November 21, 2023

As anticipated, the Unionville Chadds Ford School Board approved a preliminary budget and the replacement of a wastewater treatment plant at Chadds Ford Elementary School.

Director Rashi Akki said the plant was built in 1964 and had a life expectancy of 40 years but it “outlived its life by 20 years, but it’s not meeting the specifications required by DEP [Department of Environmental Protection]. It’s time to move forward and upgrade it.”

The board approved $54,535 for design costs, while any administrative costs would be addressed later. Akki said this contract is to “figure out the best path to take for the upgrade.”

That measure passed 9-0.

Also passing was the school district’s proposed preliminary budget for 2024-2025, but not unanimously. There were two no votes.

The preliminary budget calls for revenues and expenditures estimated at slightly more than $107 million, with tax increases of 4.10 percent for property owners in Chester County and 13.22 percent in Chadds Ford Township.

Director Bob Sage referred to the proposal as a “worst case scenario budget, as the administration has called it, and it represents the maximum increase possible so the school board has maximum flexibility in preparing a general fund budget which would be approved in May or June.”

After making a motion for a vote on the preliminary budget, Sage said he would vote no on the matter.  He said he “couldn’t get behind a 6.57 percent increase in expenditures…When we get to the final numbers, I’m hoping it will be in the 3.5 to 4 percent.”

Also voting no was John Murphy.

Director Jennifer Brown said she would be voting in favor of the budget, but lamented over the fact that the state has not passed legislation that would equalize tax increases in districts that are in multiple counties.

Commenting in favor was Director Jeff Hellrung who also noted the lack of new legislation from Harrisburg and said all state legislators should be lobbied to get such legislation passed.

“It’s a no-lose situation. There’s no more, or less revenue for the school district, it just evens things out more and reduces the high variation that’s going to come any time you have an 80/20 split,” Hellrung said.

Sage, Brown, and Murphy were attending their final meeting as school board directors. Brown and Murphy chose not to run for reelection, while Sage lost his reelection bid earlier this month. The board is expected to reorganize during its December meeting. Joining the board next month will be Jody Allen, and Brian Schartz who are replacing Brown and Murphy, and Mary Kay Loomis who will replace Sage.