A Chester County commissioner is the latest regional politician to throw his hat in the ring to help the Octorara Area School District bring economic development and property tax relief to the district.
“The county has similar challenges,“ said Commissioner Terence Farrell, speaking to the school board Aug. 16. “If your requirement to fund PSERs is going to triple, if your taxes go up, then we follow. I‘m responsive to putting some political pressure on people and working with you.”
The rural district, with municipalities in both Lancaster and Chester counties, has been working with economic development experts to attract additional tax revenue by bringing in business and industry.
Administrators and board members are also working with state representatives Bryan Cutler and Tom Houghton to lobby for legislation which would return to the district tax revenue lost from Clean and Green.
“We had a hearing on the issue but it has not come up for a vote yet,” Cutler said in an email.
However, the district is receiving favorable interest from real estate and development consultants, according to Doug Brown, a legislative assistant in Houghton’s office.
Brown said the Octorara Regional Planning Commission and Chester County Economic Development Council hosted more than 60 realtors, development consultants and federal, state and local officials at a July breakfast in Parkesburg.
“The event made Octorara a name for itself to businesses and economic development players,” Brown said. “The subsequent response has been very promising.”
Brown also said the West Chester University Center for Social and Economic Research will soon be using student interns to pursue business leads and interview business prospects.
Farrell told school board members rural Octorara makes the county “a great place to live and raise a family.”
Board President Lisa Bowman told Farrell the demographics of wealth change as one travels west in Chester County.
“Some of our taxpayers really have a burden other people in Chester County don’t have,“ Bowman said.
Octorara homeowners are now facing their largest property tax bills in school district history.
In a related issue, board member Sam Ganow asked district business administrators to look into potential lost tax revenue from Wolf’s Hollow Farm in Atglen.
“There are a couple of private residents in there,” said Ganow. “Are they being taxed?”
The Chester County Department of Parks and Recreation purchased the 650-acre farm from Eugene and Joan Gagliardi in 1996. According to an Aug. 22 story in the Pennsylvania Equestrian, Reins of Life Therapeutic Riding for handicapped children is leasing five acres, a barn, an arena and pastures from the county at Wolf‘s Hollow.
In other business board member Bob Hume took high school principal Scott Rohrer to task during the meeting. Hume said he has been asking for data on high school drop-out and retention rates for a month.
Rohrer said he had the data, but wants to give a presentation in September, after students formerly at risk for dropping out or being held back had taken summer courses.
The school board also approved a new policy on searching of students, their lockers and cars. The updated policy allows an administrator,not any staff member, to search when there is a reasonable suspicion of stolen goods, weapons, illegal drugs, alcohol or dangerous materials.
Finally, the school board approved: spending $15,645 for asbestos removal at the high school; Robin Keevan as a middle school long-term substitute physical education teacher; Kathleen Dikin as a long-term substitute third grade teacher; Matthew Talley as a high school technical education teacher; Gina DiBenedetto as a long-term substitute intermediate school physical education teacher; Matthew Furlong as payroll/accounting supervisor; several classroom assistants; and child-rearing leaves for Sarah Callaway, Dana Coulter, Amanda King and Gwendolen Klotz.
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Octorara Fitness Center now open
At 20 minutes in length, the Aug. 9 Octorara Area School Board meeting was hardly a marathon, but residents interested in improving their fitness and trying public use of the district Fitness Center have until Sept. 27 to weigh in on the experiment.
The Fitness Center in the high school opened July 27 and is available under the direction of Athletic Director Jim Weagley from 5:30 to 6:45 a.m. and from 5:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. For membership information call Weagley at 610-593-8261. The school board is considering the financial feasibility of ongoing public use of the center.
“I’m cautiously optimistic,” Weagley said, noting 12 residents had joined. “It’s a good start.”
In other facilities matters, board member Nelson Stoltzfus said the middle school roof is nearly complete, the high school parking lot should be paved in the next two weeks, and construction crews are working on additional asbestos abatement discovered during the high school renovation.
School board president Lisa Bowman said she would consider a resident’s suggestion that they allow senior citizens to opt in to the district’s phone system, letting them know about free upcoming music concerts and other events.
Finally, board member Bob Hume said he has had difficulty getting concrete figures regarding high school retention and drop-out rates, and would like that information presented at a board meeting.
The school board next meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16 in the middle school multipurpose room. The agenda will likely include a vote on updating the district’s policy which allows the search of student lockers, desks, persons, property and vehicles.
The major change to be voted on would require an administrator, not any staff, to perform the search when there is reasonable suspicion of stolen goods, weapons, illegal drugs, alcohol or dangerous materials.
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The Fitness Center in the high school opened July 27 and is available under the direction of Athletic Director Jim Weagley from 5:30 to 6:45 a.m. and from 5:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. For membership information call Weagley at 610-593-8261. The school board is considering the financial feasibility of ongoing public use of the center.
“I’m cautiously optimistic,” Weagley said, noting 12 residents had joined. “It’s a good start.”
In other facilities matters, board member Nelson Stoltzfus said the middle school roof is nearly complete, the high school parking lot should be paved in the next two weeks, and construction crews are working on additional asbestos abatement discovered during the high school renovation.
School board president Lisa Bowman said she would consider a resident’s suggestion that they allow senior citizens to opt in to the district’s phone system, letting them know about free upcoming music concerts and other events.
Finally, board member Bob Hume said he has had difficulty getting concrete figures regarding high school retention and drop-out rates, and would like that information presented at a board meeting.
The school board next meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16 in the middle school multipurpose room. The agenda will likely include a vote on updating the district’s policy which allows the search of student lockers, desks, persons, property and vehicles.
The major change to be voted on would require an administrator, not any staff, to perform the search when there is reasonable suspicion of stolen goods, weapons, illegal drugs, alcohol or dangerous materials.
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Quarryville police expand coverage
Quarryville Borough police are now providing community policing services for four southern end municipalities.
Borough Council Aug. 2 unanimously approved an intermunicipal agreement with Eden Township to provide 20 hours of coverage per month. Chief Ken Work said the hours will be billed at the cost of 130 percent of the salaries of the officers who provide the coverage.
In addition to covering Quarryville, Work’s department also polices Providence and East Drumore townships. Providence pays $25,000 annually for police coverage. Work said the department has been covering East Drumore, which includes the TownsEdge Shopping Center, on a less formal basis.
Borough council asked Work to formalize their work in East Drumore, performed under contract since the early 1990s, with an intermunicipal agreement like those signed with Providence and Eden townships.
The Quarryville police department is operating within a $308,000 2010 budget and has four full-time officers, including Chief Work. In executive session Aug. 2 the department hired its third part-time police officer, Ryan Lawrence.
In other business, borough council turned down Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community’s request for an exception to borough policy to purchase and lock in the price of 36 water and sewer tapping fees, but pay the fees in quarterly installments over the next year. QPRC will soon begin Phase 1 (36 units) of its planned 180-unit expansion.
Council anticipates the Borough Authority will next month raise its sewer tapping fee from $7,000 to $8,400, and locking in and paying quarterly would have saved QPRC about $52,000, according to Borough Manager Al Drayovitch Jr.
“They are the borough’s largest employer,” said council member Richard Aument. “They don’t ask the borough for a lot.”
“Traditionally we have not done installment plans,” said council President Robert Landis Jr. “To get the savings they want to get they should pay 100 percent up front.”
“They are a great employer but we have to be consistent,” said council member Joanne Platt.
Council voted against approving an exception.
On the advice of ARRO engineers and its solicitor, Joselle Cleary, council said they will take no action if Quarry Ridge developers fill in an infiltration basin in the development.
Finally, council: learned the borough will receive $7,500 from FEMA for February emergency snow removal costs; approved use of Huffnagle Park for a worship concert by New Providence Church of God on Aug. 13; paid a $46,583 bill for the recent water storage tank rehabilitation; approved about two hours of Quarryville Police coverage to monitor the upcoming SECA 5K Run; approved an extension until July 1, 2013 for Southern End Self Storage to finish its project; and approved a sewer service agreement for 309 Slate Lane in Quarry Ridge.
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Borough Council Aug. 2 unanimously approved an intermunicipal agreement with Eden Township to provide 20 hours of coverage per month. Chief Ken Work said the hours will be billed at the cost of 130 percent of the salaries of the officers who provide the coverage.
In addition to covering Quarryville, Work’s department also polices Providence and East Drumore townships. Providence pays $25,000 annually for police coverage. Work said the department has been covering East Drumore, which includes the TownsEdge Shopping Center, on a less formal basis.
Borough council asked Work to formalize their work in East Drumore, performed under contract since the early 1990s, with an intermunicipal agreement like those signed with Providence and Eden townships.
The Quarryville police department is operating within a $308,000 2010 budget and has four full-time officers, including Chief Work. In executive session Aug. 2 the department hired its third part-time police officer, Ryan Lawrence.
In other business, borough council turned down Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community’s request for an exception to borough policy to purchase and lock in the price of 36 water and sewer tapping fees, but pay the fees in quarterly installments over the next year. QPRC will soon begin Phase 1 (36 units) of its planned 180-unit expansion.
Council anticipates the Borough Authority will next month raise its sewer tapping fee from $7,000 to $8,400, and locking in and paying quarterly would have saved QPRC about $52,000, according to Borough Manager Al Drayovitch Jr.
“They are the borough’s largest employer,” said council member Richard Aument. “They don’t ask the borough for a lot.”
“Traditionally we have not done installment plans,” said council President Robert Landis Jr. “To get the savings they want to get they should pay 100 percent up front.”
“They are a great employer but we have to be consistent,” said council member Joanne Platt.
Council voted against approving an exception.
On the advice of ARRO engineers and its solicitor, Joselle Cleary, council said they will take no action if Quarry Ridge developers fill in an infiltration basin in the development.
Finally, council: learned the borough will receive $7,500 from FEMA for February emergency snow removal costs; approved use of Huffnagle Park for a worship concert by New Providence Church of God on Aug. 13; paid a $46,583 bill for the recent water storage tank rehabilitation; approved about two hours of Quarryville Police coverage to monitor the upcoming SECA 5K Run; approved an extension until July 1, 2013 for Southern End Self Storage to finish its project; and approved a sewer service agreement for 309 Slate Lane in Quarry Ridge.
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State police visiting county municipalities
Sgt. Greg Riek of the Pennsylvania State Police told Sadsbury Township supervisors Aug. 3 officers and staff from Troop J plan to regularly visit five southern end municipalities to answer citizen questions and concerns.
Riek said Commander Brenda Bernot is asking patrol unit officers from Troop J to attend meetings in Bart, Eden, East Drumore, Providence and Sadsbury townships. Riek said staff from the Criminal Investigation Unit and other staff will also attend public meetings in other county municipalities.
“There’s no guarantee we will be at every township meeting,” Riek said. “We do want to be there to answer any resident questions and concerns that might come up.”
While Riek did not identify specific issues in Sadsbury Township, he said there are problem hot spots and a high number of crashes at the intersections of Routes 30 and 41, at Belmont Road and Route 30, and at Route 741 and Route 30.
In a related matter, resident Randy Buckwalter complained that since the intersection of Simmontown Road and Route 41 were improved and opened, traffic has been “flying” up the road. Supervisors agreed to contact the state to request Watch Children signs to slow traffic.
Roadmaster Jeff Nickel announced White Oak Road will be closed between Lower Valley and Noble roads until approximately Aug. 30. The road crew is leveling a knob on the road which was a danger to teams and traffic.
Supervisors are requesting to borrow a traffic counter from Bart Township to complete a study following complaints from Jackson Road residents about speeding cars.
Finally, supervisors: noted Jeff Williams was granted a home occupation permit for wood working in his 500-square-foot workshop at White Oak Road and Route 372; signed planning modules for John Stoltzfus Jr. and Samuel Esh; and agreed to send to PP&L questions from township attorney Frank Mincarelli about the strip of land adjacent to the the township building which the municipality would like to purchase.
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Riek said Commander Brenda Bernot is asking patrol unit officers from Troop J to attend meetings in Bart, Eden, East Drumore, Providence and Sadsbury townships. Riek said staff from the Criminal Investigation Unit and other staff will also attend public meetings in other county municipalities.
“There’s no guarantee we will be at every township meeting,” Riek said. “We do want to be there to answer any resident questions and concerns that might come up.”
While Riek did not identify specific issues in Sadsbury Township, he said there are problem hot spots and a high number of crashes at the intersections of Routes 30 and 41, at Belmont Road and Route 30, and at Route 741 and Route 30.
In a related matter, resident Randy Buckwalter complained that since the intersection of Simmontown Road and Route 41 were improved and opened, traffic has been “flying” up the road. Supervisors agreed to contact the state to request Watch Children signs to slow traffic.
Roadmaster Jeff Nickel announced White Oak Road will be closed between Lower Valley and Noble roads until approximately Aug. 30. The road crew is leveling a knob on the road which was a danger to teams and traffic.
Supervisors are requesting to borrow a traffic counter from Bart Township to complete a study following complaints from Jackson Road residents about speeding cars.
Finally, supervisors: noted Jeff Williams was granted a home occupation permit for wood working in his 500-square-foot workshop at White Oak Road and Route 372; signed planning modules for John Stoltzfus Jr. and Samuel Esh; and agreed to send to PP&L questions from township attorney Frank Mincarelli about the strip of land adjacent to the the township building which the municipality would like to purchase.
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