Mayor Bobby King and the City of Henderson board of aldermen all agreed in giving $100,000 of the city ARPA funds to the Chester County Dixie Youth.
Their intention is for Dixie Youth to use the funds to upgrade the outdated lights at the ballpark and install LED lights.
With the $100,000 donation, that makes a third of the city’s ARPA funds being committed to parks and recreation with $500,000 being committed to match the $1 million dollar project for Gene Record Memorial Park.
The board of aldermen believed Dixie Youth was well deserving of the donation.
“We all kept in our minds setting aside something for Dixie Youth. That’s a big bang for our buck, Dixie Youth. That serves so many children. And their families, and not just city but county… That is the most utilized place in this whole town,” Alderman Donna Butler said. “We’re in state tournaments and won state tournaments. Now we’re going to the world series with the two teams. If we could get our ballpark as pristine as you’re playing, the revenue that would bring in for other tournaments. It’s a win-win situation… I think this is the one time all of us up here are tickled to death.”
During delegations, Carlos Schmitt approached the board for help in providing after school transportation from the Chester County Schools to Keestone Academy, but Mayor King said it is something that the city cannot do. His personal solution would be for the school buses to transport children going from the schools to Keestone.
Another resident asked the city to purchase a street sweeper.
With one aldermen being absent, the city board approved on the first reading the consideration of an ordinance amending the 2022-2023 Budget to correct an omission in the Police Department Budget concerning the equipment purchase line item. The second reading will occur next month. The Henderson Board of Aldermen also extended the COVID Leave Policy through December 31, 2022 for the city employees who have yet to use their COVID-19 sick days.
During the meeting, a resolution passed to approve the application for a Public Entity Partners (the city’s insurance carrier) Safety Partners Grant for safety equipment for the Public Works Department.
The city also approved the lower bids received for materials to be used by the Public Works Department until December 31, 2022.
In other business, it was approved, regarding to the land the City of Henderson sold to Chester County 911 for their new building they plan to build for communications using money accumulated through the cell phone utility fees (not tax payer money), to clarify that the city has the first right to refusal in the event that Chester County 911 does not move forward with their plans and if Chester County 911 wants to sell the land back to the city, it would be for the same price that the city sold it to them at $15,000.
