Finance Committee approves fee change for dining platforms, grant resolution for Gay Street and multiple budget modifications

The West Chester Finance Committee voted March 12 to approve a set of fee, grant and budget items, including a change to the downtown dining-platform fee schedule, a grant application for the Gay Street open-air marketplace and multiple capital and operating payments. All recorded roll-call decisions were 2-0 in favor.

The committee approved changing the dining-platform parking fee methodology. Staff said the borough historically charged $3,500 per space under a single-space meter model; with conversion to multispace meters, staff proposed charging by linear frontage at about $160 per linear foot per year so applicants may permit dining platforms only in front of their own businesses from edge to edge of property. The committee recorded the vote as 2-0 in favor.

The committee then approved a resolution to include in a Chester County Community Revitalization Program application a grant request for phase 2 of the Gay Street open-air marketplace. Mr. Williams, the presenter, said the county grant ask is about $829,000 with a 15% local match requirement and that the total project cost is expected to be about $1.1 million. He said the county program is funded with county bond proceeds through Chester County DCD rather than federal funds, and the application deadline is next Thursday. The committee recorded the vote as 2-0 in favor.

Budget modification No. 2, described by staff as allocating funding for 2024 public-safety and wastewater capital expenses, was approved 2-0. The modification included two previously omitted public-safety items payable to vendor "108" totaling $22,000 and $36,249.15 for police and fire upfitting, and a $22,000 transfer from the sewer fund to the fire fund to account for the reassignment of two vehicles. Staff said the transfer amount reflected the vehicles' blue-book value.

The committee approved vendor payments and contracts listed on the agenda, including a Hart & Son litter-truck upgrade ($34,010), a BigBelly Solar unit purchase ($14,409.60), Fireflow Services hose/ladder/apparatus testing ($12,731.50), USALCO phosphorus-removal chemical ($12,540) and Colonial Parking operating costs for the parking garage ($48,475). Committee members asked for a later breakdown of where new trash/recycling receptacles would be placed and what would happen to older units; staff said Don Edwards would provide that information by next week.

Other routine actions: the committee approved the February 2025 meeting minutes, and it voted to table a Christmas-parade-related correction until May. Several approvals were recorded as unanimous 2-0 votes by the committee.

Why it matters: The fee change updates how the borough charges for dining platforms downtown as infrastructure and meter technology change; the grant application would fund a public-market project in Gay Street; and the budget modifications reallocate capital costs and record interfund transfers that affect fund balances.

Votes at a glance (recorded motions and outcomes)

- Approve February 2025 meeting minutes — outcome: approved (vote: Bridal McGinnis yes; Nicole Chamoni yes).

- Table correction related to Christmas parade until May — outcome: tabled (vote: Bridal McGinnis yes; Nicole Chamoni yes).

- Approve resolution to modify dining-platform parking fee schedule (convert from $3,500 per space to ~$160 per linear foot) — outcome: approved (vote: 2-0).

- Approve Chester County community revitalization grant resolution for Gay Street open-air marketplace (Phase 2); grant ask ~$829,000; 15% match; total project est. ~$1.1M — outcome: approved (vote: 2-0).

- Approve Budget Modification No. 2 (public safety and wastewater capital, two items payable to vendor "108" of $22,000 and $36,249.15; transfer $22,000 from sewer fund to fire fund for two vehicles) — outcome: approved (vote: 2-0).

- Approve Hart & Son litter-truck upgrade ($34,010) and BigBelly Solar purchase ($14,409.60) — outcome: approved (vote: 2-0).

- Approve Fireflow Services testing ($12,731.50), USALCO phosphorus removal ($12,540), Colonial Parking operating cost ($48,475) — outcome: approved (vote: 2-0).

The committee adjourned at 5:46 p.m.

What the record shows: The motions carried unanimously among members present; the transcript did not record individual movers or seconders for the motions on the public docket, and several details (for example, precise parcel footages used to calculate linear frontage fees and some vendor contract attachments) were not included in the meeting record and were marked by staff as available in attachments or to be provided later.