Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 156, No. 42
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
$1.00
New Garden residents express outrage over increased sewer rates Public meeting scheduled for Nov. 21 By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer In the lobby of the New Garden Township Building on Oct. 17, township resident Olga Signer displayed her last two sewer bills on her phone. The first, issued in June, charged her $173 for
9,000 gallons of usage per month. The second, issued in September for the same gallon total, was $336, an increase of 94 percent from her previous bill. Signer had come to the township’s Board of Supervisors meeting to seek answers and solutions Continued on page 2A
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
An overflow audience packed the New Garden Township building on Oct. 17 to express their frustration over their increased sewer bills, some of which have doubled over the last several months, a repercussion from the sale of the township’s wastewater system to Aqua in 2020.
Involuntary mental health commitments are a slippery slope for police and emergency responders By Betsy Brewer Brantner “302” is an application for Contributing Writer emergency evaluation and treatment for persons who An involuntary com- are a danger to themselves mitment, also known as a or others, due to mental illness. A person applying for a 302, because they are concerned about another, is referred to as a petitioner. Beyond that textbook description of a 302, who to call for help in many states, including the state of Pennsylvania, becomes a slippery slope for police and all emergency responders. The issue was recently brought up by Police Sgt. Chris Coverly during an Oxford Borough Council meeting where he laid out his concerns. Fortunately Humphry Marshall: A 300for Oxford residents, year celebration...6A the borough’s mayor and members of the police department and Union Fire Co. and Ambulance worked together to solve a serious problem. Here in southern Chester County, a “302” became an even more serious issue than it already was when both the Jennersville Hospital and Brandywine Hospital closed. Brandywine Hospital was the only hospital with mental health Chesco Dance Center beds in Chester County. expands...1B Although Jennersville Hospital did not have mental health beds, professionals at that facility could evaluate a person who was being petitioned for a 302. Jennersville Hospital was a
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same page. We have had a huge increase in ambulance calls which affects all of us. We had to hear each other’s perspectives
and respect each other. patients and what was best The good thing is, we all for them.” wanted the same outcome. Oxford Police Chief We all agreed on the saf- Sam Iacono said, “We left est manner to transport the Continued on page 4A
FROM OUR LENS Autumn falls, gently along the stream
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
This view of the Red Clay Creek in Yorklyn was captured on a gorgeous autumn afternoon last week. The waterway runs throughout the 1.4-mile Yorklyn Bridge Trail that provides easy and paved access to Auburn Valley State Park, the Marshall Steam Museum and the Garrett Snuff Mill Historic District, the home of the Dew Point Brewing Company.
A weekend of art benefits library programs in Kennett Square By Chris Barber Contributing Writer Art was blooming abundantly this past weekend in a town whose dominant moniker comes from its mushroom crop. The Kennett Library sponsored its first Arts Festival on Saturday and Sunday at the campus of the former Genesis Building on South Broad Street in Kennett Square.
Scattered over the sprawling parking lot at the south end of town were 100 or so tents housing the work of accomplished artists and artisans. This Kennett Arts Festival raised funds for the programs in the current and future library locations rather than the construction project of the new library building just down the street. Library Development
Associate Mary Hutchins said the income generated by the festival comes from the entrance fee of $200 by the artists and the $5 entrance fees paid by visitors. The library also sought supporting sponsors. The most striking aspect Continued on page 5A Photo by Chris Barber
Christopher Buonomo discusses the features of a wooden decorative piece with his customers.
Traffic congestion near new high school still a concern in Penn Township By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Staff Writer
© 2007 The Chester County Press
close option for people who reside in southern Chester County. In Pennsylvania, a person being evaluated for a 302 cannot be transported out of state. As Gary Vinnacombe, deputy chief of EMS, explained, “It can be much more than an issue of mental health. When patients need to be medically cleared, there can be many underlying medical issues. Blood tests of the patient are needed to see if drug and alcohol are involved. There could be cardiac arrest, liver problems and many more medical issues that can change the behavior of a patient. A doctor is necessary to verify that the patient does have a mental health issue.” Another overarching issues is the 911 system. “Some EMS systems have a piece where they support non-emergency transports,” Vinnacombe said. “When someone calls for the ambulance and there is not a 302 in place, the ambulance doesn’t have the authority to take them if the person doesn’t want to go and they are of sound mind. So then the police have to enforce that involuntary piece. We both (police and ambulance) want the best for everyone with mental health issues,” Vinnacombe added, “I couldn’t have been happier with the outcome from our meeting. We were all on the
Avon Grove High School junior Ryan Gablewski came to the Oct. 5 township meeting to make a request on behalf of his fellow students concerning traffic congestion at the new high school
building, currently under construction. He said that he had attended the school board meeting the previous night and it was suggested that he try talking to the township instead. During the public comment portion of the meeting, Gablewski asked if the town-
ship would permit the closed portion of Sunnyside Road to be opened for bus traffic at the beginning and end of the school day. The Penn Township board responded that this section of Sunnyside Road is closed to the public and is only available to access by emer-
gency vehicles—emergency responders can open the gate. This is a part of the original design for the school and was done to allow emergency vehicles unfettered access so they can respond to the building at times when there is congestion with other traffic around the building.
The limited use of the road was approved by the township as a conditional use in 2007 as a part of the approval process for the new high school campus. “The conditions on the land development plan said it would always be used Continued on page 3A