November 4, 2014

Statewide revamping of the legislative districts didn’t hurt Stephen Barrar’s re-election bid. The nine-term Republican won another two years in office by defeating political newcomer Whitney Hoffman.

Early indications show Barrar winning by a 2-1 margin, according to the representative, but final numbers weren’t immediately available.

***UDATE*** Morning after numbers showed Barrar with 13,058 votes and Hoffman with 7,850. The race was much closest in the four Chester County municipalities in the 160th legislative District. Votes in Chester County were 3,564 for Barrar and 3,240 for Hoffman.***End Update***

Barrar said early in the day that he was optimistic about winning re-election, but accepted his margin of victory would not be as great as it has been in the past.

He acknowledged that Hoffman was the strongest opponent he’s had in years and said, “I probably won’t win by my usual 68 percent.”

After the polls closed he said, “I think she was a more challenging opponent than I’ve had in the past, but I don’t think she did a good job of putting her ideas out about how she would better represent the people of this legislative district.”

He said the election was more difficult than the previous because, with the redistricting, he lost four municipalities where he was well known and picked up three others where he was a new face.

“I think my win in the old part of my district reflects the fact that people know that I’m an extremely dedicated elected official who takes their concerns to Harrisburg and I do my best to resolve their issues. I think they trust me more than anyone else.”

In a brief phone interview, Hoffman said she knew it would be an uphill battle against an 18-year incumbent, but added, “It was a race well run and there was a good voter turnout.”

More locally, Concord Township voters chose to create a study commission that would explore options for possibly changing the township’s government structure. That vote, according to the Delaware County Web site, were3,459 for and 1,815 against.

According to township Supervisor Kevin O’Donoghue, “The yes vote for the Government Study Commission by Concord voters means that these seven elected commissioners will examine and evaluate alternate forms of government in Concord Township and generate a written report-setting forth their findings. If there should be a major change in the form of government it would go back to the voters for the people to decide yes or no on their recommendation. This is a true representative process.”

Both the Republican and Democratic parties endorsed the creation of the commission and of the seven commission members elected, five were endorsed by both parties. They are Andrew Briner, Jim Gray, Robert W. Tribit, Rosemary Fiumara and Diane Bohr.

The other two, endorsed by the Republican Party, are Matthew Houtman and Joshua Twersky.

The commission will convene in January and have 18 months to complete the study and make recommendations. If the recommendation would be to change the form of government, a question would be placed on the 2016 ballot.

Birmingham Township will be advertising a budget for 2015 that keeps township tax rates at 1.6 mils.

Supervisors questioned the possibility of increasing the tax rate to 1.7 mils during an October budget meeting, but decided to keep the current millage. They voted to advertise the preliminary budget during their Nov. 3 meeting and will vote on the plan in December.

A mil is a tax of $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

The budget anticipates next year’s revenue to be $2.03 million and expenses at almost $1.5 million. The difference comes from a $500,000 carryover from 2014.

The largest source of revenue will be the township property tax, expected to bring in $740,000. More than one-third of the expenses — $569,500 — will go toward the police department with almost $351,000 of that earmarked for police salaries.

Other business

• Supervisors deferred until December a decision on whether to approve Stillman Volvo’s use of a parcel of land in Thornbury Township, Chester County. Stillman wants to park cars on the property because the dealership needs the extra space.
The Stillman site on Route 202 — owned by PHP Enterprises — straddles both townships and accessing the Thornbury side requires going through Birmingham. According to Supervisor Bill Kirkpatrick, previous agreements between the two townships require both to approve any changes in use. Thornbury has already granted permission, according to dealership owner Edward Stillman.

Supervisors’ Chairman John Conklin said supervisors would make a decision after a building on the site is inspected.

• Police Chief Tom Nelling told the supervisors it’s time to sell off two of the department’s vehicles, a 2008 Dodge Charger and a 2003 Ford Expedition. The township will advertise for bids.

• Resident Nancy Needham was appointed to the Historical Commission.

If you stormed the beach in the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944, or assisted with the region’s reconstruction, a medal awaits you.

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day this year, the Normandy regional government and the Chester County Council of the Boy Scouts are conducting a search, hoping to recognize the veterans who landed on the beach or contributed to the reconstruction of Normandy after the war.

Christen Dunn of the Boy Scouts’ Chester County Council explained that the Normandy government contacted the Scout’s Trans-Atlantic Council, which oversees the Boy Scouts’ European operations, and they contacted the U.S. councils to seek assistance in locating recipients and distributing the medals.

The timing was fortuitous, Dunn said, explaining that the request dovetailed with the local Scouts’ 13^th Annual Veterans Day Recognition Breakfast.

The breakfast will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 11, starting at 7:15 a.m. at the Wyndham Garden Hotel, 815 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton.  This year’s keynote speaker is Chester County Chief Deputy Sheriff George P. March – another stroke of good fortune, Dunn said.

As chief deputy, March, a longtime member of the Pennsylvania State Police, is responsible for providing day-by-day operational oversight and direction to the members of the Sheriff’s Office. March formerly served as a member of the Honor Guard Company of the Army’s Third Infantry Regiment, and he became an Eagle Scout in Boy Scout Troop 2 in Downingtown, where he was a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow and a staff member at Horseshoe Scout Reservation for one summer.

“He has the perfect background,” said Dunn, “and I think he is super excited about speaking.”

March said Dunn was correct. “I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. He said the event would have personal significance because his late father was a paratrooper who spent time in France during World War II, although  he did not participate in the invasion.

“I think it’s great that there are organizations that still have good relationships with foreign governments so that something like this can be accomplished,” March said. “These people deserve to be honored.”

Dunn said so far the Scouts have 14 confirmed recipients, six of whom are definitely coming to the breakfast, which also serves as a fundraiser. She said sponsors have covered the event’s costs, and people are asked to provide a free-will donation at the door. She said the event typically attracts 150 to 200 guests.

An added bonus will be an appearance by the French ambassador. Dunn said he is the cousin of one of the council’s executive board members. “It’s all fallen into place,” she said.

If you qualify or know someone who does, contact  Dunn at the Chester County Council of the  Boy Scouts: christen.dunn@scouting.org or 610-696-2900 ext. 16. Callers should have the following information: full name of the veteran, contact information, military unit in Normandy (rank at the time would be helpful, but not necessary).

Dunn said the medal recipients do not have to live in Chester County. The goal is to make sure everyone is recognized. She said the various Boy Scout Councils would be in contact with each other to make sure no overlap occurs.

 

Natural Lands Trust announced recently the conservation of Laurel Hill, a 211-acre property in Newlin Township.

With the autumn-hued foliage of towering oaks, maples, and tulip trees overhead and the cold, clear waters of Briar Run beneath, Laurel Hill is a sylvan paradise, a press release from Natural Lands Trust said. It is this beauty that prompted Laughton Company, LLC, owned by Cyndy and Barry Olliff, to purchase the property in 2007. “We didn’t want it to be developed,” said Cyndy Olliff. “We knew if we didn’t step up, the developers would.”

A few years later, Laughton decided to go a step further to protect the land and contacted Natural Lands Trust, a regional conservation organization that has protected more than 100,000 acres in its 61-year history. Last month, an agreement was finalized to place 159 acres under conservation easement with Natural Lands Trust. Under an easement, property remains in private ownership, but is protected from future development in perpetuity.

The easement area includes 94 acres of high-quality deciduous woodlands that are bisected by Briar Run, a tributary to the West Branch Brandywine Creek and one of a handful of trout-breeding streams in southeastern Pennsylvania. It also protects the scenic views along Laurel Road; the property includes more than 2,000 feet of road frontage.

While every conservation easement is tailored to the specific property and the goals of its landowners, the Laurel Hill transaction included one rather unique challenge: the property is the site of the former Strasburg Landfill, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated as a “Superfund site” in 1989.

The conservation easement is believed to be the first of its kind in the country: the permanent protection of many acres of desirable, undeveloped real estate surrounding a federal Superfund site by private, non-government parties.

For six years, the landfill accepted municipal and industrial waste; it was closed in 1984. Between 1989 and 2001, the EPA capped and fenced-off the fill site and installed a collection and treatment system to mitigate contaminants leaching from the fill. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, which maintains the 24-acre retired landfill, has determined that the fill no longer poses a measurable risk to the surrounding community. Though the conservation easement does not include the landfill, it virtually surrounds the remediated site.

“While at first glance, Laurel Hill might seem like an unlikely target for development, make no mistake about it: This property was at risk,” said Molly Morrison, president of Natural Lands Trust. “Hundreds of subdivisions and shopping malls have been constructed on or adjacent to other Superfund sites across the country, including the infamous Love Canal. And the scenic and natural attributes of this land made it a priority for conservation.”

Natural Lands Trust is the region’s foremost land conservation organization and is dedicated to protecting the forests, fields, streams, and wetlands that are essential to the sustainability of life in eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. For more information, visit www.natlands.org.