East Goshen forming advisory group
East Goshen Township is looking for a few good residents to form a township advisory group to develop recommendations to improve the township’s finances. The new group is being modeled after Tredyffrin’s budget advisory group. The township has posted information on its website here. According to the mission statement, the township advisory group, TAG, will make a comprehensive review of all aspects of the township’s operations including, but not limited to: administration, code enforcement, financial, public works, recreation, refuse and recycling, and sewer. The object is to make recommendations for “improvements to township processes and procedures, modification of the township’s services and programs, optimizing the township’s assets and to identify possible revenue enhancements.” The board set a deadline of April 16 to receive all resumes.
Source: Daily Times; 3/5/10
Great Valley school officials discuss budget
Charging student activity fees, lowering thermostats and increasing impact and rental fees were just some of the ideas discussed as Great Valley School District officials considered ways to balance next year’s budget. District Superintendent Alan Lonoconus said no decisions have been made yet about how to trim the budget after school board members asked him to investigate some options. Estimated revenue for the the 2010-11 school year is $71.9 million. Officials are considering taking $3.5 million from the district’s cash reserves to augment that revenue. The school board has told administrators to bring the budget in at $76.3 million, which is below the district’s 2009-10 budget of about $76.7 million. The district is also considering a 1.5 percent to 2.9 percent tax increase to balance next year’s budget.
Source: Daily Local; 3/3/10
Massive downtown redevelopment project clears hurdle in Kennett Square
A massive $30 million redevelopment plan for downtown Kennett Square cleared its final hurdle this week when the Bayard Taylor Memorial Library Board of Trustees agreed to participate. When completed, the project will result in increased commerce in Kennett Square and expanded community and recreational services for area residents. Called the Kennett Area Community Development Plan, it involves four entities — the Kennett Area YMCA, the Anson B. Nixon Park, the Bayard Taylor Library and the borough.
The YMCA will get a $ 4 million, 14,928-square-foot expansion of space. The borough’s maintenance shed will be removed and a new one built at a cost of $3 million. Old brick historic buildings on the park land will be restored. The old borough building will be used for storage or training facilities. Construction of a roundabout at Walnut Street and the entrance to the park will make it much easier and safer for residents to enter the grounds. A new facility will be built near the park’s pond. A new $8-9 million library building will be constructed on what is now the Weinstein property. Additionally, the borough’s parking garage will be expanded to include more parking. There will be other parking improvements in the area of the project. When completed, the revitalization project would bring an additional 75 to 100 new employees to Kennett Square. Officials have promised that the revitalization project will not start until funding is in place, and say a realistic time frame to the project’s completion is five to 10 years.
Source: Daily Local; 2/28/10
No tax increase in the Oxford Area School District?
Several members of the Oxford Area School Board made it clear that they want to work toward a budget for the 2010-2011 school year that will not require an increase in taxes. With a millage rate of 29.5479 for the current school year, property taxes in Oxford rank among the highest in the county. District officials have already made enough cuts to lower a potential tax increase to about 1.59%.
Source: Chester County Press; 3/3/10
