Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 156, No. 40
Wednesday, October 5, 2022
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Stormwater management mandates prove costly to municipal budgets By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer Oxford Borough Council briefly discussed the borough's budget at its Sept. 19 meeting, and at this point they said they are not looking at a tax increase for 2023. However, new stormwater-management mandates from the Pennsylvania DEP, under the MS4 Program, are proving costly to municipal budgets. Oxford Borough discussed MS4 and how it could affect the budget moving forward. Municipalities and other entities such as universities and prisons that meet certain standards must obtain
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NPDES permit coverage for discharges of stormwater from their municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s). Oxford Borough Manager Pauline Garcia-Allen explained they may be able to reduce some of their costs by working with PennDOT. PennDOT has an Individual MS4 Permit covering stormwater conveyances operated by PennDOT and used for collecting or conveying stormwater runoff associated with PennDOT’s roads, bridges, and related structures, such as maintenance facilities. They have approached municipalities with an opportunity to participate in their stream bank
restoration project which will allow the borough to meet some of their MS4 requirements. “This would be cheaper than us initiating our own project. The minimum we would purchase is $10,000 [worth] of pounds of sediment reduction,” GarciaAllen said. “That would be for two watersheds within the borough, Elk and Tweed Creeks.” Arlene Harrison, the assistant borough manager/ borough treasurer, swore in new council member William Fitzpatrick to fill the term left vacant with the resignation of Mary Higgins. Council member Robert Ketcham
Major fundraiser celebrates its 25th anniversary
Kennett Brewfest draws 80+ breweries, capacity crowd Education Guide
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
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Soon after Kevin Kerchner graduated from college 15 years ago, he came home to discover that his brother Basil had purchased a home brew kit a few years before and had become very good at the art of craft brewing. In Kevin’s words, what eventually became the Brothers Kerchner Brewing Company in Skippack. Pa. Chester County awards began as campfire stories American Rescue Plan that turned into ‘what if?’ Act Funds...7B that turned into ‘why not?’ that turned into a business plan that turned into the brewery opening its doors for the first time in 2018. On Oct. 1, before an enthusiastic, elbow-to-
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was also officially elected as the new vice president of council. A new junior council member, Annabelle Bresler, was sworn in for the 2022 -2023 school year. Council also heard from Jim Gordon of Sunny Dell Foods, Inc., who said that a new investor's group has purchased the company. Gordon said, “We are a privately owned business and we are committed to growing Sunny Dell and excited to work with the community. We may be purchasing other buildings in the community as well for this business. We feel we have many opportunities here within the
elbow crowd that poured into the Genesis parking lot in Kennett Square for the 25th Kennett Brewfest, the Brothers Kerchner Brewing Company joined more than 80 other craft breweries at a festival that continues to serve as a tapestry of similar stories that document an evolving DIY industry that has placed southeastern Pennsylvania on the craft brewery map. Sponsored by several area businesses, the event not only showcases the best of local and regional breweries, but serves as a major fundraiser for many programs and initiatives orchestrated through Kennett Collaborative.
Photo by Betsy Brewer Brantner
Pictured at the most recent Oxford Borough Council meeting are (from left to right), Kevin Bresler, Annabelle Bresler, Arlene Harrison, and Carey Bresler.
borough. We currently have over 82 employees that come through an agency and many live in the borough. We are also hoping to secure grants going forward for water and
sewer.” Another scheduled visitor, longtime resident Robert Burnett, addressed council regarding parking issues Continued on page 2A
FROM OUR LENS A Hornet Homecoming
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
The Oxford Area High School Marching Hornets were in fine tune during the school’s Homecoming festivities on Sept. 30. For additional photos and a summary of the Hornets’ 42-28 loss to Downingtown East in Ches-Mont football action, see Page 1B.
Continued on page 3A
Unionville Community Fair honors local farming heritage By Chris Barber Contributing Writer The little town of Unionville has evolved in recent years into what some would describe as an upscale, suburban community. Last weekend, however, the 98th annual Community Fair took a step into the past and showcased this town’s proud farming heritage. Thousands of visitors showed up for the events and displays offered by the fair on Friday and Saturday on the Willowdale Steeplechase grounds along Street Road. On Sunday, just like the 2022 Mushroom Festival in September, the Unionville Community Fair endured rainy downpours, and the organizers were forced to dramatically scale back the day's agenda. Friday’s blue skies embraced, among other things, visits by first- and fifth-graders from the
The owner of a large cow walks it around for the audience to see during the dairy competition.
district’s four elementary schools. Unlike the tradition of years gone by when the school district closed down for the fair’s two weekdays, the schoolchildren arrived at the fair on buses and remained under the supervision of teachers and chaperones. There was plenty for them to see, too, including a cavernous barn filled with judged crafts, foods, works of art and fabric creations. Outside as well they visited trac-
tors on display and tents housing goats, cows and alpacas that were eager for the children’s patting and attention. Also awaiting them were story times and glimpses of stations that were readied for the arrival of weekend guests. In the minds of some longtime residents, they took for granted what the fair has had to offer. But many of the kids were looking at and feeling it for the first time, and
Photos by Chris Barber
An affectionate goat gives James Dickens, a Unionville Elementary School kindergarten student, a kiss on the cheek.
they could hardly contain their excitement. They ran around and shouted with glee. They seemed especially pleased when
they witnessed their own arts and crafts work on display, which had been judged and given awards Continued on page 4A