Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 149, No. 52
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Deadlocked East Nottingham Township Vacancy Board
60 Cents
is unable to reach an agreement on a candidate to fill supervisor vacancy
INSIDE
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer The East Nottingham Township Vacancy Board – comprised of supervisors Art Rieck, John Coldiron, and Joe Raffa, as well as township secretary Pat
Brady – convened at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 22 to attempt to fill one of the two vacancies on the township’s Board of Supervisors. It was a tense, unusual meeting from the onset. Brady, serving as the
chairperson of the vacancy board, made a motion to appoint Joe Bauer to fill a vacancy created by supervisor Jane Ladley’s resignation in November. Bauer was one of the five eligible people who offered letters of interest
to fill the vacancy. Rieck seconded the motion to appoint Bauer. When the vote was taken to appoint Bauer, Brady and Rieck voted yes, while Coldiron and Raffa opposed the appointment. Next, Raffa made a
motion to nominate Gary Coates, who also submitted a letter of interest to fill this vacancy. Raffa said that Coates finished in third place in the most recent election, and he should be the one Continued on Page 3A
Oxford Borough Council votes to accept parking management study By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
The Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association Oxford took a small step honors players..........3B toward deciding whether to
Make the holidays linger just a while longer.....1B
build a parking garage in the business district at the Dec. 21 meeting as borough council formally accepted a parking management study that was completed by West Chester-based Krug Architects. At the start of the meeting, Stephen Krug, the principal of Krug Architects, offered an update to borough council about the parking management study, which was initially unveiled at a meeting in October. Oxford is exploring parking garage options as a way to boost economic development
Courtesy graphic
An image of the proposed parking garage.
in the business district by attracting new businesses and maintaining the current ones. Donna Hosler, the execu-
tive director of Oxford Mainstreet, Inc., expressed her support for a long-term solution to the parking issues in the business district.
“This is how I’m going to because we don’t have the be able to sell [Oxford] to parking.” a large employer,” Hosler Krug Architects has said. “There are businesses worked with communities that don’t even look at us Continued on Page 2A
Township thanks Hammaker for his service By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Sheriff’s Office welcomes new fourlegged deputy........10A
INDEX Calendar of Events......2B Classified....................5B Obituaries...................6A
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Opinion........................7A
In a ceremony held at the start of last Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting at Kennett Township, colleagues, friends and residents congratulated outgoing supervisor Robert Hammaker on his 12 years on the board, and his longtime contribution to the township. Hammaker took part in his last board meeting on Dec. 16, joined by fellow board members Scudder Stevens, chairman, and Dr. Richard Leff. He was presented with a plaque of appreciation by Stevens, and received a standing ovation from those who attended the meeting. His position on the board will be filled by Whitney Hoffman, who was elected after defeating challenger Ted Moxon in November. With Hammaker’s depar-
ture and Hoffman’s election, the township board will now be made up of three Democrats. “When I first came to the board, it was Bob who was particularly supportive of me, and encouraging of me, and brought a balance to the transition, for the beginning of my term, and I am eternally grateful for his actions in that regard,” Stevens said. “It’s been a personal pleasure to have been able to work with Bob [and experiencing the] wisdom and the knowledge that he has brought to the table as we have sat together to work through issues of the township. “That understanding of the depth of issues and the depth of knowledge of what has happened in the past, and his wisdom in knowing why that’s important, have been important in guiding me in my role as a supervisor,” Stevens added. “It’s
Courtesy photo
Outgoing Kennett Township supervisor Robert Hammaker ended his 12-year term on the board on Dec. 16. Pictured with him are fellow supervisors Scudder Stevens, Dr. Richard Leff, township Manager Lisa Moore, roadmaster Roger Lysle, and township Police Chief Lydell Nolt.
with great appreciation service.” Richard L. Gaw, e-mail that we salute him for his To contact Staff Writer rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Troopers and Walmart give a happy holiday to five local families By John Chambless Staff Writer
© 2007 The Chester County Press
Photo by John Chambless
Peggy De Shields with her four grandchildren and Trooper Samantha Minnucci.
Christmas came just a bit early for five local families, thanks to troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police Avondale station, who teamed up to help families who might otherwise not have had holiday gifts. Trooper Samantha Minnucci delivered wrapped presents to several families on Dec. 23, and other families came to the Avondale station to pick up their gifts. The holiday program came together in the past few weeks, but the idea was planted over the summer during the Camp Cadet program. “With our Camp Cadet
program, our goal is to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the youth in our society,” Minnucci said. “Camp Cadet is a free camp for our Chester County residents which allows those that do not have the extra finances to enjoy the same Continued on Page 3A
No Uncle Irvin this week Uncle Irvin is hibernating. His column will resume early in 2016. Happy holidays.