Do West Marlborough residents consider themselves to be part of the Kennett Library's service area, and if so would they pay to fund construction of the long-discussed new library building?
That question will be placed on the November ballot in West Marlborough, the supervisors decided at their July 2 meeting.
The matter arose because library board president Tom Swett emailed all the municipalities in the library's service area asking them to help fund construction of the proposed $10 million building, possibly by enacting an 0.3-mill real-estate tax for three years. Supervisor Bill Wylie noted that the suggested number would represent "a 17 percent increase" in the township's real-estate tax.
In other business, the supervisors said that at their August 6 meeting they plan to discuss the findings of the township's emergency medical services task force, which has spent months gathering data about how West Marlborough should fund local fire and ambulance companies.
Supervisor Jake Chalfin noted it was unfortunate that two matters that might require tax increases -- EMS services and library construction -- have arisen almost simultaneously.
Also at the board meeting, which took place during a torrential thunderstorm, the supervisors appointed Josh Taylor as a member of the zoning hearing board to replace Elizabeth "Baz" Powell, who died in January. Josh is a former township supervisor.
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
WEST MARLBOROUGH: Traffic calming
Roads and traffic problems have become a standard part of the agenda at West Marlborough township meetings.
At the July meeting, Supervisor Bill Wylie said he spoke with a local PennDOT representative about reducing the level of maintenance on some state roads in the township in an attempt to deter motorists from using them as through-roads. He said his sense is that township residents would prefer rougher roads without lines painted on them, even though "outsiders" and bicyclists might not. Mr. Wylie said he was unsure what the result of that conversation would be, if any.
Supervisor Jake Chalfin discussed the tradeoffs that would be involved if PennDOT improved the "compromised" bridge on Route 82 at Rokeby Mill. Currently heavy tri-axle trucks aren't allowed to use the bridge and have to take a roundabout detour through narrow West Marlborough roads. But if the bridge is fixed, Mr. Chalfin said, "it'll pop up on truckers' routes as options … and it'll double truck traffic on 82."
Supervisor and township roadmaster Hugh Lofting Sr. said the township will be getting estimates to fix a pipe under Spencer Road that is caving in and causing drainage problems. Funding is expected to come from the state. Mr. Lofting said the project might also involve draining a stagnant pond and turning it into a wetland.
At the July meeting, Supervisor Bill Wylie said he spoke with a local PennDOT representative about reducing the level of maintenance on some state roads in the township in an attempt to deter motorists from using them as through-roads. He said his sense is that township residents would prefer rougher roads without lines painted on them, even though "outsiders" and bicyclists might not. Mr. Wylie said he was unsure what the result of that conversation would be, if any.
Supervisor Jake Chalfin discussed the tradeoffs that would be involved if PennDOT improved the "compromised" bridge on Route 82 at Rokeby Mill. Currently heavy tri-axle trucks aren't allowed to use the bridge and have to take a roundabout detour through narrow West Marlborough roads. But if the bridge is fixed, Mr. Chalfin said, "it'll pop up on truckers' routes as options … and it'll double truck traffic on 82."
Supervisor and township roadmaster Hugh Lofting Sr. said the township will be getting estimates to fix a pipe under Spencer Road that is caving in and causing drainage problems. Funding is expected to come from the state. Mr. Lofting said the project might also involve draining a stagnant pond and turning it into a wetland.
EAST NOTTINGHAM: A memorable morning
I wrote a weekly police blotter column for a newspaper for years and I miss it when I come across items like this one from East Nottingham Township.
According to the Pennsylvania State Police at Avondale, early on June 22 a man crashed his car into an embankment and police suspected him of driving under the influence. While he was being processed at the station, a trooper gave the man's border collie, Angus, a ride home. Nobody answered the door of his house, so the trooper knocked on the door of the camper parked in the driveway, with its lights on at 3 in the morning. It was then the trooper noticed "several mature marijuana plants growing inside."
When Angus's owner returned home from his DUI arrest, he thanked the trooper for returning Angus. "The owner, however, was not so thankful that his small grow operation had been discovered."
According to the Pennsylvania State Police at Avondale, early on June 22 a man crashed his car into an embankment and police suspected him of driving under the influence. While he was being processed at the station, a trooper gave the man's border collie, Angus, a ride home. Nobody answered the door of his house, so the trooper knocked on the door of the camper parked in the driveway, with its lights on at 3 in the morning. It was then the trooper noticed "several mature marijuana plants growing inside."
When Angus's owner returned home from his DUI arrest, he thanked the trooper for returning Angus. "The owner, however, was not so thankful that his small grow operation had been discovered."
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
LIBRARY: A busy spot
I stopped in at the library this afternoon to check out some hammock reading (the Young Relative's "Naked Economics" doesn't qualify) and found that the place was a hotbed of not only summer reading programs but also math tutoring.
At one table an instructor was sitting across from his student teaching him how to plot algebraic functions: "OK, this is a really nice function, but they're not all going to be so neat," he said, pointing to a graph and asking the youth to identify the asymptote.
Another teacher, working with a younger pupil, was discussing the principles of rounding in the tenths and hundredths columns: "Here's how you can remember it," she told him. "Five and up: give it a shove. Four and below, let it go."
And a third tutor was using old-fashioned but still effective flashcards to teach the times tables.
At one table an instructor was sitting across from his student teaching him how to plot algebraic functions: "OK, this is a really nice function, but they're not all going to be so neat," he said, pointing to a graph and asking the youth to identify the asymptote.
Another teacher, working with a younger pupil, was discussing the principles of rounding in the tenths and hundredths columns: "Here's how you can remember it," she told him. "Five and up: give it a shove. Four and below, let it go."
And a third tutor was using old-fashioned but still effective flashcards to teach the times tables.
QUAKERS: Summer schedule
As usual, several of the "laid-down" (usually closed) Quaker meetinghouses in the Western Quarter will be open to visitors for worship this summer. It's a great opportunity to see some old buildings where generations of people have worshipped, leaving a distinctly spiritual atmosphere. All are welcome.
Here is the schedule:
-- Pennsgrove (725 Pennsgrove Rd., West Grove): 10 a.m. July 28 and August 25
-- Old Kennett (Route 1 at Kendal at Longwood, across from the Hamorton Woods neighborhood): 9 a.m. July 28 and August 25
-- Homeville (4904 Homeville Rd., Cochranville): 2 p.m. August 25
-- Parkersville (1232 Parkersville Rd., Kennett Square): 2 p.m. Sept. 8
-- Colora (22 Corn Cake Row, Colora, MD): 2 p.m. Sept. 15.
Here is the schedule:
-- Pennsgrove (725 Pennsgrove Rd., West Grove): 10 a.m. July 28 and August 25
-- Old Kennett (Route 1 at Kendal at Longwood, across from the Hamorton Woods neighborhood): 9 a.m. July 28 and August 25
-- Homeville (4904 Homeville Rd., Cochranville): 2 p.m. August 25
-- Parkersville (1232 Parkersville Rd., Kennett Square): 2 p.m. Sept. 8
-- Colora (22 Corn Cake Row, Colora, MD): 2 p.m. Sept. 15.
Monday, July 1, 2019
WEST MARLBOROUGH: A new neighbor
Saturday evening, between the ominous flash-flood warnings, we took a stroll down the road and saw an oncoming bicyclist. He stopped and introduced himself and said he had recently moved here from Philadelphia.
"I'm still in shock," he said, about how beautiful his new surroundings are. A retired park ranger in Maryland, he explained that he enjoys observing nature and is thrilled to see all the types of birds that live here. As far as the bicycling goes, he is trying to follow his doctor's advice to drop a few pounds and intends to pedal a little farther up the steep hill each day.
"I'm still in shock," he said, about how beautiful his new surroundings are. A retired park ranger in Maryland, he explained that he enjoys observing nature and is thrilled to see all the types of birds that live here. As far as the bicycling goes, he is trying to follow his doctor's advice to drop a few pounds and intends to pedal a little farther up the steep hill each day.
BANKS: Citadel opens
The Kennett branch of Citadel Bank is having its "grand opening" July 12 and 13, but it actually opened last week. It's "tellerless," meaning that souped-up ATMs do most of the work that tellers used to do, including counting stacks of cash. Employees are still on duty, of course, to handle the nonroutine tasks.
We stopped in on Saturday, June 29. to check the place out and lots of other customers were doing the same thing. The ATMs were busy and all the employee had people sitting at their desks. The fellow who was tasked with welcoming people and explaining the system was so busy that he (unnecessarily) apologized to us several times for not being more attentive.
The new bank -- it has a distinctive seamed sloping rust-colored roof -- is on Route 1 west of Bayard Road, where the Burger King used to be.
We stopped in on Saturday, June 29. to check the place out and lots of other customers were doing the same thing. The ATMs were busy and all the employee had people sitting at their desks. The fellow who was tasked with welcoming people and explaining the system was so busy that he (unnecessarily) apologized to us several times for not being more attentive.
The new bank -- it has a distinctive seamed sloping rust-colored roof -- is on Route 1 west of Bayard Road, where the Burger King used to be.
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