Exeter Township School District’s Site Acquisition Hearing

In the Nov. 26 issue of The Southern Berks News, I wrote a story on the site acquisiton hearing. Unforunately, I didn’t have enough space to publish all of the useful information so I am placing it on my blog.
The site acquisition hearing covered three sites: Fairview Chapel Road, Faber Road and Greth Development properties. Information about these properties was provided by EI Associates.
The school board was scheduled to meet on Nov. 25 for a voting meeting. According to the agenda, Under Business Functions:
• It is recommended that the board of school directors approve submission of PlanCon Part C – Site Acquisition to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for review and approval. The school district is seeking reimbursement for site costs and is planning to acquire approximately 92 acres of land located along Boyertown Pike, Route 562, currently owned by Walter Greth for the purpose of constructing a new elementary school and for future needs of the district.


Fairview Chapel Road Property
Estimated cost: $5,920,000
Total acres: 68.38
Zoning: Light Industrial, schools by special exception
Accessibility: Good
Aesthetics: Future land use could conflict with school use
Characteristics: tree farm, rectangular parcels, Conrail railroad, flood plain
Legal: No known issues
Utilities: Adjacent to size
Availability: Unknown
Size: Approximately 38 acres in single parcel
Transportation: Limited traffic movement at Route 422, may require shifting students

Faber Road Property
Estimated cost: $1,150,000
Total acres: 76.31 (Divided by Faber Road)
Zoning: Rural district, schools by special exception
Accessibility: Fair
Aesthetics:Pleasant vistas, absences of traffic noise, open areas, wooded areas
Characteristics: Irregular shape, moderate to steep grades
Legal: No known issues
Utilities: Adjacent to site
Availability: Unknown
Size: Irregular parcel: 18.91 acres south side of Faber Road, 57.40 acres north of Faber Road
Transportation: Fair, nearby residential area

Greth Development Property (Also known as the Amber Hill Development)
Estimated cost: $3,950,000
Total acres: 105.84
Zoning: Rural district, schools by special exception
Accessibility: Fair to good
Aesthetics:Pleasant vistas, absence of noise, open fields, wooded areas
Characteristics:Irregular shape, moderate grades, existing pond, some wetlands
Legal: No known issues
Utilities: Adjacent to site
Availability: Owner willing to sell
Size: Irregular parcel
92.149 acres northwest parcel
16.684 wooded acres southeast parcel
Transportation: Good, no walkers

Advantages/disadvantages of sites

Fairview Chapel Road: Advantages
• Site bordered by and bisected by good road and good site lines
• Existing tree farm: some vegetation is worth retention
• Largest parcel of four sections: 36-acre site has gentle slope (the area of the tree farm)
• Site size provides for site flexibility and a future school

Fairview Chapel Road: Disadvantages
• No access to north and west of Fairview Chapel Road
• Approximately 8.5 acres of property is unusable because of location and flood plain
• Adjacent light industrial zoning could produce undesirable land uses close to school site
• Township sewage treatment plant within a half mile of school site
• High cost

Faber Road: Advantages
• Site size provides for site flexibility and a future school
• Located close to new growth area of district
• Site size provides for site flexibility and a future school

Faber Road: Disadvantages
• Sanitary sewer adjacent to site off of Schoffers Road, may require pump station for sanitary sewer
• Owner potentially unwilling to sell
• Site requires considerable grading to develop educational facilities
• Woods consume approximately 70 percent of site

Greth Development: Advantages
• Located close to new growth area of district
• Good road frontage
• Site size provides for site flexibility and a future school
• Owner willing to sell

Greth Development: Disadvantages
• Topography of site limits use of road frontage
• Site requires considerable grading to develop educational facilities
• Woods, wetlands and a pond consume more than 60 percent of site

Send in your Christmas greetings

ABOVE PHOTO: Steph Weikel hangs out by the Christmas tree while reading our sister paper, The Mercury. Photo by Matthew Reichl


At the Boyertown office of Berks-Mont, the Christmas season started at the end of October when someone put up a tree in the production department. A bit early for that, yes I know. But now I think is the proper time to let readers know that we are welcoming Christmas greetings from offices and organizations. Send in pictures of your office all dressed in Christmas colors or with Christmas decorations to Heather Tassmer, htassmer@berksmontnews.com. You can also mail them in too. (See last post for address or find the address on page 4 of The Southern Berks News.) If you live in the Boyertown or The Connection coverage areas, you can send your greetings to Matthew Reichl or Antoinette Colon (same mailing address.)

The News welcomes letters to the editor about the election

Was the election all you thought it would be? Are you satisfied with the results (national and local)? The Southern Berks News welcomes letters to the editor on the election and other topics.

I am glad our pet contest was a success and we had a lot of participation. I'd also like to hear readers voice their opinions on more serious topics like the election, taxes, schools and their local officials' decisions. Or hearing what you think about our newspaper would be fine too.

If you do write a letter to The Southern Berks News, please include your first and last name, town that you live in and phone number in case we have any questions. Letters can be sent to htassmer@berksmontnews.com or mailed to 124 North Chestnut Street, PO Box 565, Boyertown, PA 19512.

Election coverage

Local incumbents keep positions
By Heather Tassmer
News Editor

Change was the focus of this year’s national elections.
It was a change that took the form of an increased Democratic majority in Washington and the election of a new administration under the nation’s first African- American President, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.
People around the United States and around the world were shown on national television rejoicing over Obama’s win.
But for the local state representative and Congress races, the incumbents kept their seats, according to unofficial results.
U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-6,) Rep. Samuel Rohrer (R-128,) David Kessler (D-130) and State Sen. Michael O’Pake (D-11) had triumphs over their opponents.
State Rep. Dante Santoni (D-126) ran unopposed.
In Birdsboro, residents showed up early, eager to get their votes in, said Edie Ellison, judge of elections at the borough hall located on Main Street.
Voters were lined up at about 6:30 a.m., a half hour before the polls opened, Ellison said.
“I’ve never seen it this busy before,” she said, adding that she has helped out with elections for about 20 years.
She said there was a little bit of a break around 8:30 a.m.
The borough hall location was a new precinct, Ellison said. In past years, some voters would be assigned to the Alice Focht Memorial United Methodist Church but the borough hall provides more parking spaces.
One of the voters said he had his mind made up before he had come to the polls.
“I voted for the Obama Biden ticket because the current administration hasn’t done a good job,” said James Lyles of Birdsboro. “I want to change up the status quo.”
Lyles said he was concerned about McCain’s age and described the possibility of Palin becoming president as “unsettling.” He also voted Democratic for the District 130 State Representative Race.
“Dave Kessler has done great work for the community,” Lyles said. “He’s been very favorable in helping out the (Boone Area) Library. (Richard) Gokey was not as willing to help out the library and that didn’t sit well with me.”
Mildred Leinbach of Birdsboro wasn’t satisfied with either presidential candidate.
“I don’t think either one has the makings of a president,” she said. Although, she said she was happy that there was a women vice presidential running mate.
“But I’m not sure if she was qualified,” Leinbach added.
Leinbach voted for the incumbents for the state representative, state senator race and congressional race.
“I think (Michael) O’Pake, (Jim) Gerlach and (David) Kessler have proved themselves,” she said.

For more election coverage, read this week's Southern Berks News.

'Hot Dog' Lady wins contest

"Hot Dog" Lady won the pet costume contest! Congratulations!

"Dragon" Smokey came in second.

For full coverage of the pet contest, turn to the Faces and Features page of The Southern Berks News this week.

Thanks to the contestants' owners and area voters that made this contest a success. I hope to conduct another contest like this in the near future.

An amusing comment

Today while talking with a voter in Birdsboro, I was told I look just like Sarah Palin. Maybe it was my red jacket? I don't know. You be the judge! haha

Dragon Smokey is in the lead!!!!

"Dragon" Smokey has taken the lead in The Southern Berks News' Halloween pet contest! Smokey has garnered 18 votes.
Here's a rundown of our other contestants:

• "Santa" Coco-16 votes
• "Hot Dog" Lady-13 votes
• "Pocahontas" Isabelle-3 votes

If you haven't been able to vote yet, don't stress. The deadline is Nov. 7. As long as we have the vote before midnight, the vote will count. Please only one vote per person.

And don't forget to vote today for president and local representatives!!!!!! You have until 8 p.m. My suggestion is don't wait until the last minute with that.