January 30, 2015

Marita Kelley, program manager for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, gave members of Concord Township’s Government Study Commission a brief rundown on home rule charters.

Kelley’s presentation came during the GSC’s Jan. 29 meeting. Attendance was light with one supervisor — John Gillespie — and only four other residents in the audience.

She called it a “mini presentation,” saying she discussed the matter with commission Chairman James Gray beforehand and said the mini session was sufficient.

The basics of the presentation were that local municipalities have the right and power to adopt home rule charters under state law. Governments established under home rule charters may perform any power or function not denied by the U.S. or state constitutions, general assembly legislation or the specifics of the charter, she said.

“The adoption, amendment or repeal of a home rule charter shall be by referendum. The voters decide,” Kelley said.

She reminded people that developing a home rule charter is only one option the commission is exploring. Other options include remaining a township of the second class or finding some other optional plan. She did not mention changing to a township of the first class, the action the group Concord First wants..

Kelley likened developing a home rule charter to “rewriting the book.” In that process, she said, elements of the Second Class Township Code would be used, “but for the most part, it’s going to be a new book, and it’s going to be a new government.”

She said the GSC must come up with some decision on what’s best for the community by August of this year. However, the commission gets another nine months if the decision is to develop a home rule charter. If that charter would include some sort of district or ward representation, the commission gets another two months to develop that structure.

Kelley also provided a list of historical reasons for developing a home rule charter. Among those reasons are the ability of a municipality to write its own code, improve accountability and responsiveness, have a professional administration and have separation between legislative and executive functions.

Kelley also spoke about optional forms of government. Two involved having a mayor and town council, others with a mayor, managing director and council and another being a manager/council form of government.

The manager/council form is the most common in the United States, she said.

Of the two types with mayors, Kelley said, one has a strong mayor with a lot of decision-making power. The other, what she termed a “weak mayor,” gives most of the power to the council with the mayor having little power.

She used borough-style of government as an example of the “weak mayor.” In those styles, Kelley said, the mayor may be in charge of the police force, but not much more.

In the “strong mayor” option, “the mayor is the boss,” she said. She used previous administrations in Harrisburg and Reading as examples of that type of government structure.

The next meeting for the study commission is scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 5, in the Concord Township municipal building. From then on, meetings are scheduled for the first and third Thursday of the month through the remainder of 2015, according to the commission’s page on the township Web site.

Prior to Kelley’s presentation, commission solicitor Michael Maddren told members that since the state Supreme Court denied the petition to intervene filed in the commission’s name, the commission is not a party to the appeal involving Concord First.

 

All Chester County veterans and veterans’ organizations are invited to attend a free breakfast, hosted by the Chester County Department of Veterans Affairs and Chester County Recorder of Deeds Rick Loughery, on Thursday, Feb. 5.

The program, which will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. at the West Chester University Alumni and Foundation Center, will include a discussion facilitated by Veterans Affairs Director Lawrence Davidson on services available to veterans in the county.

“Chester County has a vast number of worthwhile veterans initiatives, offered by veterans and other related organizations across a wide geographical area,” said Davidson. “Our intention for this breakfast to is to bring together many veterans groups, interested businesses, and individuals to begin a collaborative county-wide conversation about veteran services; to explore ways in which we can learn from each other and to share ideas that successfully support our veterans.”

Details of the student veterans program and West Chester University’s ROTC program will also be available.

Any veteran who brings his or her DD-214 discharge papers to the breakfast will also be eligible to receive a veteran ID discount card from the Chester County Recorder of Deeds office. The veterans ID discount program, now in its third year, offers savings at more than 100 business locations throughout the county.

“When registering their DD-214 discharge papers form with the Recorder of Deeds Office, Chester County veterans will receive a photo ID card, entitling them to discounts with businesses in Chester County that are honored to note the sacrifice of our veterans in a very generous way,” said Loughery.

The breakfast is sponsored by the West Chester University Alumni Association and First Resource Bank. The alumni center is located at 202 Carter Drive, West Chester.

 

On Thursday, Jan. 29, the Chester County Commissioners approved a $5.9 million contract that guarantees lower energy and water use at county buildings – reductions that will produce savings that ultimately exceed the contract’s cost, officials said.

The contract, outlined by Steve Fromnick, the county’s director of facilities and parks, includes conservation measures guaranteed to provide $6.7 million in savings through the county’s 15-year energy performance contract with Constellation, an energy service contracting organization (ESCO).

Chester County Commissioners’ Chair Terence Farrell said the contract represented another step toward reducing energy usage within county-owned buildings. “This new project reflects our continued commitment to implement water- and energy-saving measures for the good of the environment, but that also have the benefit of bringing a monetary return to the county.”

Speaking at the commissioners’ meeting, Fromnick said a task force that included representatives from the Facilities and Parks, Purchasing, and Finance Departments, had conducted research, issued bids, and felt Constellation, an Exelon company, best met the county’s needs for facility improvement and energy conservation. Its proposal also offered the most attractive cash flows based on the county’s investment, he added.

Commissioner Kathi Cozzone noted that the county is facing a situation “where aging facilities, volatile energy costs, and capital constraints make operating buildings cost-effectively a major challenge.” She said that although the county has decreased electricity usage since 2010, the contract would enhance the efforts to reduce the county’s carbon footprint.

“By implementing the water and energy conservation measures proposed by Constellation, Chester County will be saving an estimated 2.2 million kilowatt-hours in electricity and more than 18 million gallons of water every year,” said Commissioner Michelle H. Kichline.

Fromnick said the county would also reduce its carbon dioxide emissions annually by nearly 2,000 metric tons. That amount is equivalent to 149 households or 419 cars, he said.

The $6.7 million in savings includes $800,000 in “avoided costs” – capital projects that the county can now cross off its to-do list, Fromnick said. “If our utility costs are not reduced by this amount following our investment, then Constellation makes up the shortfall,” he said.

Fromnick said Constellation would implement energy conservation and facility improvements at the following county locations: Chester County’s administration building at 313 W. Market St.; the Justice Center; the Historic Courthouse; the Government Services Center; the Henrietta Hankin Library; the Pocopson Home; the Chester County Prison and its Work Release Center; and the Chester County Youth Center.

He estimated the work, which would include the installation of smart electric meters, energy efficient lighting including LED fixtures, steam efficiency improvements, HVAC equipment replacements, ozone laundry systems and building automation system upgrades, would take about a year to complete. During that time, the county would be billed for the $5.9 million in labor and materials.

Under the state’s Guaranteed Energy Savings Act, Fromnick said the county could have contracted with a third party to put up the money; however, because of Chester County’s Triple AAA bond rating, it has access to lower interest rates, making it more cost-effective to avoid a third party.