May 21, 2020

Op/Ed: ChesCo ready for yellow on June 4

How and when do we relax restrictions in Chester County in light of COVID-19? This is a question that drives us constantly, and that is the foundation for our daily (and often nightly) meetings and conversations. We continue to seek the answer to this question in our talks with regional partners, the governor’s office, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and Chester County’s business leaders and employers.

The reality is we are close, but we are not there quite yet. We need to see a bit more of a decline in the number of new positive cases we see each day, and we need to increase access to testing.

The governor has established a complicated set of metrics to determine when a county or region can move to “yellow.” One metric that has been the focus of many is ‘50 new cases per 100,000 people over a 14-day period’. Honestly, we don’t think this is a very good metric. At nearly 525,000 people, Chester County has a population density that makes achieving this number very difficult. We have been fighting hard to use metrics that make better sense, given our demographics.

There are other metrics that the governor is considering. Things like the ability to do contact tracing – which our Health Department did from the moment we confirmed our first positive coronavirus case, and which can be ramped up should it be needed. And things like access to testing – which we are rapidly building, including our action as the only county in Pennsylvania to undertake antibody testing.

Many people in Chester County say we should re-open now because the overwhelming majority of our deaths are related to long-term care facilities. While this is true, the overall number of daily new positive cases are not related to long-term care facilities. The overall number of daily new positive cases are related to community transmission.

Back to the question that drives us: How and when do we relax restrictions in Chester County?

We are addressing the “how” through the work of our COVID-19 Business Task Force and will have practical information about this for all of our businesses, organizations and residents in the coming days. Including a comprehensive, easy to navigate website that will be a trusted resource, with input from county business leaders on how we move forward economically. And for those who may be concerned, how we move forward safely.

But the “when?”

Chester County’s data indicates that we should be able to safely move to the yellow phase on June 4, and that is what we are strongly urging the governor to agree to. Moving to yellow is really a cautious step forward. This date gives us sufficient time to expand access to testing and the time needed to see a steadier pace of daily new cases. This date also gives us time to make ready our businesses and organizations so that our residents – their customers – can be confident that they will be safe. Most importantly, we have the support of our own Chester County Health Department in aiming for June 4.

COVID-19 hasn’t just impacted our physical health. The domino effect has touched our financial health and our emotional health, and we have called upon all county resources to help as much as we can for residents and businesses alike. Resources like food distribution, mental health services, the Main Street Preservation Grant program. Even our Adopt a healthcare facility program, with churches and community groups providing moral support and acts of kindness for long-term care facility staff and residents.

We also recognize that you have been doing your part. You have followed the guidelines and have stayed home. You have supported small businesses and local restaurants that continue to operate under restrictions. You have supported essential workers in their tireless fight against this invisible enemy. And for all of this, we thank you.

Now we ask you to do just a bit more. Please stick with us and give us the time to June 4. Please support us as we continue to appeal to the governor about our thought-out, data-driven reasons for naming June 4 as the date to relax restrictions in Chester County. Because the other reality is, we truly do not have the power to decide when to move to “yellow,” the governor does. And if we go against the governor, it could cripple many of Chester County’s businesses through state licensing restrictions. That factor weighs heavily upon us too.

Relaxed restrictions – yellow phase – on June 4. We know Chester County will be ready by then. Governor Wolf, let us prove it.

Chester County Commissioners
Marian Moskowitz
Josh Maxwell
Michelle Kichline

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

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Tax, polling changes in Kennett Twp.

Local News Kennett, Local News

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted some changes in Kennett Township with polling places and real estate tax deadlines.

At Wednesday’s online meeting, the supervisors discussed the Kennett Township 3 polling place, normally held at the Kendal at Longwood community. But for the June 2 primary, it is being moved to Greenwood Elementary School “for the safety of the residents at Kendal,” according to township Manager Eden Ratliff.

Residents who vote at any of the township’s polling places will be required to wear masks and also to stay six feet apart while in line, Ratliff added. The township office will also be closed on Election Day.

Also at the meeting, the supervisors voted 3-0 to approve Resolution 2020-11, that would give township taxpayers until the end of the year to pay their real estate taxes without penalties. Township Finance Manager Amy Heinrich explained that recent legislation allows Kennett to extend those deadlines.

“We are trying to find areas to provide relief for our citizens,” Ratliff said.

Heinrich said Kennett Township has already collected the “vast majority” of the real estate taxes.

“We are progressing really well on our real estate tax revenue,” she said.

About Monica Fragale

Monica Thompson Fragale is a freelance reporter who spent her life dreaming of being in the newspaper business. That dream came true after college when she started working at The Kennett Paper and, years later The Reporter newspaper in Lansdale and other dailies. She turned to non-profit work after her first daughter was born and spent the next 13 years in that field. But while you can take the girl out of journalism, you can’t take journalism out of the girl. Offers to freelance sparked the writing bug again started her fingers happily tapping away on the keyboard. Monica lives with her husband and two children in Kennett Square.

Tax, polling changes in Kennett Twp. Read More »

Around Town May 21

Along the Ford

• Chadds Ford Township voters will have to go to Garnet Valley Middle School to vote in the June 2 primary. Township Manager Maryann Furlong said Calvary Chapel will be glad to resume as the township’s polling place once it’s safe to do so.

• Concord Township has changed the polling location of two precincts for the June 2 primary election. Precinct 1 (West Precinct), which usually votes at Darlington Arts Center, will vote at Garnet Valley Middle School., and Precinct 11 (South West Precinct), which usually votes at the Rachel Kohl Library, will vote at Garnet Valley High School. All other precincts have no change in voting location.

• The deadline for applying for a mail-in ballot for the June 2 primary in Pennsylvania is 5 p.m. on May 26. The ballot must be received by the county election office by 8 p.m., June 2. To apply for a mail-in ballot, go here. https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication/#/OnlineAbsenteeBegin

All aboard for a virtual Steamin’ Day at the Marshall Steam Museum on Sunday, June 7.

• It’s a Virtual Steamin’ Day at the Marshall Steam Museum on Sunday, June 7, from 12:30-4:30 p.m. It will be online on the museum’s website and Facebook page. Virtually climb into an antique automobile, board one of the trains, and experience what it was like to travel at the turn of the 20th century. The event is free, but they are seeking donations to support the mission. Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallSteamMuseum/ Website: https://event.auburnheights.org/

• The Brandywine Conservancy will host a virtual public town hall webinar to present work-in-progress on its Birmingham Hill Preserve Master Plan on Wednesday, May 27, at 7 p.m. Presented in partnership with Birmingham Township and Brandywine Battlefield Park, the Conservancy will present an overview of the vision and preliminary ideas for the historic Birmingham Hill Preserve. In addition to the presentation, the Conservancy will solicit comments and feedback from the community to aid the development of the early phase of the master plan. Registration for the live Zoom discussion is available on www.brandywine.org/events.