UCF board takes look at reserve funds structure

10-year capital plan gets update, review By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times EAST MARLBOROUGH — The question of whether the Unionville-Chadds Ford needs to keep a dedicated a reserve fund to cover anticipated pension costs was the top point of discussion during Monday night’s Work Session of the Board of Education. Currently, the district is carrying about $2.5 million in its pension reserve fund...

‘Brexit’ could mean bond savings for UCF

Refi plan for UHS bonds could net $450K annually By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times EAST MARLBOROUGH — While the pending departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union may be sewing chaos in world financial markets, it appears that the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District may be able to benefit from “Brexit” by refinancing the bonds that paid for the renovation of Unionville High School. Although...

UCF board opts to pull funds from reserve, cut tax hike to 2.66%

Lindner: colleagues are ‘kicking the can down the road’ By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times EAST MARLBOROUGH — Apparently, appearances matter. At the end of the day, it seemed that the optics of having a tax increase higher than 3% in Delaware County outstripped concerns over long-term finances and the state of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District’s balance reserve, as the Board...

UCF tax hike may drop to 2.66%

Board hires new Vice Principal for Patton Middle School By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times New Charles F. Patton Middle School Vice Principal Devin Layton addresses the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District Board of Education just moments before the board voted unanimously to hire her for the post, Monday night. EAST MARLBOROUGH — If, as they say, the devil in the details, the Unionville-Chadds Ford...

UCF looks at cuts to proposed tax hike

Discussion focused on whether to maintain or spend reserves By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Pocopson Elementary School Principal Clif Beaver offers congratulations to retiring teacher Dennis Nelms during Monday night’s Board of Education meeting. POCOPSON — It appears that the final tax increase for the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District will drop some from its initial estimate, after...

UCF board likely to look at UHS rankings again

Directors seek to add data to student rankings By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times EAST MARLBOROUGH — It appears the much-discussed subject of student ranking will make a return at next week’s Unionville-Chadds Ford Board of Education meeting, less than two months after the board agreed to a compromise proposal to end decile rankings of students at Unionville High School. What remains to be seen...

UCF moves forward with 2.88% budget plan

No residents attend two-hour hearing; pensions biggest growth area By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times EAST MARLBOROUGH — It appears that Dancing With The Stars is a lot more popular than Budgets with The Board. No residents attended Monday night’s Unionville-Chadds Ford Board of Education budget hearing (technically, this reporter is a resident and did attend as the lone media representative on...

UCF moves to tighten budgeting process

Prelim budget calls for 2.88% tax increase By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times EAST MARLBOROUGH — Conservatism is on the outs for the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. Well, at least, when it comes to its budget process. District officials announced Monday night during the Board of Education’s work session that the district would be moving away from its time-honored conservative budgeting process,...

Chesco touts 10 years with AAA bond rating

WEST CHESTER — With the announcement this week of the reaffirmation of all three Triple-A bond ratings, Chester County marks 10 years as a government entity that has earned – and maintained – the highest possible rating status. It is the only county in Pennsylvania that holds the three Triple-A rating distinctions, and is one of just 43 counties nationwide. Favorable market conditions combined...

Snow or not, UCF board meets to OK budget

District issues statement on teacher resignation controversy By Karen Cresta, Staff Writer, The Times Although Unionville-Chadds Ford Schools were closed both Monday and Tuesday, the Board of Education met to issue preliminary approval of its 2016-17 budget as required by state law. Because of the weather, not everyone who wished to attend could, inluding board Vice President Jeff Hellrung who attended...