Print Edition Highlights - November 30, 2023

School board says goodbye to four members

Mary Lou Bytof/Staff Reporter

Curt Werner/Dillsburg Banner

Pictured from left are Dr. Beth McLean, Ann Hoverter, Thomas Welch and Ken Sechrist.

 

When they were elected to serve on the Northern York County School District board of education, outgoing members Ken Sechrist, Ann Hoverter and Elizabeth McLean had no idea what would be in store for them; however, they persevered through some of the most difficult years ever experienced by any board in district history.

Although the pandemic and the relentless mask debates had already begun when Thomas Welch was appointed to the board, he, too, had to weather the many unprecedented problems facing the board.

On Tuesday, November 21, Northern administrators honored the four outgoing board members with a small reception with refreshments before the 6:30 regular board meeting. This gave administrators and fellow board members the opportunity to say goodbye to those leaving and to wish them well.

In addition to tackling the myriad of problems posed by the pandemic, in the past three years the board also navigated through the transfer of Washington Township students from the Dover School District to Northern. They conducted the search for a new superintendent. Then they faced another unexpected and unique dilemma: a request to run a Satan Club and Northern Elementary School. With much effort from the board, the administration and the school solicitor, the board effectively kept the club out of district schools.

For the rest of the story see the November 30, 2023 edition

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Residents oppose warehouse near Northern schools

Kristen Stagg/Staff Reporter

Carroll Township residents have plenty to say about two massive warehouses proposed for land bordering Northern York County Schools - and very little of it is complimentary. The comments from residents who sit either directly across or close to the 100-acre property runs the gamut from irritation to downright outrage.

Northern Business Park Lot #1 was first proposed by William Aiello of Crossroads Commercial Development, LLC, but was withdrawn on March 2 of this year. Aiello remains a managing partner in the venture with Steven Duncan and Keith Matzke of SDKM Dillsburg Land, LLC, a subgroup of Clarius Partners, LLC, a commercial development firm in Chicago.

The development was resubmitted to the township one day before a zoning ordinance amendment regarding warehouses and distribution centers took effect. The conditional use hearing started on Nov. 15, and will continue on Dec. 14.

At the initial hearing on Nov. 15, more than a dozen individuals registered as objectors to the development. Most of them live on nearby Grandview Court or Grandview Drive, but two represent Dillsburg Borough: engineer Timothy Knoebel and mayor John Richardson.

All registered objectors will be able to cross-examine the developer's witnesses, provide testimony and exhibits of their own, as well as provide expert witnesses. In order to register for objector status, Carroll Township attorney Michael Pykosh said individuals must demonstrate that the development would affect them “more than the average citizen.”

For the rest of the story see the November 30, 2023 edition.

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Board plans to move money to save for building

Carolyn Hoffman/Staff Reporter

Monaghan Township's 2024 budget is a balanced one, but at first glance it doesn't look that way. That's because supervisors plan is to move money from the general fund into a capital reserve fund to save for the planned township building.

The capital reserve fund will end up at $2.1 million, as the township will use that to try and borrow as little money as possible for a new township building. That includes nearly $2 million for the building, and $88,000 for the replacement of a large truck. All told the 2024 budget is $3.2 million, with $988,407 for the general fund and $158,940 for the state liquid fuels fund.

For the rest of the story see the November 30, 2023 edition.