Kennett’s proposed 2015 revenues exceed expenses by $664K

Talks have begun with County about taking ownership of Chandler Mill Bridge

By Rick Marts, Correspondent, The Times

KENNETT — Township Manager Lisa Moore made a brief presentation of the township’s proposed 2015 budget, showing that revenues are expected to exceed expenses by $664,290. From an historic standpoint, this positive difference is not especially high or unusual.

A summary of the budget’s six major funds and the differences between their budgeted revenues and expenses is below:

Kennett Township’s Six Major Funds: 2015 Budgeted Income or Loss

The Board of Supervisors will consider this budget during the next few weeks, suggest whether amendments are needed, and vote to accept it, as amended, in December.

In his police report, Chief Albert J. McCarthy reported that the township’s program to address and quell aggressive driving in the township will continue this month. With a new and possibly final allotment of funding from the County, the program will resume just before Thanksgiving at a site or sites throughout the township.

McCarthy also updated the Board of Supervisors and those attending the Wednesday night’s meeting on the bomb threat that occurred on Friday, October 17, at Greenwood Elementary School. As reported in The Times on October 18, “Students were evacuated from Greenwood Elementary School Friday morning after a ‘very specific’ note claiming a bomb or explosive material was in the building was found in the faculty bathroom.”

However, no explosive device was found and the building was cleared for reentry before 2 p.m.

McCarthy said, “Investigation of the threat is still ongoing. The handwriting on the note found at the school is being analyzed and authorities suspect it was written by a student at the school.”

In her monthly Manager’s Report to the BOS, Moore noted

• Two weeks ago at our Working Public meeting, the BOS voted to take ownership of the Chandler Mill Bridge, and we are now engaged with the County to determine how this transfer of ownership should occur. Supervisor Richard Leff said, “We plan to restore the historic nature of the bridge but have not decided what the precise form that restoration will take.” And Supervisor Scudder Stevens said that the bridge will most likely be open to emergency vehicles weighing up to 20 tons.

• The construction project to install a sidewalk from the New Garden Shopping Center on West Cypress to the Kennett Square Borough line is progressing, however, completion is not expected until spring 2016.

In one of the evening’s final actions, the BOS appointed Rosa Quintana and Jim Melton to represent the township on the Library Board. Each appointee has significant and longstanding interest in library operations and matters.

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