City Council must do the hard thing Monday night
Council must pass a budget that slows ‘burn rate’ from trust fund
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
COATESVILLE — For a while, it looked like City Council would suck it up and do the right thing — the hard thing — that for nearly a generation its predecessors couldn’t find a way to do: begin to ween the city off the trust fund and edge toward more financially responsible operation.
Now,...
Op/Ed: We can end homeless in Chester County
By Michael Hackman, Administrator, Decade To Doorways
Despite Chester County’s wealth about 700 county residents will spend the holidays homeless in the county.
During this holiday season many of us will gather with family and friends in warm, safe surroundings to celebrate time honored traditions and the joy of good fortune. For some Chester County residents however, holiday celebrations will...
A better day than you might think for Coatesville
In beleaguered school district, kids, community are finally coming first
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
If you watched the TV news yesterday, or read some of the local media, yesterday was a terrible day for the Coatesville area community.
But I’m here to say this: I don’t agree.
When we watched Richard Como — the former superintendent of schools, disgraced in just about every way possible...
Op/Ed: Volunteerism is the greatest gift
By Kathleen Meehan Do, Executive Director, After-The-Bell
The holidays are almost here. The shopping days are dwindling down while, for many of us, the stress is ramping up. We want so much to “get in the spirit” of the season. But that spirit can be elusive. We know we’re not going to find it in the shopping malls, and it’s a good bet we won’t find it online either.
The search for just...
Coatesville budget vote signals real progress
Kudos to City Council for stepping up to address fiscal mess
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
In a world of typically boring municipal budgets, the City of Coatesville is about to get very interesting.
Monday night, the City Council voted to approve a preliminary budget for 2015 that does two seemingly impossible things: it doesn’t raise property taxes and it doesn’t dip into the city’s dwindling...
The Land Conservancy looks back at 2014
Editor’s Note: We run this submission from The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County as a public service, but grant that it expresses opinions — which is why we’re running as a column, not as a straight news story or release. As always, we welcome comment and opinions.
2014 is rapidly coming to a close and the members, board, staff, interns and volunteers of The Land Conservancy...
Taschner, school board put Coatesville on the right path
For the first time in a while, education seems to come first for CASD
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
COATESVILLE — It was hard not to read the headlines this week from the Coatesville Area School District and feel like, finally, things are moving forward.
From the final severing of ties to former district solicitor James Ellison, to the resignation of Board of Education President Neil Campbell,...
Letter: Schools need to teach morality
Editor’s Note: The following is a open letter written to the Kennett Consolidated School Board. It’s author has asked that we publish it to offer a public perspective on the recent issue about books in the Kennett High School library. We welcome concurring and opposing viewpoints, of course, to better foster a public conversation on the matter.
Dear members of the KCSD school board,
I’m...
Letter: clarifying Kennett book request
To The Editor,
My name is Angie John, and I am the parent who requested reconsideration of resource material regarding the book “Nineteen Minutes.” I am a concerned parent, but I also hold a Master’s Degree in Social Work and have extensive experience counseling troubled children and teens. I have worked in schools in the Philadelphia area with children who are depressed, physically hurting...
Letter: Pocopson EIT is unfair
To The Editor,
Pocopson is once again considering the idea of raising their EIT, which was originally implemented back in 2010 in the summer while many were away. Of course Supervisor Conary touted that it was only .20%, even though many of us were concerned that it would be increased once again very shortly.
Oddly enough, the board back then considered it to be the most fair way to tax our residents,...
