Birmingham looking for Bush's replacement

Birmingham looking for Bush’s replacement

Posted by Emily Myers on September 5, 2012

Birmingham Township supervisors have begun their search for a replacement for Supervisor Al Bush who died Aug. 28. Bush’s term ends at the end of 2013.

Supervisors’ Chairman John Conklin said the best case would be a volunteer who would be willing to fill the unexpired term and stand for the primary election in May of 2013.

The supervisors will canvas the homeowner associations and the township working committees to try to find a qualified volunteer. Qualifications are being a Birmingham Township resident and registered voter.

Conklin expressed appreciation for the 25 years of service Bush gave to the township. Gifts donated in memory of Bush are to be used to build a monument in the Sandy Hollow Heritage Park appropriate to the history of the area.

Other business

• West Chester Library board President Howard Sundwall reported the good health of the West Chester Library. The library has had to close on Sundays and shorten hours on Wednesday and Thursday in order to survive state funding cutbacks.

Last year, Birmingham Township gave $1,000 to the library. The amount works out to about $.25 per resident. The goal would be to have a contribution of $1 per resident, but Sundwall said the board will be grateful for continued funding as possible. State funding is to libraries is larger for those libraries which demonstrate more support from their constituent townships.

Programs designed to encourage participation are Story Time, Summer Reading Club, Reading Circles and English as Second Language. Over 5000 electronic books have been added to the library. Library members can check out a Nook to read the e-books, and library staff will train readers how to use the new readers.

Township resident, Jacquie Roach, said she would prefer taxpayer dollars go to the library rather than to a monument.

• The lowest bid for snow removal was accepted from Page Excavating. The hourly rates are unchanged from last year. Cost of snow removal can run from $60,000 to $120,000 depending on the amount of snowfall.

About Emily Myers

Emily Myers has lived and worked in Chadds Ford for over thirty five years. She founded the parent company of Chadds Ford Live, Decision Design Research, Inc., in 1982. ChaddsFordLive.com represents the confluence of Myers' long time, deep involvement in technology and community. Myers was a founding member of the Chadds Ford Business Association and currently serves on its board of directors. Her hobbies include bridge, golf, photography and Tai Chi. She lives with her husband, Jim Lebedda, in Chadds Ford Township.