Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 155, No. 44
INSIDE
Cecil County Life
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
meeting on Oct. 27 at the American Legion in Kennett Square, Historic Kennett Square (HKS) Executive Director Bo Wright announced that the organization is changing its name to Kennett Collaborative. Wright shared the new organization’s mission statement: “Kennett Collaborative makes Kennett thrive. We intentionally create programs and events that help Kennett become a more beautiful and welcoming community where all can belong and prosper.” Wright said that the new branding of the organization comes at a critical time for Kennett Square – one whose commitment will rely heavily on continuing to develop successful partnerships. “Successful communities
Photo by Chris Barber
The Oxford Area High School Band arrived early, just behind the fire trucks, during the returning Halloween Parade last Thursday night in Oxford. The band gave their musical performance at the reviewing stand for the judges. For a story and more photos from this year’s Halloween Parade, please see Page 1B.
are built by many hands, but require leadership and strategic direction, whether they are experiencing rapid growth pressure or trying to fill vacant buildings,” he said. “Without leader-
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ship guiding a shared vision, Kennett Square will experience the kind of haphazard growth that destroys its unique character and strong social fabric. Worse, without strategic leader-
ship, too many community members will be left out of economic progress.” Wright then shared the newly named organization’s brand promise. Continued on page 3A
Q & A with Brian Dix, the new executive director of Oxford Mainstreet, Inc.
Q: Brian, before you were selected to serve as Oxford Mainstreet, Inc.’s new executive director, you worked for more than Opinion.......................7A a year as the Mainstreet Obituaries.......2B,3B,5B Manager for the orgaClassifieds..................6B nization. What was that experience like, and what did you work on in that role? A: I joined the organization in October of 2020. Because of the status of the pandemic at that point, I Courtesy photo began at a part-time status. I Brian Dix is the new executive director of Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. after serving as the organization’s immediately jumped in with preparations for the holiday Main Street Manager.
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New name, new The joy of Halloween vision: Historic returns to Oxford’s Kennett Square to Third Street become Kennett Collaborative
For the past several decades, the organization Historic Kennett Square has been a driving force behind the progress of Kennett Square through its many events and initiatives, achieved on the strength of its partnerships with several non-profit organizations, businesses and alliances. Its neighbor-helpingTurn your clocks back this neighbor strategy has Sunday, Nov. 7 catapulted Kennett Square into becoming one of the best small towns in America, and on the heels of this momentum, Historic Kennett Square has given itself a new – and many would say perfect – name. At a gathering of nearly 100 local stakeholders from area businesses and the non-profit sector at the “State of the Square”
Chester County Commissioners adopt new Climate Action Plan...7A
Wednesday, November 3, 2021
decor downtown. Quickly into the new year, however, things began improving at such a pace that I expanded my position to full time in March. Shortly after, we hosted our first DriveIn Movie fundraiser for the Shoebox Theater. We resumed our First Friday series in July and have hosted monthly events since. Additionally, I worked with the former executive director to secure a number of grants, including a Facade Restoration Grant for downtown businesses.
Q: You had ties to Oxford even before you started working for Oxford Mainstreet, Inc., right? A: Yes! I moved to Oxford Borough in 2006 and completed middle school and high school in the Oxford School District. I thoroughly enjoyed living within walking distance to downtown and continued to visit throughout my college years and beyond. I am thrilled with the opportunity to serve my hometown. Continued on page 2A
Kennett Area Oxford Borough seeks a Community representative for Oxford Service sponsors Area Sewer Authority By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer Oxford Borough Council is looking for a borough resident to represent the borough on the Oxford Area Sewer Authority. A motion to approve the new borough manager, Pauline GarciaAllen, was approved at the meeting, but council member Mary Higgins was hopeful that a resident of the borough could be found instead of having the borough manager fill the position. “I would really like to see a resident come forward for this since our new borough manager is going to be attending a lot of meetings when she starts her new position,” Higgins said. Anyone interested in representing the borough on the Sewer Authority is asked to contact the Oxford Borough at
610-932-2500 for more information. Traffic should be moving faster in the borough after a recent decision by council. Council approved a motion to purchase and install video detection equipment for the intersections of South Third/Market Street and South Third Street/Hodgson Street as detailed by the Borough’s Traffic Signal Contractor, Signal Service, in the amount of $15,730. The amount is covered from the borough’s Liquid Fuels Fund. At the meeting, Oxford Borough Council heard from Robert Weer, the London Grove Township assistant township manager/fire marshal. Weer spoke about his relatively new position with that township, a position which Oxford Borough Council is considering. As fire marshal, he is concerned with life safety issues within that municipality. The fire marshal is
responsible for performing a variety of technical duties in support of the township’s local code enforcement program. “The intention of our program is to maintain life safety issues throughout our commercial and institutional properties,” he explained. “We check buildings to see how prepared they are for an emergency. Not every property has fire sprinklers if they were built before a certain time. We check to make sure we have accurate contact information, or if the building can be easily accessed.” Weer added, “Through this program we have decreased the number of false fire alarms, we have educated persons on fire prevention and ultimately we have saved lives.” Council will continue to discuss this position and how it may fit into Continued on page 2A
new food pantry By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
In a town whose collective conscience has been built on the art of selflessness and good deeds, Kennett Square recently made one more giant leap to solidify its reputation – steps that were made by a high school student and her parents. Before elected officials, representatives from the local non-profit sector and a few dozen guests gathered at the Episcopal Church of the Advent on North Union Street, Kennett Area Community Service (KACS) cut the ribbon on the first Little Free Pantry to be installed in Kennett Square on Oct. 27. Conceived and constructed by Unionville High School junior Sara Daly and her parents Mike and Tracy, the mini pantry is located at the church’s parking lot and is stocked with non-perish-
able food items like cereal, canned goods, rice and beans. The project was done in partnership with KACS to provide needy families in the Kennett Square community with an additional food resource. KACS will coordinate food donations and volunteers to monitor supply levels at the cupboard. “We’re thrilled to help bring this important initiative to the community,” said KACS Executive Director Leah Reynolds. “The Little Free Pantry movement aligns perfectly with the mission of KACS to meet people where their needs are at, and we look forward to working with Tracy and Sara to make this a valuable resource for our neighbors in need. “A huge thank you goes to the Church of the Advent for stepping up to be an example in the community Continued on page 4A