Chester County Press 12-20-2023 Edition

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Chester CountyPRESS

www.chestercounty.com

Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas

Volume 157, No. 51

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

$1.50

Real estate taxes to rise 62.1 percent, not 120 percent

New Garden board approves ‘half increase’ budget for 2024 By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer After several months of meetings and mostly public opposition, the New Garden Board of Supervisors gave approval to the township’s 2024 budget at its Dec. 18 meeting, one that offers half the financial sting to residents than an earlier submitted proposal. The 5-0 vote increases real estate taxes in the town-

INSIDE

ship by 1.05 mills, a “half increase” scenario of 62.1 percent that will see residents’ taxes increase from 1.72 mills to 2.77 mills beginning in the new year. According to Township Manager Christopher Himes, who gave a 45-minute summarization of the new tax structure, 80 percent of all township households will absorb an increase that will range from $4 to $22 a month.

For residents who live in a home that has an assessed value of $186,000 will see their annual real estate taxes increase from $319.42 to $515.22, a monthly jump from $26.66 to $42.94. For those living in a home with an assessed value of $400,000, homeowners will absorb a tax jump that will rise from $645.00 a year to $1,038.75, and from $53.75 to $86.56 monthly – a total increase of $393.75.

The Dec. 18 approval comes on the heels of a four-hour budget proposal meeting on Nov. 20, when after persistent and occasionally raucous public opposition, the board voted to advertise the “half increase,” which served as a compromise to the proposal Himes presented on Oct. 16, which if accepted would have placed a 3.9 millage rate on township homeowners – a 120 per-

Penn Township approves 2024 budget By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Contributing Writer

During its Dec. 6 township meeting, the Penn Township of Supervisors Iconic model train display Board approved the 2024 budget on view now…..1B as advertised, in the amount of $2,028,800. The biggest categories for

expenses are general government at $696,000 and public safety at $624,000. There will be no increase in the local municipal tax rate of 0.53 mills. The board voted to approve a list of seven volunteers who live in the

cent tax increase. Himes’ presentation again glossed over the major points he made at earlier overviews of the budget, at which he said that the increase was needed to offset the township’s expenditures, which have risen from $3.7 million in 2016 to a projected $6.3 million for 2024. In addition, he said, the increase will also take a bite out of the township’s $1.8 million deficit

as it heads into the new year. “Our expenditure growth has been significantly more, almost a three-to-one ratio, so over the course of the last decade, we have had nominal revenue growth but have had significant expenditure growth,” he said. “For the most part, this is because from 2015 to 2016, we expanded the regional entity of our police Continued on Page 2A

FROM OUR LENS Santa’s newest fan

Continued on Page 2A

Riderless horse at Oxford Wreaths Across America ceremony…4B Photo by Chris Barber Photo by Marcella Peyre-Ferry

To Subscribe Call 610.869.5553

To honor Curtis Mason for his years of service to the township, State Sen. Carolyn Comitta (pictured with Mason) and State Rep. John Lawrence were both in attendance at the meeting with citations from the State Senate and State House.

© 2007 The Chester County Press

Mikey Reeves brought his infant son, Paxson, to meet Santa in Kennett Square on Dec. 16, as part of a holiday train trek that brought Mr. Kringle to stops in Kennett Square, Toughkenamon, Avondale and West Grove, courtesy of the East Penn Railroad. For the story and additional photos, please see Page 1B.

Brandywine Red Clay Alliance shares plans for newest watershed restoration By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Representatives from the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance (BRC) and an environmental scientist shared the results of a comprehensive assessment plan for the West Branch of the Red Clay Creek Watershed at the Kennett Library on Dec. 13, one that

paves the way for extensive, ten-year restoration of the watershed beginning in 2024. The plan – which began a year ago -- was introduced by BRC Executive Director and CEO James Jordan; BRC Watershed Director Brian Winslow; and Dr. Aaron Clauser of Clauser Environmental, LLC. Continued on Page 3A

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Brian Winslow and James Jordan of the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance, left and center, joined with Dr. Aaron Clauser of Clauser Environmental, LLC on Dec. 13 to give an overview of their plans to restore the West Branch of the Red Clay Watershed.

Wolff, Linn selected to lead Avon Grove School Board By Colleen Cochran Contributing Writer The members of the Avon Grove School Board showed they were pleased with present leadership when they voted the president and vice president back into those positions during the reorganization meeting held on Dec. 7. Bonnie Wolff is once again president of the Avon Grove School Board. She has served in this role since 2022 and has been a

member of the board since 2003. Rick Dumont, board member, acted as temporary president during the voting process. Dorothy Linn, Ed.D., was reelected as board vice president, a position she has held for the past year. She also served as president in the past and has been a board member since 2019. Board member Mike Woodin threw his name into the ring for vice president, stating that change might pave the way for new ideas.

Several board members publicly stated that diverse viewpoints and ideas benefit the school district, but they went on to say that they were voting for Dr. Linn because of her deep knowledge and proven leadership. They felt her vast experience was going to be especially important during the upcoming transition on the school board. The transition to which they were referring is the onboarding of two freshman board members, Ken Roark

and Nick Taylor. They are filling seats of two members from Region II. Jeff Billig chose to not run for reelection. Katie Leonard lost her write-in bid for election. Katie was appointed to the board in September after Tracy Lisi resigned from the board because she no longer lived in the district. It appears the taxpayers are also pleased with the existing board. Not only did they reinstitute Bonnie Wolff and Dorothy Linn as members, they reelected

Herman Engel to office. Engel was chosen to fill a vacancy in 2010 and has been elected by the community of Region III since 2010. Both the new Avon Grove School Board members and reelected members were sworn in at the Dec. 7 meeting. The Avon Grove schools have undergone many changes over the last few years. A new high school was constructed in Penn Continued on Page 2A


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