Sadsbury Township supervisors Aug. 4 directed the township planning commission to prepare their own new subdivision and land development ordinance, rather than working with other municipalities to forge a regional document.
Supervisors said they would work with the planning commission on updating the ordinance, using a model ordinance prepared by Gwen Newell, a planner with Lancaster County.
“The county has given us a very good document we can work with,” said David Blank, a planning commission member who attended the meeting. “If the planning commission and supervisors can work together as a group it will probably speed it up.”
The planning commission had considered working with Christiana Borough and Bart Township on an updated ordinance. County grant money is sometimes available for regional documents. Those at the meeting felt that using Newell’s model ordinance would save both time and money, although there will be some engineering fees.
The model ordinance, available in booklet form and CD, was prepared with the assistance of an engineer, attorney, developer, contractor and surveyor. It’s formatted so municipalities may edit in their own changes.
Supervisors also heard from Jack Assetto, chairman of the capital campaign which is moving Moore’s Memorial Library in Christiana into the larger historic bank building on Bridge Street.
With a $500,000 Keystone grant and donations, which Assetto said are trickling in slowly in the current economy, construction is moving ahead. Assetto said the committee chose Warfel Construction for the construction project. Work is underway. The library's board must match the Keystone grant with $500,000 in donations.
“I hope the township will consider a three- to five-year commitment to the library,” said Assetto, indicating slowing donations show the project to be currently $100,000 short.
Assetto said Sadsbury Township residents are the library’s largest population of users, at 32 to 34 percent.
Christiana Borough pledged $10,000 for five years, and neighboring West Sadsbury in Chester County also has made a $3,000 donation. Sadsbury generally makes a donation at the end of each budget year.
In other business supervisors agreed to consider enacting their own noxious weed ordinance so they may move more quickly than the department of agriculture to stop the spread of thistle and other weeds.
Roadmaster Jeff Nickel told developers from Christiana Development Corp., which has Sadsbury Business Park on Pine Creek Drive, that after inspecting the road he thinks the edges should be milled and a new top put on the road before the township should consider taking over the road. Nickel and the developers agreed to further meetings.
Finally, supervisors agreed to notify PP&L they may be interested in purchasing a tract of land adjacent to the township building. Supervisor Linda Swift said PP&L will then contact the township with a proposal and their asking purchase price. The parcel also includes a small parcel across the road, which is not of interest to the township, but Swift said PP&L wants to sell the parcel intact. A township building committee is currently working on plans for a new township building.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Octorara launches local alternative ed program
This fall, Octorara High School students in need of alternative education, and those with disciplinary problems, will have a local educational choice.
The Octorara district is opening its own alternative education program, an addition which should, according to Superintendent Tom Newcome, save the school district approximately $100,000 in tuition monies previously paid to the Chester County Intermediate Unit.
Newcome said Monday, Aug. 10, eight students have already been enrolled in the after-school program, to run from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. weekdays.
The superintendent has tapped Brian Dikun, currently a fourth grade teacher at Octorara Elementary School, to run the program with the help of classroom assistants.
The school board plans to hire him Monday, Aug. 17, to be part-time Octorara Intermediate School assistant principal and part-time alternative education program director at a salary of $72,715.
Newcome said the program will be offered to students previously sent to the IU’s Center for Alternative Secondary Education or Chester County High School. Both have required transportation to Downingtown.
He said Monday alternative education has cost the district half a million dollars. While not every alternative education student may be a fit for the new program, taking over the program should save at least $100,000 during the 2009-10 school year.
Two other cost savings measures enacted when the school district’s $44 million budget was passed are causing a local stir. About 20 people attended Monday’s school board meeting and heard representatives from the Octorara YMCA and coaching and parent volunteers voice their concerns.
The school board included a $35 student activity fee in the budget, an item which should bring in $19,700 in revenue. While the school board originally included all activities, including band and chorus, Newcome has since limited the policy to students grades 7-12 participating in athletics, since music students receive credit for their work. There is a $45 annual cap on fees a student must pay, regardless of the number of sports.
The school board also anticipates receiving an additional $20,000 in revenue from facilities rental fees, when its policy committee finishes drafting a policy governing facilities rental revenue.
Neither policy has been popular with a group of vocal parents attending recent school board meetings.
“It sounds like we reached for the low-hanging fruit,” said Rob Wishneski, an Octorara YMCA board member. “What’s the social impact? The social impact can outweigh the $40,000 coming in.”
Wishneski presented the school board with a letter from the YMCA’s board of directors indicating rental fees would be a serious financial hardship to the YMCA.
The letter characterizes the YMCA board as “disappointed and concerned,” and asks that the school board consider creative solutions with minimal financial impact.
“Without the school district a lot of our programs couldn’t exist,” said Brian Wenzka, Octorara YMCA director. ”It ‘s in our complete interest to allow that to continue.”
Board members have been divided on both issues, the activity fee and rental fees.
Board member Sam Ganow said he disagreed with the term “low-hanging fruit,” saying board members and administrators had to cut the budget at all levels.
Board member Lisa Bowman said there are programs in place to help low-income families. Those who qualify for a free lunch may confidentially apply to the athletic director, Jim Weagley, for a waiver.
The policy committee will discuss rental fees for community groups at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, in the intermediate school faculty room. The regular school board meeting follows at 7:30 p.m. in the school library.
The Octorara district is opening its own alternative education program, an addition which should, according to Superintendent Tom Newcome, save the school district approximately $100,000 in tuition monies previously paid to the Chester County Intermediate Unit.
Newcome said Monday, Aug. 10, eight students have already been enrolled in the after-school program, to run from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. weekdays.
The superintendent has tapped Brian Dikun, currently a fourth grade teacher at Octorara Elementary School, to run the program with the help of classroom assistants.
The school board plans to hire him Monday, Aug. 17, to be part-time Octorara Intermediate School assistant principal and part-time alternative education program director at a salary of $72,715.
Newcome said the program will be offered to students previously sent to the IU’s Center for Alternative Secondary Education or Chester County High School. Both have required transportation to Downingtown.
He said Monday alternative education has cost the district half a million dollars. While not every alternative education student may be a fit for the new program, taking over the program should save at least $100,000 during the 2009-10 school year.
Two other cost savings measures enacted when the school district’s $44 million budget was passed are causing a local stir. About 20 people attended Monday’s school board meeting and heard representatives from the Octorara YMCA and coaching and parent volunteers voice their concerns.
The school board included a $35 student activity fee in the budget, an item which should bring in $19,700 in revenue. While the school board originally included all activities, including band and chorus, Newcome has since limited the policy to students grades 7-12 participating in athletics, since music students receive credit for their work. There is a $45 annual cap on fees a student must pay, regardless of the number of sports.
The school board also anticipates receiving an additional $20,000 in revenue from facilities rental fees, when its policy committee finishes drafting a policy governing facilities rental revenue.
Neither policy has been popular with a group of vocal parents attending recent school board meetings.
“It sounds like we reached for the low-hanging fruit,” said Rob Wishneski, an Octorara YMCA board member. “What’s the social impact? The social impact can outweigh the $40,000 coming in.”
Wishneski presented the school board with a letter from the YMCA’s board of directors indicating rental fees would be a serious financial hardship to the YMCA.
The letter characterizes the YMCA board as “disappointed and concerned,” and asks that the school board consider creative solutions with minimal financial impact.
“Without the school district a lot of our programs couldn’t exist,” said Brian Wenzka, Octorara YMCA director. ”It ‘s in our complete interest to allow that to continue.”
Board members have been divided on both issues, the activity fee and rental fees.
Board member Sam Ganow said he disagreed with the term “low-hanging fruit,” saying board members and administrators had to cut the budget at all levels.
Board member Lisa Bowman said there are programs in place to help low-income families. Those who qualify for a free lunch may confidentially apply to the athletic director, Jim Weagley, for a waiver.
The policy committee will discuss rental fees for community groups at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, in the intermediate school faculty room. The regular school board meeting follows at 7:30 p.m. in the school library.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Movin' on in Lancaster County
Tim Brazelton lives on a house built in 1890 on Creek Road in Colerain Township.
While it has seen families come and go, the house has not moved.
Except the house was recently moved by the Lancaster County Assessor’s office. According to Brazelton, an assessor apparently looked at his home on a computer mapping system, moved it to neighboring Sadsbury Township, and left him scratching his head and with a higher property tax bill. (Property taxes are higher in Sadsbury Township in the Octorara School District than in Colerain Township, which is in the Solanco district).
“I spoke to the Lancaster County Assessor’s office and asked them what triggered this,” Brazelton told a small group at the Sadsbury Township Supervisors meeting Tuesday, Aug. 4. “They refused to give me specific information.”
Brazelton, who did not know the county had “moved” him until he received his property tax bill, consulted an attorney who advised him the assessor’s move was illegal. In digging, Brazelton, whose property has six separate tax parcels, discovered that what was in dispute was a “fence line curve” visible on the county map system, but which isn’t physically there.
“The house has been in Colerain Township for 120 years,” Brazelton said.
Brazelton told incredulous supervisors he did some thinking and decided the best solution would not be to go to court, but to ask supervisors in both municipalities to use their power under the municipal code and agree where the property line is.
Sadsbury supervisors agreed they would sign a municipal agreement with Colerain Township stating the house is indeed, as a formal 1899 map indicated, in Colerain Township.
“I apologize on behalf of the county,” said Gwen Newell a planner for Lancaster County, who attended the meeting to discuss planning issues.
While it has seen families come and go, the house has not moved.
Except the house was recently moved by the Lancaster County Assessor’s office. According to Brazelton, an assessor apparently looked at his home on a computer mapping system, moved it to neighboring Sadsbury Township, and left him scratching his head and with a higher property tax bill. (Property taxes are higher in Sadsbury Township in the Octorara School District than in Colerain Township, which is in the Solanco district).
“I spoke to the Lancaster County Assessor’s office and asked them what triggered this,” Brazelton told a small group at the Sadsbury Township Supervisors meeting Tuesday, Aug. 4. “They refused to give me specific information.”
Brazelton, who did not know the county had “moved” him until he received his property tax bill, consulted an attorney who advised him the assessor’s move was illegal. In digging, Brazelton, whose property has six separate tax parcels, discovered that what was in dispute was a “fence line curve” visible on the county map system, but which isn’t physically there.
“The house has been in Colerain Township for 120 years,” Brazelton said.
Brazelton told incredulous supervisors he did some thinking and decided the best solution would not be to go to court, but to ask supervisors in both municipalities to use their power under the municipal code and agree where the property line is.
Sadsbury supervisors agreed they would sign a municipal agreement with Colerain Township stating the house is indeed, as a formal 1899 map indicated, in Colerain Township.
“I apologize on behalf of the county,” said Gwen Newell a planner for Lancaster County, who attended the meeting to discuss planning issues.
Quarryville to benefit from federal stimulus/recovery funds
The dates are still tentative but traveling through parts of southern Lancaster County will be problematic for three weeks, beginning approximately Aug. 17, when a $1,929,400 federal economic recovery project gets underway.
The railroad bridge over Route 372 at the east end of Quarryville, a main east-west route through southern Lancaster County, will undergo wall repairs by Buckley and Company, Inc. of Philadelphia. The firm was awarded the contract for 11 bridge parapet (wall) repair projects in Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster and York counties.
The project is one of four bridges in Lancaster County to be repaired with federal funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), according to Greg Penney, PennDOT spokesman.
Also to be repaired are the Amtrak bridge at Route 741 in Salisbury Township, the Route 772 bridge over Cocalico Creek in Warwick Township, and the River Road bridge over the Conestoga River between Manor and Conestoga townships.
Penney said traffic in and out of Quarryville will be detoured, but as of Tuesday afternoon the detour route had not been approved.
According to Penney, PennDOT has awarded 22 different contracts under the ARRA since April, and the Quarryville bridge is one of the first in the state to be repaired with the federal recovery funds.
Road repair issues were again a hot topic during Quarryville Borough Council’s Aug. 3 meeting.
Council members and Rep. Bryan Cutler met last month and discussed local concerns about the speed of traffic entering Quarryville Borough on Route 222, congestion at the traffic light in the borough, and the increased volume of traffic since the demolition of the tunnel at routes 222 and 372.
Borough manager Al Drayovitch, Jr. said Monday night PennDOT is completing an engineering and traffic review in the borough. Council members said they plan to let PennDOT complete their review.
After that, according to Jessica Keffer, chief of staff for Cutler, a formal request for PennDOT to make repairs or changes will have to come from the municipality.
The controversial Fifth Street improvement and sidewalk project is finished, but council members learned they have some unfinished business with Jane Huntoon of 267 W. Fifth St.
According to a letter from attorney James Thomas, the project left a 7-9-inch change in the elevation between Huntoon’s sidewalk and driveway, leaving it unusable. Thomas said Borough Code permits a borough to pay for all or part of grading and curbing for a sidewalk project, and the repair to Huntoon’s driveway will cost approximately $3,500.
Council member Dave Aument said one of the reasons the borough requires sidewalks to be put in at the expense of property owners at the time of a major street reconstruction project is to avoid such problems.
“Maybe there are some things not correct,” said council president Robert Landis, Jr.
“I think it’s a legitimate concern,” said Durwin Parks.
Landis suggested council members speak to an engineer from Aro during its next work session and bring the request for restitution up for a vote at the September council meeting.
In police department matters, Mayor Jerry McCarrell of the police committee said the department answered 14 animal complaints, nine noise complaints, issued eight citations for underage drinking, and made one DUI arrest.
Finally, council approved: a six-month extension for Southern End Self Storage to finish its project, and use of the Quarryville Fire Police for the Aug. 23 Cruisin’ for Corbin cancer benefit motorcycle ride through the borough.
The railroad bridge over Route 372 at the east end of Quarryville, a main east-west route through southern Lancaster County, will undergo wall repairs by Buckley and Company, Inc. of Philadelphia. The firm was awarded the contract for 11 bridge parapet (wall) repair projects in Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster and York counties.
The project is one of four bridges in Lancaster County to be repaired with federal funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), according to Greg Penney, PennDOT spokesman.
Also to be repaired are the Amtrak bridge at Route 741 in Salisbury Township, the Route 772 bridge over Cocalico Creek in Warwick Township, and the River Road bridge over the Conestoga River between Manor and Conestoga townships.
Penney said traffic in and out of Quarryville will be detoured, but as of Tuesday afternoon the detour route had not been approved.
According to Penney, PennDOT has awarded 22 different contracts under the ARRA since April, and the Quarryville bridge is one of the first in the state to be repaired with the federal recovery funds.
Road repair issues were again a hot topic during Quarryville Borough Council’s Aug. 3 meeting.
Council members and Rep. Bryan Cutler met last month and discussed local concerns about the speed of traffic entering Quarryville Borough on Route 222, congestion at the traffic light in the borough, and the increased volume of traffic since the demolition of the tunnel at routes 222 and 372.
Borough manager Al Drayovitch, Jr. said Monday night PennDOT is completing an engineering and traffic review in the borough. Council members said they plan to let PennDOT complete their review.
After that, according to Jessica Keffer, chief of staff for Cutler, a formal request for PennDOT to make repairs or changes will have to come from the municipality.
The controversial Fifth Street improvement and sidewalk project is finished, but council members learned they have some unfinished business with Jane Huntoon of 267 W. Fifth St.
According to a letter from attorney James Thomas, the project left a 7-9-inch change in the elevation between Huntoon’s sidewalk and driveway, leaving it unusable. Thomas said Borough Code permits a borough to pay for all or part of grading and curbing for a sidewalk project, and the repair to Huntoon’s driveway will cost approximately $3,500.
Council member Dave Aument said one of the reasons the borough requires sidewalks to be put in at the expense of property owners at the time of a major street reconstruction project is to avoid such problems.
“Maybe there are some things not correct,” said council president Robert Landis, Jr.
“I think it’s a legitimate concern,” said Durwin Parks.
Landis suggested council members speak to an engineer from Aro during its next work session and bring the request for restitution up for a vote at the September council meeting.
In police department matters, Mayor Jerry McCarrell of the police committee said the department answered 14 animal complaints, nine noise complaints, issued eight citations for underage drinking, and made one DUI arrest.
Finally, council approved: a six-month extension for Southern End Self Storage to finish its project, and use of the Quarryville Fire Police for the Aug. 23 Cruisin’ for Corbin cancer benefit motorcycle ride through the borough.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Octorara gains national notice
Newsweek magazine considers Octorara Area High School to be among the top 6 percent of public high schools in America, according to an Aug. 1, 2009 news story by Brian Wallace of the Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era:
http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/240532
The accolade, not mentioned during recent school board meetings or in the school district's publication, The Reporter, may have escaped attention as the school board wrangled over passing a budget and focused on the $37.5 million high school renovation.
http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/240532
The accolade, not mentioned during recent school board meetings or in the school district's publication, The Reporter, may have escaped attention as the school board wrangled over passing a budget and focused on the $37.5 million high school renovation.
Amish community builds three new schools
The Amish community in the Octorara and Solanco communities is continuing to build new schools.
A school for young Amish scholars up through the eighth grade is being built on Mount Vernon Road in Sadsbury Township within the Octorara School District, and two Amish schools are being built in neighboring Bart Township in the Solanco School District.
Both should be ready for students in the fall.
These schools are in addition to one new school in Sadsbury, and another new Amish school in Highland Township, Chester County, both of which opened last year.
Amish schools, which are overseen by parent committees, are paid for by their own Amish community, which employs a teacher (usually from the Amish community) to teach all eight grades. Amish property owners also pay property taxes to public school districts.
A school for young Amish scholars up through the eighth grade is being built on Mount Vernon Road in Sadsbury Township within the Octorara School District, and two Amish schools are being built in neighboring Bart Township in the Solanco School District.
Both should be ready for students in the fall.
These schools are in addition to one new school in Sadsbury, and another new Amish school in Highland Township, Chester County, both of which opened last year.
Amish schools, which are overseen by parent committees, are paid for by their own Amish community, which employs a teacher (usually from the Amish community) to teach all eight grades. Amish property owners also pay property taxes to public school districts.
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