The last Kennett Square Borough Council meeting of the year set the stage for new wins and new challenges for 2024.

Police Chief William Holdsworth, who will be retiring this year after 25 years of service in the Kennett Square Police Department, announced that the Blue Beards for Charity, Kennett Square Police Department, raised over $1800 in donations. The charity fundraiser is held annually across all Chester County police departments.

The donations from these proceeds are divided between Unite for Her, The Sambuco Children’s Education Fund, A Child’s Light, and Chester County Crime Victims Center. Blue Beards for Charity raised over $60,000 this year. Holdsworth also updated the public about an officer-involved incident on Nov. 17 in which an officer was injured in a collision by a vehicle that pulled out in front of him. The officer is currently on medical leave with a hand injury, and the police vehicle is most likely totaled. The department is currently down two full-time officers as a result of work-related injuries. Both officers should return to work in January and February, respectively. 

The 2024 budget was approved and residents will see a tax increase in 2024 of 1.20 mills from the current year. This tax increase comes, in part, from the library tax that was approved by residents in a referendum during the November election. The library tax will help fund the library’s various programs. The cost is about $24 annually per resident. The remainder of the tax increase is for the new fire and EMS contract with Longwood Fire Company, which will be providing services for 2024. This agreement replaces the Fire & EMS Commission contract with surrounding municipalities that was expected to double in cost in 2024, and continue increasing year over year. Kennett Square Borough Council and Longwood Fire Company created a new contract for 2024 at the cost of $751,738.02, plus a required $13,204 fee for the insurance and compensation for volunteer firefighters. The cost of the new contract is comparable to the Commission’s expected cost, but is expected to be a more cost-effective solution long term than the Commission, and can be re-evaluated before the 2025 budget is approved a year from now. The general services contract agreement protects the borough from additional liability for any fire company’s service, and will create immunity for the borough as provided by the municipality under the law.

A new proposal for the Kennett Square Borough Community Pool, maintained by the Brandywine Valley YMCA, was approved with plans to create a firm contract in the new year. Last year, the YMCA shut the pool down to outside residents, citing maintenance costs and low employment rates. The pool was open to YMCA members and their summer camp program, stirring disappointment through the community, as many people felt the membership costs and camp fees were too high for borough residents. The proposal would offer community memberships outside of a YMCA membership. The costs for these community memberships would be $175 for individual membership, $275 for a family membership (2 or 3 adults and up to 4 children in the same household) , or $335 for a family membership (with 3 or more adults; plus children in the same household). There will also be $10 guest passes per person, per day, for ages 2 and up. The proposal also requests income-based reductions for memberships upon provided documentation, a minimum of two free community events, and up to 6 free daily passes that can be checked out by residents from the Kennett Library. The YMCA is also offering a promotion for free outdoor pool memberships for members who join the Y before March 31 of 2024.

A new contract with the SPCA was reluctantly approved as the borough found itself caught between a rock and a hard place. The five-year contract was presented to each Chester County municipality in late fall with a short approval window and exponential cost increases for services provided by the SPCA. 

The baseline contract is for $2,000 per year with a $300 per month service fee paid up front in January, with a total expected minimum obligation for 2024 at $5600 and a 4-percent increase each year. The fee for each dog turned in, captured or confined by resident or municipality is $400, and $200 per cat. An activity fee of $65 is also included for every animal. Chief Holdsworth explained this is about a 350-percent increase on current service costs, with $11,600 expected to be spent, compared to about $4,000 in previous years. To get any discount, the borough has to agree to the contract before the first of the year. A team full of area managers met with the SPCA in the fall and determined there are no other options for animal control. The only time funds are recovered is when an owner is charged with animal cruelty, and it’s a small recovery. Chief Holdsworth explained that if a litter of six feral kittens is turned into the SPCA within the municipality, then the borough is charged $1200 plus the additional fees like an activity fee for that each animal in that litter. 

Council President Doug Doerfler asked if there is anything that can be done on the front end to educate people of the costs associated with these situations to help prevent loose animals, so the borough is considering putting the cost information on the website. In the contract, the borough cannot use any other services outside of the SPCA.