September 9, 2015

The installation of ballistic shields in the lobbies of three principal Chester County government buildings will begin this week as a result of a risk-assessment review undertaken by the Chester County Sheriff’s Office in 2014.

The protective shields, made by Ibis-Tek, were ordered earlier this year, and delivered in late July, following receipt of a grant for the purchase. They will be installed at the Chester County Justice Center, Government Services Center, and the 313 W. Market Street building, a county press release said.

“With the increased incident of assaults at educational and government facilities, we felt additional precautions needed to be taken to ensure the safety of the visiting public, security personnel, county employees, and our deputies at all three of our main county buildings,” Chester County Sheriff Carolyn “Bunny” Welsh said in the release.

“These ballistic barriers are designed to minimize the possibility of injury to the monitoring deputies and maximize their capacity to defend against, and neutralize threats presented by an active shooter or attacker,” Welsh continued. “These barriers provide maximum visibility and ballistic protection to deputies for a quick and accurate response to any threat.”

Many courthouses and government buildings throughout Pennsylvania currently use ballistic shields as part of their security measures.

Welsh said the ballistic shields were not a response to an Aug. 25 incident, during which a county resident lunged at a deputy sheriff with a knife at the Justice Center’s security checkpoint. Curtis Smith, 34, of Coatesville and Downingtown, was then fatally shot by another deputy, a shooting deemed justified after an investigation by county detectives.

“There’s no way to determine after the fact what effect, if any, these barriers would have had on this particular attack,” Welsh said. “Every incident is different, which is why we train for multiple situations.”

 

 

 

 

Teachers in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District won’t have to concern themselves with a new contract for another four years.

U-CF school board directors on Sept. 8 voted 8-1 to accept a fact-finding report that gives the teachers an average 2.8 percent pay raise each year for the next four years. The union had already accepted the report, and with the board also accepting it, the recommendations become the contract.

The only board member voting against the report was Keith Knauss, who said during a pre-vote presentation that the recommendations were excessive and unnecessary. He said he would have preferred a two-year contract with increases more in line with the state’s Act I limits.

According to a district handout, the total compensation package — which includes benefits as well as salaries — comes to more than $34.9 million during the 2015-2016 school year. That’s up 3.88 percent from last year.

By 2018-2019, total compensation will increase to $37.55 million. The average increase during the length of the agreement is 2.79 percent.

Director Robert Sage said the contract might raise taxes a bit higher than necessary, but that it is affordable and give teachers a sense of relief, which would translate to a better atmosphere in the schools.

Fellow Director Kathy Do called the report “thorough, balanced and measured” and that the recommendation made for a “fair and equitable agreement.”

Steve Simonson also said the report represented is a “reasoned approach” that does not put the district in an unreasonable position with taxpayers.

In an emailed statement after the meeting, School Board President Vic Dupuis said, “We feel this contract is positive and fair to both teachers and taxpayers, and takes into consideration the continued economic pressures facing the school district as well as recognizes the hard work of our teachers. It allows us to continue our focus on high academic achievement.”

The report from fact-finder Timothy J. Brown covered 17 areas of interest, including medical insurance, demotions, tuition reimbursement, vacancies and work-year and workday hours in addition to salaries.

Dupuis addressed those other areas in the press release:

“The agreement includes several measures that will help the district control escalating healthcare costs and provide stability in future budgeting. A new base healthcare plan, the IBC 10208050 will provide good benefits at reasonable costs. This agreement also includes a progressive Tobacco Surcharge – where those who use tobacco products will be required to pay a surcharge of $100 per month if not in a tobacco cessation program. The new agreement also includes the elimination of the “Cadillac Plan” – PC 102070 – this is significant, as the district takes steps to eliminate the effects of the Affordable Care Act’s Excise Tax by 2018.”

As anticipated, Wawa has filed an appeal of the Concord Township Board of Supervisors’ decision not to amend the ruling on beer sale restrictions. The appeal was filed last week in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas.

Supervisors in August granted conditional-use approval for beer sales at the Naaman’s Creek Road Wawa. Among the restrictions were limiting hours of beer sales to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sundays through Thursdays, and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

They also restricted on-site consumption of beer to one beer per customer per day.

Wawa requested on Sept. 1 that hours be changed to 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days per week. Attorney John Jaros said at the time that the restaurant liquor license allows beer to be sold 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., but would accept the 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. limit.

Wawa also wants to drop the one-beer-per-day limit. Jaros said last week that Wawa suggested the one-beer limit as something to be self-imposed, not as a condition for approval. He said Wawa wants the option to change that as needed.

According to the paperwork filed with the Court of Common Pleas, the original decision included certain unsupported findings of fact and conditions of law that “and constitute an abuse of the [Board of Supervisors’] discretion and/or error of law.”

The court papers say the abuse or error of law pertains to both the one-beer-per-day limit and restricted hours.

Those papers also contend that limitations on live entertainment and radio music have no basis in law.

In all, Wawa said the township erred on 19 counts and said the decision is “arbitrary, unreasonable and not consistent” with the township zoning code, the state Municipalities Planning Code and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Code, and is improper.

There is no word yet on when the case will be heard.