Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 158, No. 24
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
$1.50
New Garden board OKs Kennett Library referendum on November ballot By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer The New Garden Township Board of Supervisors gave approval at their June 17 meeting to place a referendum on the November ballot asking residents if they would favor an increase in real estate property tax dedicated to the Kennett Library from its current 0.100 mill to 0.200 mill, beginning in 2025.
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The agreed-upon content include a sentence detailof the referendum will read: ing that township residents currently pay a 2.77 mil “Do you favor increas- real estate property tax. If ing New Garden Township’s the referendum is passed, existing 0.100 mil real the township’s yearly conestate property tax dedicat- tribution to the library will ed to the Kennett Library to increase from $82,778 to a total of 0.200 mil, with the $165,555 beginning in revenue from such increase 2025. Calculated accordto be used exclusively to ing to household, a New fund the operation of the Garden resident living in Kennett Library?” a home with an assessed value of $174,433 would The referendum will also contribute $34.89 per year,
which when translated, equates to $2.91 monthly or 67 cents a week. The New Garden referendum is part of a “fair share” tax contribution the library is seeking from all eight of the municipalities it serves: East Marlborough, Kennett, Newlin, Pennsbury, Pocopson, West Marlborough townships, and the Kennett Square Borough.
Over the past several years, New Garden has become one of the most progressive municipalities in providing financial
Barber to lead KCSD until new superintendent arrives
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FROM OUR LENS Market prices, market freshness
By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
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Kennett Consolidated School District Assistant Kennett Square Life Superintendent Michael Barber will fill the administrative gap between the retirement of Superintendent Dusty Blakey and the arrival of newly hired Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders. Barber, who earned his doctorate of education degree from Temple University, held the position of high school principal from 2007 to 2015. He then took the position of assistant superintendent for the Avon Grove graduate wins district, which he has held prestigious award...1B since then. Barber will hold the superintendent seat for the time period that arises from the gap between Blakey departing and Saunders arriving—a period that extends from July 27 to Aug. 22. The board approved his
© 2007 The Chester County Press
Photo by Chris Barber
Work is ongoing to replace the roof on the Mary D.Lang Kindergarten Center. The high school roof will be replaced as well.
appointment unanimously at the June 10 meeting in Kennett Square. Barber was congratulated by his colleagues at the meeting, but he replied that he prefers to be part of the team that keeps the school operations flowing, and that is why he did not apply for the superintendent position when it was open. Also at the meeting, district
CFO Mark Tracy announced that the final operating budget for 2024-25 will increase by $390,000 more than the $103.7 million reported in April, but that amount will be covered by the school’s savings account. Under the new spending plan, district property owners will pay 2.8 percent more in school property
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Basia Esposito of Newark sorted through the large assortment of fresh vegetables on display at the New Garden Growers’ Market last Saturday morning. Through November, the popular market will showcase the produce and products of local farmers, artists, and artisans. The New Garden Growers’ Market is located at 8934 Gap Newport Pike in Landenberg and is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, with parking at the adjacent New Garden Township Park. To learn more, visit the market on Facebook.
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Avon Grove High School boasts 100 percent graduation rate By Colleen Cochran Contributing Writer For the second year in a row, every Avon Grove High School senior is leaving the school armed with a diploma. Graduation took place on June 4 at the Bob Carpenter Center, a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena on the University of Delaware’s campus.
A perfect graduation rate is quite an achievement, given that the nationwide graduation rate as of 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, is 87 percent. It is a testament to the hard work of students, but also to the hard work of parents, teachers, and school adminCourtesy photo istrators who encouraged The Avon Grove School Board and the presenters with student representatives Continued on Page 2A
Tyler Dalton and Abbey Hood.
Kennett Underground Railroad tour connects community to their ‘radical’ history By Gabbie Burton Contributing Writer Aboard their bus tour on June 16, the Kennett Underground Railroad Center (KURC) revealed stories of struggle and liberation that featured five stops at historic landmarks that, in acknowledgement of the Juneteenth celebration, focused on the underground railroad and the abolition movements. Celebrating the significant history of each and their proximity to the Mason-Dixon Line and
the Quaker community, the KURC aims to “preserve and celebrate” the heritage of both. Led by KURC President Crystal Crampton, the immersive and historical experience began at the Brandywine Valley Tourism and Information Center, a building dating back to 1855 that once served as the Longwood Progressive Friends Meetinghouse, which was formed by “radical” Quakers who wanted to do more for aboPhoto by Gabbie Burton lition than the traditional The Kennett Underground Railroad Center offers monthly bus tours that take off Continued on Page 2A
from the Brandywine Valley Tourism and Information Center.