Residents raise concerns with proposed Kennett Library plans

By Eliza Mohler, Staff Writer, The Times

A rendering of the proposed new Kennett Library.

KENNETT  – The Kennett Square Borough Council faced a contentious crowd at Monday’s meeting before they unanimously voted to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Kennett Library regarding plans for a community center that will house a new library, police station, and borough offices.

The council held a public question and answer session about the plans during the meeting, where several residents shared their concerns about estimated construction costs, current and future monetary values of the buildings that will be sold to construct the new facility, effects on area parking, and the proposed design of the new building.

Under the memorandum of understanding, which will next be sent to the Library for review, the current cost allocation for the project is 66.5% library, and 33.5% borough. The borough’s estimated share of construction costs would be approximately $6.2 million, minus a $314,000 credit from the value of selling the Weinstein lot. Council member Wayne Braffman, who gave a financial presentation before the vote, said that he believes the project can be carried out without raising resident taxes. He also added that many of the figures in the financial agreement are soft estimates, and that they will become more firm as the plan moves forward.

Many of the residents who spoke said they were concerned that the council has not sought enough resident input regarding the plans, despite statements by some council members that they have been talking to the public about it.

Kathleen Tavoni said, “350 people being surveyed about the project is sad when there are 6,500 people in the Borough.” A suggestion was made to send a questionnaire to all Kennett Square residents to gauge their interest in the new center, possibly as an attachment to sewer bills.

In response to the comments against the project, Council President Danilo Maffei said, “This has been a joint effort. We’re looking for the win-win here. We don’t want to enter into anything that’s not going to be of benefit for the people of Kennett Square.”

Council member Jamie Mallon emphasized that what the council voted to approve is “just a memorandum of understanding.” He added, “We have to begin to go down this path. We’re not making a commitment for a $6.2 million spend tonight.”

Resident Pandora Young spoke in favor of the new center.“I think I may be speaking for an underrepresented majority of citizens in Kennett Square tonight,” she said. “Our community needs an amazing civic center that includes the library as part of it.”

She also cited the need for better ADA accessibility at the library and the borough offices as a reason to proceed with the center.

Young asked about the development impact that a new library would have on the Borough. Jeff Yetter, a member of the Kennett Library’s board of directors, said that new libraries historically generate double the attendance in the first year after they open. Maffei added that the new people coming into town to use the library (up to 120,000, based on current library attendance) will also bring their wallets, which will benefit the borough.

In other news, Chief of Police William Holdsworth introduced the new department chaplain, Annalie Korengel, who has extensive experience in first responder trauma care. She said she volunteered to serve as chaplain because of the difficult environment that law enforcement officials often face.

Kennett Township Board of Supervisors Chair Scudder Stevens presented an emergency services study for consideration by the council, which could be used to determine the possibility of forming a six-municipality nonprofit agency that will provide EMS services.

“We want Kennett (Square) Borough to be an active and enthusiastic member and partner in this regional effort,” he said. “This is an issue which is larger than the borough, larger than the township, larger than any one of the municipalities involved.”

Ethan Cramer said he is appreciative of the work Stevens has done on the study, and that he is in favor of the borough joining the partnership. Maffei asked about other municipalities’ timelines for approval, and Stevens replied that the timeline is driven by each of municipality’s budgets, but that he would like the project to be ”up and running” for the 2018 calendar year.

Mary Hutchins gave the Historic Kennett Square report. The farmers market has new hours: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. every Friday. Thursday, June 15 is the second Third Thursday event, and representatives from Chester County will be there to survey attendees about landscape planning; more information is available at www.chescoplanning.org. The next Clover Market will be held on Sunday, June 18. On Wednesday, June 21, a walking tour will take place that will focus on the borough’s involvement in the Battle of the Brandywine.

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