Just one month after passing a 2010-11 budget board members called difficult and disappointing, the Octorara Area School District July 19 received two good pieces of financial news which will bring the district more revenue.
Octorara signed an agreement with the YMCA of the Brandywine Valley to lease four classrooms for day care, offices, gymnasium, cafeteria and playground space at the elementary school for $45,000 annually (with 3 percent annual increases) from January 2011 through Dec. 31, 2014.
Secondly, Althouse Transportation, the district’s bus company, voluntarily knocked one percentage point from its 4.5 percent transportation contract increase, saving the school district $23,000 on its $2.7 million transportation budget.
Superintendent Tom Newcome has been negotiating with the YMCA since an agreement with the Y to lease classroom and program space and the high school Fitness Center fell apart in March during what Newcome called “bad faith negotiating.“
Under this agreement, the Y will not be running the high school Fitness Center. The district is this summer experimenting with a trial run to open the facility to the community.
School board members signed a comprehensive eight-page lease with the Y, which will also open the elementary school gym for Y programs from 3 to 9 p.m. week days, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays.
Board member Bob Hume said he believes the Y agreement will be a “great benefit” to the community. He also urged Newcome to explore the possibility of bringing cyber education programs to the district.
The school board also approved increasing the cost of some school lunches by 15 cents, to $2.15 for elementary students and to $2.40 for middle school students. Students will also pay an increase in milk, to 60 cents per container.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Nancy Bishop led several administrators in explaining the district’s five-year-old curriculum mapping program. She said staff have done an immense amount of work in standardizing curriculum which is readily available with numerous resources in a mapped online system. Bishop said the state is now moving toward curriculum mapping, putting the district ahead in this trend.
Finally, the school board: approved an employee assistance program with Pressley Ridge and hired Dawn Munion as a high school math teacher at a grant-funded salary of $48,873.
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Thursday, July 22, 2010
Sadsbury stands against forced municipal mergers
Saying “bigger is not better,” Sadsbury Township supervisors July 15 unanimously signed a resolution opposing any state-forced consolidation or merger of municipal government.
Resolution 6-2010 is in response to this year’s House Bill 2431 which would abolish townships and boroughs and establish the county as the lowest level of local government in Pennsylvania. It also takes a swing at Senate Bill 1357 which would establish a statewide boundary commission to recommend municipal mergers, consolidations and annexations.
According to Sadsbury supervisors, the bills would weaken the responsiveness and effectiveness of local government, and not lead to greater economic conditions and better delivery of services.
“No one has ever proven that bigger, centralized government is better or even more cost-effective than township government,” proclaims Sadsbury’s resolution. “Reports of financially distressed municipalities in Pennsylvania are largely contained to the Commonwealth’s large cities and urban areas.”
Sadsbury’s resolution, however, said the township does not oppose the voluntary merger or consolidation of local governments if the process is initiated at the local level.
“What does the county run that works?” asked citizen Jim Ranck of Noble Oak Farm.
Ranck, however, also took supervisors to task over the present appearance of the township building. Ranck recently volunteered time to work on the building’s flower beds. He criticized the appearance of the temporary trailer sitting in front of the building, which will be used if the township proceeds with renovation plans.
“Things are not being caught up,” Ranck said of roads with pot holes. “Things could be better for the manpower you have. I think we could raise the standards substantially.”
During the meeting supervisors approved sending an agreement of sale to attorney Frank Mincarelli for review. Supervisors plan to purchase 2.21 acres adjacent to the township building at White Oak and Noble roads from PP&L for $13,350.
Supervisors say the property is needed for the township’s building plans. These are not yet under way as the municipality seeks grant funding.
Finally, supervisors declined to pay for damage to a fence on Pleasant View Road because the fence was damaged during blizzard plowing, and not intentionally; gave Frank Roda an extension to reduce the number of chickens on his property; and agreed to ask Bart Township to borrow a traffic counter for a traffic study on Jackson Road.
Resolution 6-2010 is in response to this year’s House Bill 2431 which would abolish townships and boroughs and establish the county as the lowest level of local government in Pennsylvania. It also takes a swing at Senate Bill 1357 which would establish a statewide boundary commission to recommend municipal mergers, consolidations and annexations.
According to Sadsbury supervisors, the bills would weaken the responsiveness and effectiveness of local government, and not lead to greater economic conditions and better delivery of services.
“No one has ever proven that bigger, centralized government is better or even more cost-effective than township government,” proclaims Sadsbury’s resolution. “Reports of financially distressed municipalities in Pennsylvania are largely contained to the Commonwealth’s large cities and urban areas.”
Sadsbury’s resolution, however, said the township does not oppose the voluntary merger or consolidation of local governments if the process is initiated at the local level.
“What does the county run that works?” asked citizen Jim Ranck of Noble Oak Farm.
Ranck, however, also took supervisors to task over the present appearance of the township building. Ranck recently volunteered time to work on the building’s flower beds. He criticized the appearance of the temporary trailer sitting in front of the building, which will be used if the township proceeds with renovation plans.
“Things are not being caught up,” Ranck said of roads with pot holes. “Things could be better for the manpower you have. I think we could raise the standards substantially.”
During the meeting supervisors approved sending an agreement of sale to attorney Frank Mincarelli for review. Supervisors plan to purchase 2.21 acres adjacent to the township building at White Oak and Noble roads from PP&L for $13,350.
Supervisors say the property is needed for the township’s building plans. These are not yet under way as the municipality seeks grant funding.
Finally, supervisors declined to pay for damage to a fence on Pleasant View Road because the fence was damaged during blizzard plowing, and not intentionally; gave Frank Roda an extension to reduce the number of chickens on his property; and agreed to ask Bart Township to borrow a traffic counter for a traffic study on Jackson Road.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Quarryville gets a heads-up on 2011 library budget squeeze
In the same week that Pennsylvania law makers cut an additional 9.1 percent to public libraries while committing $20 million in public funds to two libraries honoring two politicians, Quarryville Library Director Frances Vita visited Quarryville Borough Council to give council members a heads-up on next year's library funding.
Speaking during council’s July 6 meeting, Vita said volunteers in southern Lancaster County raised around $5,000 for the Quarryville Library through five special events in the first quarter of 2010. She said fundraisers are ongoing to help bolster the library’s $201,026 2010 budget, which had been cut by 30 percent.
Vita thanked the borough for its $9,900 donation for 2010. It was the largest municipal appropriation, and some municipalities in the southern end had to cut their library appropriations.
“We just recently found out about the 9.1 percent cut, so a plan still needs to be discussed with the Lancaster County Library director and Quarryville’s library board,” Vita said after the meeting.
Vita said the library will have to add more volunteer fundraisers for 2011, and the library is thankful for all the volunteer help with events such as a Go-Fore Golf day, antique appraisal fair, and national passport day. A business, Hart’s Landscaping, also gave deeply discounted snow removal during the blizzards.
Vita, however, said while fundraising is a large part of the library budget, it is not a stable source and won’t cover recent cuts.
Pennsylvania law makers recently gave budget approval to $20 million for two libraries honoring two outgoing politicians, $10 million for Arlen Specter Library Project Center at Philadelphia University, and $10 million for the late John P. Murtha Center for Public Policy in Johnstown.
In other action during their meeting, council approved hiring Arro engineers for three projects. The firm will do a study and prepare a report recommending whether to raise the borough’s water tapping fee.
Arro will also survey in front of Sam’s Pizza on State Street and make parking recommendations, and conduct a speed study on West State Street.
Council member Mike Sullenberger said the streets committee is considering recommending a project for 2011 which would redo Fourth Street to Church Street, and sections of Stanton and Summit avenues. The project could cost three quarters of a million dollars or more, and he said the streets committee would like to be able to offer residents options for financing since borough ordinance requires residents to install sidewalks at the time of construction.
Council took no action on Cedar Knoll Builders request to remove an infiltration trench in Quarry Ridge.
“I’m 100 percent against this,” said council President Bob Landis. “It was approved on plans and by the county planning commission. We don’t have the authority to take it away.”
Council directed Borough Manager Al Drayovitch to get an answer in writing from the county about the issue.
Mayor Joy Kemper, chairman of the police committee, said she had heard some community comments that “Quarryville must be getting bad,” and that residents need to worry about random violence following a June 18 burglary and assault. Kemper said Chief Ken Work believes the victims, Guatemalan males, were specifically targeted by other Guatemalans.
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Speaking during council’s July 6 meeting, Vita said volunteers in southern Lancaster County raised around $5,000 for the Quarryville Library through five special events in the first quarter of 2010. She said fundraisers are ongoing to help bolster the library’s $201,026 2010 budget, which had been cut by 30 percent.
Vita thanked the borough for its $9,900 donation for 2010. It was the largest municipal appropriation, and some municipalities in the southern end had to cut their library appropriations.
“We just recently found out about the 9.1 percent cut, so a plan still needs to be discussed with the Lancaster County Library director and Quarryville’s library board,” Vita said after the meeting.
Vita said the library will have to add more volunteer fundraisers for 2011, and the library is thankful for all the volunteer help with events such as a Go-Fore Golf day, antique appraisal fair, and national passport day. A business, Hart’s Landscaping, also gave deeply discounted snow removal during the blizzards.
Vita, however, said while fundraising is a large part of the library budget, it is not a stable source and won’t cover recent cuts.
Pennsylvania law makers recently gave budget approval to $20 million for two libraries honoring two outgoing politicians, $10 million for Arlen Specter Library Project Center at Philadelphia University, and $10 million for the late John P. Murtha Center for Public Policy in Johnstown.
In other action during their meeting, council approved hiring Arro engineers for three projects. The firm will do a study and prepare a report recommending whether to raise the borough’s water tapping fee.
Arro will also survey in front of Sam’s Pizza on State Street and make parking recommendations, and conduct a speed study on West State Street.
Council member Mike Sullenberger said the streets committee is considering recommending a project for 2011 which would redo Fourth Street to Church Street, and sections of Stanton and Summit avenues. The project could cost three quarters of a million dollars or more, and he said the streets committee would like to be able to offer residents options for financing since borough ordinance requires residents to install sidewalks at the time of construction.
Council took no action on Cedar Knoll Builders request to remove an infiltration trench in Quarry Ridge.
“I’m 100 percent against this,” said council President Bob Landis. “It was approved on plans and by the county planning commission. We don’t have the authority to take it away.”
Council directed Borough Manager Al Drayovitch to get an answer in writing from the county about the issue.
Mayor Joy Kemper, chairman of the police committee, said she had heard some community comments that “Quarryville must be getting bad,” and that residents need to worry about random violence following a June 18 burglary and assault. Kemper said Chief Ken Work believes the victims, Guatemalan males, were specifically targeted by other Guatemalans.
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Will realtors flip an Octorara development trend?
A local politician and regional development experts are hoping some good coffee and eggs-over-easy served to 30-40 realtors on July 21 will help flip the economy and start a positive economic development trend in the Octorara Area School District.
State Rep. Tom Houghton, the Octorara Regional Planning Commission, and the Chester County Economic Development Council have invited about 40 commercial realtors to breakfast at Westminster Place on First Avenue in Parkesburg.
Bob Grabus, (Editor's note: spelling corrected) an executive with the 30-year-old CCEDC, told Octorara Area School Board members July 13 the realtors will breakfast from 7:45 to 9 a.m. and be educated about the commercial and industrial development properties available to businesses which locate in Octorara.
“There are reasons people would want to be here,” said Grabus, adding that the development council will also have business financing packaging information available.
According to Doug Brown, a legislative assistant in Houghton’s office, the organizations are hoping for some economic development in economically distressed areas and so-called “brownfield” properties. There are vacant but handyman-special properties along the quaint Old Main Street in Parkesburg, and plenty of commercially and industrial-zoned fields on Route 372 between Parkesburg and Atglen, and along Route 41 in Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County.
The event is reminiscent of one held in 1989, when then-Superintendent Richard McAdams hosted realtors in a school library, touted school district accomplishments. and encouraged them to bring economic development into the district. McAdams also held classes in education funding, warning the district could face tough times if the largely rural property tax base did not broaden.
Current Superintendent Tom Newcome has continued that message at town meetings, and has also been working with the ORPC, state Rep. Bryan Cutler and Houghton. The politicians and groups are seeking commercial economic development and a solution to the loss of revenue from Clean and Green, which has helped farmers in the rural district but placed an additional burden on homeowners.
Grabus, who said he works with 36 Chester County municipalities, said he is aware of the perception that the Octorara community feels left out of regional economic development.
However, he said over the past few years his organization has brought a “couple of dozen” companies to the district but they have chosen to locate elsewhere. Grabus said an intern from West Chester University’s Center for Social and Economic Reform will this fall spend a semester doing demographic research to, in part, find out why those firms did not land in Octorara.
“We want to create taxable properties and get ready for a turnaround economy,” Grabus said.
The goal, says Brown, is to relieve property tax pressure on homeowners, who are now facing their largest tax bills in school district history.
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State Rep. Tom Houghton, the Octorara Regional Planning Commission, and the Chester County Economic Development Council have invited about 40 commercial realtors to breakfast at Westminster Place on First Avenue in Parkesburg.
Bob Grabus, (Editor's note: spelling corrected) an executive with the 30-year-old CCEDC, told Octorara Area School Board members July 13 the realtors will breakfast from 7:45 to 9 a.m. and be educated about the commercial and industrial development properties available to businesses which locate in Octorara.
“There are reasons people would want to be here,” said Grabus, adding that the development council will also have business financing packaging information available.
According to Doug Brown, a legislative assistant in Houghton’s office, the organizations are hoping for some economic development in economically distressed areas and so-called “brownfield” properties. There are vacant but handyman-special properties along the quaint Old Main Street in Parkesburg, and plenty of commercially and industrial-zoned fields on Route 372 between Parkesburg and Atglen, and along Route 41 in Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County.
The event is reminiscent of one held in 1989, when then-Superintendent Richard McAdams hosted realtors in a school library, touted school district accomplishments. and encouraged them to bring economic development into the district. McAdams also held classes in education funding, warning the district could face tough times if the largely rural property tax base did not broaden.
Current Superintendent Tom Newcome has continued that message at town meetings, and has also been working with the ORPC, state Rep. Bryan Cutler and Houghton. The politicians and groups are seeking commercial economic development and a solution to the loss of revenue from Clean and Green, which has helped farmers in the rural district but placed an additional burden on homeowners.
Grabus, who said he works with 36 Chester County municipalities, said he is aware of the perception that the Octorara community feels left out of regional economic development.
However, he said over the past few years his organization has brought a “couple of dozen” companies to the district but they have chosen to locate elsewhere. Grabus said an intern from West Chester University’s Center for Social and Economic Reform will this fall spend a semester doing demographic research to, in part, find out why those firms did not land in Octorara.
“We want to create taxable properties and get ready for a turnaround economy,” Grabus said.
The goal, says Brown, is to relieve property tax pressure on homeowners, who are now facing their largest tax bills in school district history.
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Monday, July 05, 2010
Fitness Center to open this month
The Octorara High School Fitness Center will be opened to the community July 19 for two months as the district explores whether it makes financial sense to offer public use of the center.
While the district considered an offer from teacher Tom Hurley to run the center, Athletic Director Jim Weagley recommended the athletic department assume responsibility due to legal concerns, and the school board unanimously voted June 28 to give public fitness center use a trial run.
Residents will pay a $20 per month fee to use the center, while senior citizens will pay $15 and non-residents will pay $35 per month. The center will be open early morning, late afternoons and evenings, and on weekends.
The school board also asked Business Manager Dan Carsley to seek legal counsel about a reassessment in Londonderry Township, Chester County. Carsley said Honeycroft Village, in phase one of construction, removed 257 parcels from the tax rolls, resulting in a $4.2 million reduction in assessed values.
According to Carsley, this and numerous other reassessments have contributed to a fiscal challenge and the school district used an additional $100,000 in fund balance, $474,320 in all, to avoid raising taxes any higher.
Brian Campbell of Cedar Knoll Builders, Honeycroft developer, said in an email Honeycroft Village has added $4 million in total assessments to date and will continue to add $1.5 million annually. He said a revised plan added single family homes and reduced the number of townhomes.
Richard Brown, Londonderry Township supervisor, said in an email only approximately 20 units were completed by this past spring. He said market conditions encouraged the developer to build more single-family detached cottages rather than triplexes or quadriplex units.
“The retired lots represent the old plan and lots not completed at this time,” Campbell said.
In personnel matters the school board hired: Lindsay Mitman as a long-term substitute third grade teacher; Amanda Lenton as a long-term substitute sixth grade teacher, and Candice Manning as a long-term substitute primary art teacher.
The school board also transferred these teachers: Jennifer George to eighth grade English; John Atlee to middle school guidance; Amy Steinmetz and Jodie Pitt to Title 1 reading, Kim Cabry to learning support, Drew Duggan to middle school science, Amanda King to sixth grade, Laura Brotman to intermediate school learning support, and Alison Manetta to second grade.
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While the district considered an offer from teacher Tom Hurley to run the center, Athletic Director Jim Weagley recommended the athletic department assume responsibility due to legal concerns, and the school board unanimously voted June 28 to give public fitness center use a trial run.
Residents will pay a $20 per month fee to use the center, while senior citizens will pay $15 and non-residents will pay $35 per month. The center will be open early morning, late afternoons and evenings, and on weekends.
The school board also asked Business Manager Dan Carsley to seek legal counsel about a reassessment in Londonderry Township, Chester County. Carsley said Honeycroft Village, in phase one of construction, removed 257 parcels from the tax rolls, resulting in a $4.2 million reduction in assessed values.
According to Carsley, this and numerous other reassessments have contributed to a fiscal challenge and the school district used an additional $100,000 in fund balance, $474,320 in all, to avoid raising taxes any higher.
Brian Campbell of Cedar Knoll Builders, Honeycroft developer, said in an email Honeycroft Village has added $4 million in total assessments to date and will continue to add $1.5 million annually. He said a revised plan added single family homes and reduced the number of townhomes.
Richard Brown, Londonderry Township supervisor, said in an email only approximately 20 units were completed by this past spring. He said market conditions encouraged the developer to build more single-family detached cottages rather than triplexes or quadriplex units.
“The retired lots represent the old plan and lots not completed at this time,” Campbell said.
In personnel matters the school board hired: Lindsay Mitman as a long-term substitute third grade teacher; Amanda Lenton as a long-term substitute sixth grade teacher, and Candice Manning as a long-term substitute primary art teacher.
The school board also transferred these teachers: Jennifer George to eighth grade English; John Atlee to middle school guidance; Amy Steinmetz and Jodie Pitt to Title 1 reading, Kim Cabry to learning support, Drew Duggan to middle school science, Amanda King to sixth grade, Laura Brotman to intermediate school learning support, and Alison Manetta to second grade.
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