WELCOME! Glad you could join us this evening. Our meetings are “Neutral Ground”, a place to hear and be heard.
 
Just a reminder, your questions or statements regarding agenda items only will be entertained under Citizens to be Heard, all other matters will be recognized at the end of the meeting during Public Comment.
 

1. Since our last meeting we’ve had an earthquake, monsoon rains, and a total eclipse of the sun. Coming soon, billions of locusts will rise from the ground. No, it’s not the end of the world. The rain came to wash away the old, the moon blocked out the sun only so the sun could shine brighter, and the earth shook to celebrate a new beginning here in Caln. As for the cicadas... who know?​
2. Last Saturday, for the first time, all five of our current commissioners were on the field to throw out the first pitches of the 2024 Caln Little League season. What a blast! Yes, it was windy and chilly, but the sun was out and spirits were high. To quote Commissioner Mullin, "nothin' but strikes". A splendid time was had by all.
3. It's not a day ending in the letters "DAY" if there's nothing to say about Spackman-Davis Farm. Rumor has it our neighbors at "Friends of Spackman-Davis Farm" have proposed holding their "Historic Family Picnic" on Saturday June 29th as a way to share the farm with the public and to serve as a semi quincentennial soft launch for Caln.
4. For those of us who use the Thorndale Rite Aid on Lincoln Hwy at Bondsville Rd, the news of its imminent closing was a bit of a bummer. But not a surprise. Rite Aid is in bankruptcy proceedings and is closing many locations. On the upside, the NE corner of Lincoln Hwy and Bondsville Rd is prime real estate for something special. Watch this space. 

 
Remember, when we all work together, there’s nothing we can’t do. Spread kindness everyone. Anger, grudges, and resentments are not worth our time or energy. Compassion, Empathy, Peace, and Love – these are what make the world go round.
 
 

WELCOME! Glad you could join us this evening. Our meetings are “Neutral Ground”, a place to hear and be heard.
 
Just a reminder, your questions or statements regarding agenda items only will be entertained under Citizens to be Heard, all other matters will be recognized at the end of the meeting during Public Comment.
 

1. If you noticed something in the air along Lincoln Highway on Tuesday, it wasn’t a flying saucer, a flying pig, or a flying nun. The UFO came in peace and with purpose – it was a drone here to capture the length of Lincoln Highway to aid the Township, the Zoning Taskforce, and the Lincoln Highway Commission as we create a new vision for our “Main Street”.
2. Tomorrow is opening day for our beloved Phillies and with it, hope springs eternal. But there’s another Opening Day on my calendar. Saturday April 6th The Caln Little League kicks back into action with their annual ceremony. It’s always a blast, so come out and support our Little League as they set out for another year of Championship Ball.
3. On Saturday the Chester County Planning Commission hosted their annual luncheon – the focus this year was in America250Chesco and their “Are you Ready” campaign. With success comes expectations, and the success of our 2023 Town Tour has put us at the head of the class. A couple of folks in attendance at the luncheon referred to Caln being The Keystone event for 2026. As David Byrne famously asked “well, how did I get here”? I’ll tell you how we got here. Through the hard work of our Historical Com, Parks & Rec, OCHS, Public Works, Directors… because we all believed in Caln and what was possible. I’m sure we’ll create amazing for the semi-quincentennial. Hey, did you know that 2026 marks not only the 250th anniversary of the United States, 2026 also marks 300 years since the Old Caln Meetinghouse was founded? We are indeed the Keystone of Chester County.
4. Four years can go by in the blink of an eye, or they can seem to take forever. One thing that’s certain in our world of high-speed everything and short attention spans is how quickly we forget. Tonight, would be a good time to remember – only 4-years ago this BOC held our last in person meeting as Covid charged through the world killing millions. Everything changed overnight. Our opening comments on zoom included local and county infection rates, hospitalization rates, and yes, the number of the dead. Caln lost its share of residents, neighbors, and friends to Covid. Others endured months long hospital stays on a ventilator. Our hospitals and health care workers were unprepared, understaffed, and overwhelmed by the onslaught of the desperately ill. ERs were set up in parking lots, grocery shelves were empty, many small businesses failed, and our young people found themselves lost and hopeless. That state of insanity went on for nearly 2-years. Now, nearly 2-years removed from the worst pandemic in over 100 years, here we are again, together in the same room, making plans for our future as if the recent past never happened. But it did. Never forget, and always be thankful for what we’ve got.

 
Remember, when we all work together, there’s nothing we can’t do. Spread kindness everyone. Anger, grudges, and resentments are not worth our time or energy. Compassion, Empathy, Peace, and Love – these are what make the world go round.
 

WELCOME! Glad you could join us this evening. Our meetings are “Neutral Ground”, a place to hear and be heard.
 
Just a reminder, your questions or statements regarding agenda items only will be entertained under Citizens to be Heard, all other matters will be recognized at the end of the meeting during Public Comment.
 

1. Did you know that in Chester County 75% of people who abuse prescription pain relievers get them from relatives or friends? Did you know that 20% of our high school students have abused prescription drugs? That’s one out of five! And nearly 20% of prescription opioid pain medication users will move on to street drugs, heroin, and fentanyl. Or that the EPA has found prescription drugs in OUR WATER SUPPLY? The message is clear - don’t hold onto prescription medications you don’t need, want, or that have expired. And don’t flush them down the toilet. We have a prescription drug drop off bin located in the Police Department where you can safely, easily, and anonymously get rid of unwanted or expired medications before they fall into the wrong hands.  ​
2. We know some residents are still unhappy about the new Fire and EMS Tax. And we understand. Every penny counts for all of us. But did you know that of more than Five Townships served by Minquas EMS, 42% of their calls last month were to Caln Township. 42% - that’s 151 emergency responses to Caln Township alone. It’s about saving lives, not making money.
3. Did you know Caln Township Police are hiring! We all know Caln Township already has the best Police Force around, and now Chief Elias is looking to add to that great team by hiring for one full-time officer position. Excellent candidates are encouraged to apply for this amazing opportunity to serve our community. Applications will be accepted through midnight March 28th, and application packets can either be picked up in person at the Caln Police Department, or online through our Caln website. Our website has all the deets - requirements, pay scale, etc. 
4. Speaking of deets. when it comes to zoning, it’s all in the details, and our next zoning update workshop of 2024 will be a week from today, Thursday the 22nd at 6:30. The ball is rolling with a great group, and this should be a fun and meaningful exercise as we plan for the future of Caln. Taskforce meetings will continue to be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:30pm, open to the public, and in-person right here or via zoom.
5. Last meeting I mentioned that on the north end of the Old Caln Meetinghouse property there’s a cemetery in great disrepair, and it’s the final resting place of African American soldiers who fought in the Civil War. This week we have updates. Micky McCallister of OCHS has been working on coming up with missing information on all the graves; last week I met with a few Quakers from the Old Friends Meetinghouse who suggested they have all the burial records in a basement and will happily share them with OCHS and Caln Historical Commission. This discovery opens a new world of possibilities for Spackman Davis Farm and the Friends Meetinghouse to become a County Heritage Site, and that would open the door to more funding. Watch this space.
6. And again, speaking of Spackman Davis Farm – that farmhouse roof is not long for this earth.

 
Remember, when we all work together, there’s nothing we can’t do. Spread kindness everyone. Anger, grudges, and resentments are not worth our time or energy. Compassion, Empathy, Peace, and Love – these are what make the world go round.
 
 

WELCOME! Glad you could join us this evening. Our meetings are “Neutral Ground”, a place to hear and be heard.
 
Just a reminder, your questions or statements regarding agenda items only will be entertained under Citizens to be Heard, all other matters will be recognized at the end of the meeting during Public Comment.
 

1. This week we had 2-traffic accidents at the intersection of Lloyd and Manor Avenues. That’s not good. Luckily an updated traffic study of the intersection will be completed the not-too-distant future. Since the original study, school buses, students, and parents have taken over the road behind Royal Farms to avoid the traffic light at Rock Raymond. Fingers crossed the new study confirms how dangerous it has become for those attempting to turn left off Lloyd Ave onto Manor. In the meantime, please be vigilant and take extra care if you’re travelling through as there is an incline on the Royal Farms approach to Manor that makes it difficult to gauge the speed of vehicles moving in that direction. ​
2. On the 15th we had an excellent first zoning update workshop of 2024. I think we all came away happy to rediscover how much we’d accomplished in 2023, and convinced we’ll get this over the finish line without too much pain. The Taskforce meetings will continue to be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:30pm, open to the public, and in-person right here or via zoom.
3. Get your calendars out… the Thorndale Fire Company will hold their annual blood drive Tuesday April 2nd from 1-6pm at the Firehouse Banquet Hall. Come out and give until you’re pale. Just kidding about the pale part, but not about giving generously - it’s never too late to make a financial contribution to the volunteers who risk their lives for us. In fact, I just wrote a donation check today. 
4. Did you know that on the north end of the Old Caln Meetinghouse property there’s a cemetery where African American soldiers who fought in the Civil War are buried? Sadly, it’s in great disrepair, but the Old Caln Historical Society is hoping to restore as much of it as they can. Did I mention they’re looking more new members? Contact me and I’ll put you in touch with them.
5. The Friends of Spackman-Davis Farm 501c-3 Nonprofit is now a reality! Their mission statement is “to restore, protect, preserve, and promote the historic resources and cultural landscapes of Spackman-Davis Farm through fundraising, events, communication, and education.” We look forward to working together with them to raise awareness of the beautiful gem that is Spackman-Davis Farm.
6. Speaking of Spackman-Davis Farm, as soon as a few potential issues are worked out (fingers crossed), the Historical Commission plans to present a proposal for a historic picnic event at S-D Farm – featuring the longest Picnic Table in Chester County.
7. On a side note, that roof is quickly deteriorating. Hopefully we’ll find some funds to replace it before the 1767 farmhouse is lost.
8. Speaking of Volunteers, Historical Commission has some BIG Cool Stuff going on this year, and there’s only a couple seats open. Please take a look at all we do and consider joining us!

 
Remember, when we all work together, there’s nothing we can’t do. Spread kindness everyone. Anger, grudges, and resentments are not worth our time or energy. Compassion, Empathy, Peace, and Love – these are what make the world go round.
 
 

WELCOME! Glad you could join us this evening. Our meetings are “Neutral Ground”, a place to hear and be heard.
 
Just a reminder, your questions or statements regarding agenda items only will be entertained under Citizens to be Heard, all other matters will be recognized at the end of the meeting during Public Comment.

1. Residents in vicinity of Lloyd Park awoke to the sound of jackhammers this week as Aqua kicked off Phase II of their $1,930,000 project to improve infrastructure in Chester County. Phase II covers Lloyd Ave between Deer Drive and just west of Stonebridge Lane. Work crews have been doing a good job with directing intermittent single-lane traffic, the backups have been about what we experienced before the traffic light at Gardner’s Bridge. Let’s do them a solid and follow the “SLOW DOWN” signs – those workers are right up to the center of the road and by not slowing down in a work area, some make their jobs more dangerous than need be. ​
2.  At our last BOC meeting we approved the plans for Farmhouse Coffee to move forward and start the momentum to change the vibe of Lincoln Highway. It’s like dominoes folks, one great thing leads to the next. We’re thrilled they chose Caln to trust with their future.
3. Monday evening, I was at Parks and Rec to pitch a potential 2024 historic event for Spackman-Davis Farm and was once again reminded of what a great group they are! 2023 will be a hard to act to follow, but from what I heard 2024 should be even better! Of course, more fun requires more work, and they could really use more residents coming to their meetings and signing up to help. Why don’t you consider it, even if all you’re able to do right now is “share” their events on your social media community, that’s a great start.
4. Our first zoning update workshop of 2024 will be next Thursday Feb. 15th at 6:30pm, both in person and via zoom. We’re very excited to get this process over the goal line.
5. Speaking of goal lines, did you know on Super Bowl Sunday DUI rates are 22% higher, and 46% of traffic deaths are alcohol related. All too often it’s the innocent who fall victim to drunk drivers. This Sunday, please don’t drive if you’ve been drinking; there’s plenty of ride shares available to get everyone across the goal line safely.
6. Last Friday evening we had the honor of attending the Caln Township Police Awards dinner at the Thorndale Inn. The evening was everything it could have been – fun, celebratory, and moving. I’m sure my colleagues would agree that we were in awe of the bravery and selflessness exhibited by the recipients. As the Chief told their stories of valor, sacrifice, and honor beyond imagination, I had to catch my breath. It’s one thing to know something, it’s another to feel it, and that night I felt how very special each one of our officers are. Please, next chance you have, take a moment to thank one of them, even if it’s when they’re writing you a ticket. For they truly are Caln’s finest.

 
Remember, when we all work together, there’s nothing we can’t do. Spread kindness everyone. Anger, grudges, and resentments are not worth our time or energy. Compassion, Empathy, Peace, and Love – these are what make the world go round. 

Glad you could all join us this evening. As always, our meetings are “Neutral Ground”, a place to hear and be heard. WELCOME.
 
Your questions or statements regarding an agenda item will be entertained under Citizens to be Heard, all other matters will be recognized at the end of the meeting during Public Comment.

1. It’s that time of year again, where our mostly volunteer emergency services, Thorndale Fire Company and Minquas Ambulance send out their fundraising appeals. I plan to give generously. They count on us so that we can count on them to be there in our most urgent time of need.
2. We received new county funding to complete the Zoning Update project, and in February will begin working along with Nancy Sarcinella to get us over the finish line.
3. The Lincoln Highway Committee is poised to reorganize early this year, and getting the hard-fought LERTA program off the launch pad is on the top of our list.
4. Mr. Huggins took over as Director of Public Works only a few weeks ago and was already hit with flooding from a major storm and our first significant snowfall in years. He met the moment Big Time!
5. I visited Ingleside Golf Course a couple weeks back and gotta say, Nichol has got that place transforming nicely. The new carts look fantastic, and the greens were actually green – in winter!
6. 2023 was quite a year! And we’re already off to a strong start for 2024. Hoping to attract more grant money thanks to the strong relationships we have with our friends in Harrisburg: State Senator Katie Muth, House Rep Danielle Friel-Otten and House Rep Dan Williams.
7. Lastly, the Parks and Rec Commission needs your help to keep the fun rolling here in Caln. Right now, 5 people are basically responsible for all our events. Please consider coming to their next meeting on Monday Feb 5th at 7pm.

 
So many great things to come, buckle up for 2024!
 
Remember, when we all work together, there’s nothing we can’t do. Spread kindness everyone. Anger, grudges, and resentments are not worth our time or energy. Compassion, Empathy, Peace, and Love – these are what make the world go round.