the Oxford Area Unionville Fair arrives on Sewer Authority Board, it Sept. 30...8A was apparent that the financial woes are worsening. The sewer authority failed to make the scheduled debtservice payment on a $27 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan that was due on June 25, and another $637,000 payment is looming on December 25. A $250,000 payment on the debt was recently made, but startAvon Grove vs. West ing on Oct. 2 the sewer authority will be subject Chester East...1B to late fees and penalties amounting to approximate-
Landenberg Today Magazine
ly $2,000 a day, which will push it even further into debt. In order for the sewer authority to secure the $27 million loan when it was taken out five years ago, the four member municipalities—Oxford Borough, Lower Oxford, East Nottingham, and West Nottingham—had to agree to back the loans. Each municipality accepted responsibility for a portion of the debt-service payment in the event that the sewer authority could not make those payments in a given year. Oxford Borough accepted 44 percent, East Nottingham accepted 28 percent, Lower Oxford accepted 16 percent and West Nottingham accepted 12 percent. At that time, Sewer authority executive director Edward Lennex told local officials that the municipalities would not be put in a position to cover the sewer authority’s financial obligations because the sewer authority can raise rates on users to balance Continued on Page 3A
Avon Grove Homecoming 2016 Photo by Steven Hoffman
Avon Grove High School’s Homecoming celebration took place on a glorious fall afternoon last Saturday. One of the highlights of a full day of activities was the football game between Avon Grove and West Chester East. Pictured here, running back Kevin Francis looks for running room against a formidable West Chester East defense. The visiting team walked away with a 21-3 win. For a story about the Avon Grove Homecoming, please see Page 1B.
A small break for rate payers… By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer The Oxford Area Sewer Authority Board has granted a small, one-time-only break to rate payers who will soon be receiving their first bills with the 30-percent rate increases. At the Sept. 21 meeting, the board voted unanimously to offer customers the option of taking the full 90 days to pay
the bill without late fees or penalties. Normally, customers would have only 30 days to make their payment before the late fees and penalties started being added on. That’s a small but welcomed break for rate payers as the Oxford Area Sewer Authority Board works to close a significant budget gap. One resident who attended
the sewer authority meeting talked about how the 30-percent rate increases really placed a burden on rate payers, especially since it turns out that they are retroactive. This man runs a laundromat, and the rate increases will impact his business significantly. He said that the retroactive rate increases didn’t give residents time to Continued on Page 3A
Presentations spell out plans for township’s economic and environmental future By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Massive Barn Market is postponed until spring...5A
INDEX Opinion........................7A Calendar of Events.....2B
Two presentations given at the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Sept. 21 gave a clear snapshot into the township’s long-term vision for sustainability, as well as its pursuit
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Office’s four environmental goals, which include the development of the Kennett Greenway, a 12-mile stretch of contiguous hiking and biking trail along Route 52; the active transportation program, to develop an inventory and assessment of existing and planned
roads and highways; the land stewardship program, to proactively encourage more ecologically beneficial and sustainable land management practices in the township; and the indoor agriculture program, to explore the emerging technology of indoor growing
possibilities in the township. Speaking about the economic side of the Office’s goals, Pat Muller said sound sustainable economic development must balance the requirements of the quality of life and open space with the recruitment of business Continued on Page 3A
A mission of mercy for 13 lucky dogs Rescued dogs arrive at New Garden Flying Field
Obituaries...................4B Classifieds..................7B
of smart-growth economic opportunities. In a detailed presentation, the economic and environmental divisions of the township’s Sustainable Development Office Environmental Sustainability Director Mike Guttman listed the
By John Chambless Staff Writer Six small cages full of wagging tails and jiggling ears arrived at the New Garden Flying Field on Friday afternoon, bound for a nearby farm where 13 lucky dogs will find new homes. Greenmore Farm Animal Rescue in West Grove has been taking in animals since 2010, thanks to the efforts of Julia Altman, who has turned her six-acre property into a haven for animals that were at the end of the line at other shelters. A couple of times a
month, Jack Merritt flies his small plane to shelters up and down the East Coast, collecting animals that are destined for euthanasia and bringing them to Greenmore Farm, where they are given shots, evaluated, and carefully adopted out to loving homes. On Friday, the cages full of wiggling puppies and one grown dog came from the Appalachian region. “All of these came from the Raleigh County Humane Society in Beckley, W.Va.,” Merritt said. “Most of the dogs we get at Greenmore come from the Appalachian region, from Ohio to Georgia. It’s unusual to
have this many puppies,” he said as the tiny dogs yipped and bounced in the cages. “Most of the dogs we typically bring in are young adults. “We just hit a milestone of 1,000 dogs,” Merritt said as he unloaded cages from the plane. “About 25 percent of the dogs we get in are purebred, because people get them, decide they don’t want them and turn them in.” Merritt said he and Altman “are a team. I just fly them. She’s the one that runs the rescue.” The cages, packed expertly into the narrow cabin of
Photo by John Chambless
Two of the rescued dogs await transport on Friday afternoon.
Merritt’s plane, were carefully extracted and put on the pavement at the flying field before being packed into Altman’s pickup and
taken to the six-acre farm. The process took about 10 minutes. The dogs will be evaluated and quarantined Continued on Page 4A
Picnic perfection in Penn By Nancy Johnson Correspondent
PTO lawsuit demeans U-CF
Penn Township did it again. They hosted, along with Jennersville Regional Hospital, a family fun picnic and wellness day in their park at no cost to the estimated 4,000 attendees or Penn residents. Karen Versuk, Penn Township’s director of operations, said the support of the annual event was amazPhoto by Karen Versuk ing, with a record number of The Penn Township Board of Supervisors, staff and both cash and in-kind donavolunteers are joined by Sen. Andy Dinniman and the tions, plus 41 vendors, more
Filing a civil lawsuit in Chester County court over a squabble in the operation of the Hillendale Elementary school PTO degrades the entire school district, school board and particularly Superintendent John Sanville. Part of Sanville’s job is to ensure peace and harmony within the district’s schools. He obviously failed to mediate the problems between plaintiff Kathleen
Continued on Page 2A
Continued on Page 2A
Eagles Cheerleaders.
By Uncle Irvin