Crebilly Farm Update 9/11/22

Dear Friends,

Here is some INCREDIBLE news to cheer you up on a dreary Sunday:)  The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has awarded Westtown Township $2 MILLION DOLLARS toward the preservation of Crebilly Farm.  This is the largest grant award in the state of Pennsylvania!  That is what a big deal preserving Crebilly Farm has become.  PA State Senator Comitta and PA State Representative Herrin, through years of their tireless and unwavering efforts, in support of the preservation of Crebilly Farm, helped make this contribution from DCNR happen.  Here it is in the Daily Local News:  https://www.dailylocal.com/2022/09/08/crebilly-farm-preservation-gets-2-million-boost-in-funding/

TOMORROW NIGHT, VERY IMPORTANT MEETING:  MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH, 7PM, Bayard Rustin High School, 1100 Shiloh Road, West Chester 

Westtown Township Board of Supervisors, Natural Lands, the ‘Vote Yes’ Group and your elected officials will each give a presentation and answer your questions regarding the open space referendum.  Monday night will be a great opportunity for people to learn, ask questions and get answers from the professionals.  Please come prepared with any questions you may have.  Be direct and don’t be afraid to speak up.  Friends, this is a very big deal so please do what you can to attend Monday night and share this information with others so together, we all pack the house!!!  Here is the township agenda:  https://www.westtownpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-09-12-Special-Meeting-Referendum-Agenda.pdf

Westtown residents, here is the math regarding the annual cost of the open space referendum as quoted by Westtown Township Manager, Jon Altshul in a WHYY interview:

It is not a massive tax increase.  “A person earning $100,000 would pay $80 more in local earned income tax.  The owner of a home assessed at the Westtown average of roughly $250,000 would pay an additional $105 in real estate taxes.”  The math equation is a proven fact:  the less expensive choice for Westtown residents will be, without a doubt, to vote Yes! and pass the referendum in November.  Roughly the equivalent cost of a cup of Starbucks, each week for a year, is what can save Crebilly Farm and her part of the Brandywine Battlefield.  

Here is the entire article:  https://whyy.org/articles/historic-crebilly-farm-westtown/

LAWN SIGNS ARE AVAILABLE from the VOTE YES! group.  Help pepper the countryside in Westtown Township and show your support to preserve open space and Crebilly Farm.

For more information, email:  VoteYes2Crebilly@gmail.com

A little history as to how we got to where we are today: 

*In December 2017, the Westtown Township Board of Supervisors: Mike DiDimenico, Tom Haws and Carol DeWolf voted unanimously to deny the Toll Brother’s Conditional Use Application: 

https://crebillyfarmfriends.com/2017/12/28/crebilly-farm-update-12-28-17/

*In September 2021, the Westtown Township Board of Supervisors:  Scott Yaw, Carol DeWolf and Richard Pomerantz were set to vote, when the agreement of sale between Toll Brothers and the owners of Crebilly Farm became null and void:  https://crebillyfarmfriends.com/2021/09/09/crebilly-farm-update-9-9-21-a-victory-to-be-proud-of/

*In April 2022, the Westtown Township Board of Supervisors:  Tom Foster, Scott Yaw and Richard Pomerantz voted unanimously to move forward with the agreement of sale of Crebilly Farm and Westtown Township: https://crebillyfarmfriends.com/2022/04/06/crebilly-farm-update-4-6-22/

Without the unanimous support from ALL of these Supervisors, in favor of the preservation of Crebilly Farm, we would not be here today.  Please thank each of them, profusely.  

I have never believed anything in life is free.  Every decision I have ever made has had a consequence and come at a price.  I call it ‘life.’  I confess I have taken Chester County for granted.  Now more than ever, I appreciate the necessary effort and expense to protect our beloved Chester County, as this too comes at a price.  Thanks to the land owners of Crebilly Farm, residents of Westtown Township have a once in a lifetime opportunity to secure lifelong protection and preservation of our national history and the iconic land of Crebilly Farm.  I simply cannot fathom Chester County without her.

If not you, then who?

Sincerely,

Mindy Rhodes