Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 151, No. 24
INSIDE
60 Cents
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Traffic concerns raised over Amish farm at intersection ‘If a car hits a person or a horse, it will be a death,’ says former township supervisor Nan Latimer By John Chambless Staff Writer
Nan Latimer has lived on Appleton Road for 22 years, and she has seen the country road turn into a high-speed shortcut for commuters. But Latimer, who is a former supervisor Perfect attendance for in Franklin Township, is one Oxford senior...9A most concerned about the risk of a fatal accident at the intersection of Appleton and Strickersville roads. The family of Samuel and Sallie Stoltzfus recently purchased a 107-acre farm at the intersection near Latimer’s home, and they have been raising dairy cattle. The Amish fam-
ily crosses the intersection several times a day, both on foot and with teams of horses, and drivers on Appleton Road may not be aware of the hazards. In comments shared with the Chester County Press, Latimer wrote, “I talked to Samuel and he said that he observes confusion at the intersection, with many cars stopped at the Strickersville stop sign proceeding into the intersection, even when there is a car approaching on Appleton Road. Drivers think it is a four-way stop. Photo by John Chambless He also indicated that, in The farm recently purchased by the Stoltzfus family is bisected by Appleton Road, his travels, most of the and the family crosses the road several times a day from the home (on the right) Continued on Page 2A
to the barn.
Saluting the graduates Tiny worlds made of wood at Bookplace...4B
London Grove supervisors discuss planned State Road sidewalk project By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Miracle-Ear opens Kennett Square location...10A
INDEX Opinion........................7A Calendar of Events......2B Obituaries..................3B Classifieds..................6B
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Unionville High School salutes the class of 2017 with big smiles and hopes for the future (see Page 1B), and Kennett High School celebrates its own graduating class (see Page 4A).
© 2007 The Chester County Press
With engineering drawings presenting two options for a planned sidewalk project for State Road in West Grove now in their hands, the London Grove Board of Supervisors made plans at their June 7 meeting to enlist the input of landowners along the road as the project moves forward. The drawings, submitted to the township by McMahon Associates, present two different options for a five-foot-wide sidewalk which, if built, will extend on the south side of State Road from Route 841-Wickerton Road to Schoolhouse Road, just
School districts finalize budgets for 2017-2018 Kennett School Board adopts In Avon Grove, school taxes are $84.2 million spending plan with a increasing by about 2.5 percent to 2.18 percent tax increase support a $93.6 million budget By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer During the last few months, the projected expenditures in the Kennett Consolidated School District (KCSD) budget for the 2017-2018 school year trended in the right direction—declining from the $84.5 million that was initially included in the preliminary budget that was approved in February to the $84.2 million that the school board authorized during the adoption of the final budget on June 12. The budget was approved by a vote of 6 to 0. That tax rate is increasing to 29.8789 mills. That’s an increase of approximately 2.18 percent over the current year, according to the district’s business administrator, Mark Tracy. For the average taxpayer in the district, the tax bill will increase by $116 per year as a result of the millage increase. Tracy said that the spend-
ing plan was developed during a series of eight budget meetings of the district’s Finance Committee, starting last fall. School board president Kendra LaCosta said that district officials always work hard to limit the tax increases, and she believes that they did a good job of doing that this year, considering that the items that were driving expenditures up are beyond the school district’s control. The expenditures of $84.2 million amount to an increase of about $2.5 million over the current year. The biggest impact on the budget is once again the school district’s state-mandated contribution to the Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS). The PSERS costs have been increasing dramatically for Pennsylvania schools during the last decade. For the Continued on Page 3A
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer The Avon Grove School District finalized the budget for the 2017-2018 school year, adopting the $93.6 million spending plan by a vote of 8 to 0 at the June 8 meeting. The tax rate will be increasing by 2.5 percent, from 29.040 mills to 29.7700 mills, to balance the budget. For the average homeowner in the district, with a home at the median assessed value of $169,000, that translates into a tax increase of $123. Superintendent Dr. Christopher Marchese said at a meeting in April that the budget for 2017-2018 continues the school district’s efforts to reinvest in the schools to balance some of the cuts that were made to programs between 2009 and 2013. The reinvestment has focused on technology, curriculum and instruction, and personnel—all areas that
impact student achievement in the classrooms. The budget supports the district’s goals that were established in the strategic plan, and includes funding for a full-day kindergarten program that will start in the fall. Overall, spending is increasing by about $2.3 million over the current year. State-mandated increases in PSERS retirement costs, occupational education tuition costs for students that attend the Chester County Intermediate Unit classes, and expenditures associated with the full-day kindergarten program had the biggest impact on the budget. School districts across Pennsylvania have been dealing with rapidly increasing retirement costs. For the 2017-2018 school year, Avon Grove’s PSERS costs are increasing by another $1 million. In the last ten years, Avon Grove’s PSERS costs have gone Continued on Page 3A
before Avon Grove High School. One option would present a sidewalk that butts up against State Road, while a second option provides for a sidewalk and a two-foot grass buffer between State Road and the sidewalk. While the board discussed the necessary punch-list items that normally accompany a project of this kind -- grant submissions, verification of right-of-ways and construction costs -- the most immediate priority, it agreed, will be to speak with those residents whose properties would be impacted, should the project receive final approval. “When you’re dealing Continued on Page 8A
A promising start By Uncle Irvin The recent introduction of the proposed Kennett Library/ Borough building complex looks like a promising start of what will be a long, Herculean task. The common building as proposed looks like a better deal for the borough than the library. The design calls for underground parking, which is expensive to construct, and also calls for paid parking and meters. This concept will work for visitors to the Kennett facilities, but not for visitors to the Kennett Library. Library visitors want – no, demand – free, on-site parking with plenty of handicap Continued on Page 3A