A sneak peek at Santa’s list for Unionville

By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com It’s the time of the year for wish lists and as we close in on Christmas — I thought I’d offer a few peeks in what I suspect might be on some local school and elected officials lists for Santa Claus. For our local elected state legislators: Chris Ross (R-East Marlborough), Steve Barrar (R-Upper Chichester) and Sen. Dominic Pileggi (R-Chester): the wisdom...

Despite spending cuts, local, school and county taxes going up in 2011

Plummeting real estate market, loss of state aid, pension costs putting big hole in government budgets but the worst is yet to come in 2012 By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com Despite slashing roughly $5 million in spending, the same drops in tax revenue that are plaguing Unionville’s school district and local towns are hitting Chester County hard, meaning taxpayers can expect an increase...

Progress seen in Unionville teacher talks

Sources say talks more productive, as students, parents express worries about potential strike By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com EAST MARLBOROUGH — After a stormy start, negotiations between the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and its teachers union are said to be moving in a productive direction, with the pace of meetings picking up and progress being made toward a new agreement,...

School officials working to balance student, family needs on activity fee policy

Focus groups, continued data mining likely until formal recommendation made in January By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com Girls' rugby, a club sport at Unionville, already sees its participants paying fairly high activity fees. District officials are working to balance fees to keep them fair, while still generating additional revenue for the district. EAST MARLBOROUGH — The question...

Sparks fly over Unionville bus outsourcing study

Parents ask board to look carefully before firing district drivers, board members clash over study proposal By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com The Unionville Chadds Ford Board of Education awarded a $15,160 contract to study the district's transportation system. EAST MARLBOROUGH — Tension is already rising as the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District begins its first steps toward considering...

Audience needed for Urinetown Dress Rehearsal

Scheduling, not concerns over content, keeping middle school students from attending, 8:30 a.m., Wed. By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com Urinetown: The Musical plays Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Unionville High School EAST MARLBOROUGH — The emails were flying fast and furious when word got out that Patton Middle School students would not be able to attend a dress rehearsal Wednesday...

Finding the middle ground: making gray the new black

Black and white mentality needs to give way to compromise, consensus By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com I was driving down Route 52 the other day and a passel of abandoned campaign signs prompted me to start thinking about what, if any, conclusions, one should draw from the recent election results and how it applies to life around here. Yes, it’s obvious that people are angry, frustrated...

New tax rules leave Unionville caught between state, county laws

New county regulation would force schools, local towns to ignore state law By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com New tax debt reporting rules by Chester County could force local towns and school districts to violate state laws. EAST MARLBOROUGH — Unionville school officials are concerned about new rules by Chester County that could force the district to be in violation of state laws regarding...

Unionville schools set to hire consultants to look at buses

Could be first step to privatizing school bus fleet By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com The Unionville-Chadds Ford School District is expected to hire a consultant Monday night to look more closely at the district school bus fleet — and whether moving to an outside contractor is a better fiscal option. EAST MARLBOROUGH — The Unionville-Chadds Ford Board of Education is expected to take...

Local voter turnout appears heavy

But question remains: who is coming out to vote and who benefits? By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTmes.com Voter turnout appeared to be heavy — likely to cross 50 percent per precinct across the Unionville area — but it remains to be seen who exactly is voting and what the impact will be on local and statewide races. For every voter who expressed anger at the incumbent Democrats, another would...