East Vincent News
OFFICE HOURS: 9 AM TO 5 PM MONDAY TO FRIDAY
CLOSED WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS
WEBSITE ADDRESS: WWW.EASTVINCENT.ORG
Gateway to Historic Chester County
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 1
BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS
Mark F. Dunphy
Chairman
Jane Peronteau
Vice-Chairwoman
Edmund J. Dracup
Supervisor
***
TOWNSHIP
MEETINGS
Supervisors
1st Wednesday 7:30 PM
Planning Commission
3rd Tuesday 7:00 PM
Park & Recreation
4th Tuesday 7:00 PM
Historical Commission
4th Wednesday 7:00 PM
Zoning Hearing Board
3rd Thursday
as needed 7:30 PM
Check our website for changes
You are most welcome to
attend any of our Township
meetings.
Phone: 610-933-4424
Fax: 610-933-1142
February 2015
Ryan Costello Takes Oath of Office to 114th Congress
From Owen J. Roberts Schools to East Vincent Supervisor,
and on to Recorder of Deeds, and Chester County Commissioner our home-town, home-grown Ryan Costello has continued to follow his dream all the way to Washington. With
the opening of the 114th Congress on January 6th after being
sworn in, he moved between casting votes and graciously
greeting the many well-wishers and those seeking to catch a
bit of stardust.
Costello is known to be bright, focused, caring, a listener, athletic, funny and loyal.
While it is acknowledged that every single resident did not support him, he supports
you. We haven’t lost our hometown boy, we’ve gained an advocate in Washington.
Non-Perishable Food
Drive
Once again we will be sponsoring
a can drive for the months of February and March to benefit the
Spring City Food Pantry.
The
Pantry distributes supplementary
food packages each week.
Often food pantries are remembered through the holiday season
and then forgotten after the New
Year begins. So pick up a few
extra items each time you shop
and mark your calendar for the
food drive.
Canned and boxed food can be
dropped off at the Township
building between 9 and 5 or when
you are attending one of our
meetings.
How to Guard Against Utility Imposters
All too often you hear in the news: An unsuspecting homeowner
victimized by thieves posing as utility company workers to gain
entry and rob the house. You can prevent utility imposters from
targeting you by taking precautions to protect yourself.
Individuals claiming to represent the “water company” or any
utility will use a variety of excuses to enter your home. For example, they are supposedly investigating a “dirty water” complaint by a neighbor or checking water pressure due to a main
break nearby. Once inside, the imposters typically divert the resident’s attention by sending them to the basement or kitchen to
run a faucet while they or an accomplice robs another area of the
home.
It is extremely rare for utility personnel to show up at a customer’s home without an appointment. However, if a worker comes
to your door and you are not expecting them, DO NOT let them
inside without proper identification. All utility personnel wear
uniforms, drive company-branded vehicles and wear photo ID
badges with the company’s logo. (IMPORTANT: Company
employees will never ask for nor accept payment at a customer’s
home or business.)
Ask for photo ID, and take the time to examine it whenever
someone from a utility company arrives at your home. If you are
still unsure or have any suspicions, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Please share this advice with family and friends, particularly
seniors who often fall prey to these thieves.
Be vigilant, and don’t get fooled by utility imposters!
Remember to Vote in
May
We thank PA American for providing this information.
THINK
SPRING
East Vincent News
Page 2
The Pennsylvania Barn
Spring City Free Library
245 Broad Street
Barns do not rank very high on the list of tourist attractions. There are those
who believe that "a barn is a barn", and "once you have seen one, you have seen
them all". People from that group are not willing to travel very far to see one
more barn. However there is some merit in their feelings, if they are only speaking about what takes place inside of the barn, but everything changes when considering the barn itself. Those buildings are as different from one another as the
houses along almost any street.
Check out the Winter events!
 Science Story Time - Mondays at 10:30 for ages 2 &
The early pioneers were the first to build barns in this country. After clearing
the trees from the land, they used that lumber to build log cabins for their families, stables for the animals, and barns for their crops. All of those buildings
were one-level structures and were often placed quite close to one another. As
conditions improved as a result of better skills and techniques, there were larger
harvests, creating a need for bigger and better barns. It was during this rebuilding
phase that the two-level barns became popular. The lower level housed all of the
farm animals, replacing the old stable, while the upper level functioned as the old
barn, with a threshing floor and mows or bins to hold the hay, straw and grains
for use during the cold days of winter. An opening in the floor brought the two
levels together, as the hay could be dropped down to the animals below.

To reach that second level the farmers had two choices. If the land were hilly, as
was often the case in southeastern Pennsylvania, the farmer could build the back
of the barn right into the hill. On flat land, a gentle slopping bridge or ramp
would be created on the backside of the building. By the early 1700s, those twolevel barns were growing in popularity and had all the elements, save one, of what
became known to all as the Pennsylvania Barn. That one missing factor was a
feature known as the forebay. The forebay was an extension of the entire second
level some 4 to 20 feet, and sometimes more, beyond the first level. Depending
on the length of the overshoot, some posts would be needed for support. Those
extensions were normally on the sunny side, in the front of the barn, over the
entrance to the animals below. This feature gave some protection to both the
animals and those who worked with them.
Although protecting the animals was important, the main reason for the extension was to provide more space for the storage of the hay, straw and grain.
There were many years of large harvests and that extra space was most welcomed.
The grains were placed in the forebay, which normally faced south, to gain that
warming and drying effect from the sunshine.
Thus, it was these two-level barns, which housed the animals as well as the crops
on different levels, and contained the extension of the second level beyond the
lower one, that came to be known as the Pennsylvania Barn. As families moved
westward in that great American tradition, they carried with them the idea of the
Pennsylvania Barn. Replicas of this pattern can be found in many States of the
Midwest still today. They kept alive the tradition which actually began with the
Germans in Europe, flourished among those immigrants in the southeastern portion of Pennsylvania, and then was carried westward to other parts of the United
States.
Understanding that there are many different types of barns in existence, next
time you see a barn, take a closer look and see if you can find that telltale mark
of the forebay, letting you know that a genuine piece of history has been found; a
Pennsylvania Barn.
Dr. Robert W. Price
East Vincent Historic Commission
up with caregiver.
 Preschool Story Time - Tuesdays at 10:30 & alter




nating Wednesdays at 10:30 for ages 3-6 with caregiver.
Baby & Me Story Time - Thursdays at 10:00 for ages
infant - 2 with caregiver.
LEGO Club - Alternating Tuesdays & Thursdays at 4:00
for ages 5-12.
Yarn Café— On 1/26, 2/23, and 3/23 from 6:00 to
7:30 pm.
Yoga For Adults & Teens –Mondays at 6:30. Each
class is $5.
Yoga for Kids—Alternating Wednesdays at 2:30 &
4:00. Call the Library for dates.
Adult Book Discussion—Adults & teens who love to
read and chat. Check with the Library for a copy of
the book & to see what book is being read.
Call 610-948-4130 for more information or to register for any of the
events.
East Vincent Leash Law
Owning a dog is one of the
great American pastimes and
privileges. Dogs fill the role
of a companion, guide,
hunter, guardian, herdsman
and entertainer. But owning a
dog is a major responsibility
as well. That responsibility
extends not only to proper
care and training of your dog, but you are also responsible for the dog’s behavior.
All dogs must be under control. This means that
when your dog is not on your property, it must be
under the direct control of the handler. The best
way to control your dog is with a LEASH. Remember dogs are personal property. You are responsible
for any damage caused by your dog.
D ay lig h t sav in g
begins on Sunday,
March 8.
Don’t forget to turn
your clocks forward.
Spring arrives on
March 20!
East Vincent News
Page 3
Storm Water Management
What is Storm Water? Storm water is runoff from precipitation flowing into storm drains or other water
sources.
Where does water in the storm sewer go? Water and
anything else that is in the storm sewer eventually flows
into local streams and ponds; a storm sewer system is
not treated or cleaned before being discharged into local
waters. This is why your assistance is needed to improve local water quality.
Things you can do to help limit water runoff pollution:
Vehicles: Make sure that your vehicle is not leaking
fluids.
Lawn & Garden: Use fertilizers sparingly and use an
organic product.
Pet Waste: Pick up after your pet and dispose of the
waste in your trash can.
Do not dump liquids or put trash into a storm drain
Report spills, dumping, or discharges of pollutants into the street, storm water system or streams. Call the Township.
Things you can do to help limit storm water runoff volume—Install a Rain Garden—Which is a planted, shallow depression
designed to catch and filter rainfall runoff. The garden captures rain from a downspout or a driveway. The water sinks into the
ground, aided by deep rooted plants that like wet and dry conditions. A residential rain garden should dry out between rains and
should only hold water for about 24 hours. This timeframe prevents standing water that could create a mosquito habitat. Install a
Rain Barrel—Rain barrels are installed at the bottom of your downspouts and catch rain water that comes from your roof. You
can then reuse that water to water your garden, yard or to wash your car. Try to empty your rain barrel between rain events to
maximize the effectiveness of it. You can either purchase your rain barrel from a home center, online or you can make your own.
Plant Native Trees and Shrubs—Planting native trees, shrubs and plants that have a deep root structure helps storm water infiltrate the ground. They also catch rain water on their leaves and branches which helps to reduce the amount of runoff during a
storm.
 PLEASE NOTE:
 Recently laws have changed to become much more restrictive in regard to the amount of impervious surface you may have
on your property. Anything you do that requires a building permit will likely also require a stormwater permit as a result of
these new Department of Environmental Protection regulations.
Benefits of Recycling
Make a Difference—Reduce, reuse and recycle.
Save Natural Resources—New
products made with recycled material reduces the consumption of
natural resources, also recycling
often produces better products than those
made of virgin material.
Saves Energy and our Environment—
Saving energy is an important environmental
benefits; supplying recycled materials to industry often uses less energy than supplying virgin materials.
Adds Value to Economy—By collecting, sorting and processing recyclable material, the
conversion of waste materials into valuable
products, closes the loop.
It’s Good Business—By reducing the need
for landfills, incinerators and using recycled
materials, we reduce the need to extract from
our forests and mines to make virgin material.
New Park
In the works
It is in the works and needs your
help. If you haven’t already you
should soon receive a survey in the
mail. The purpose is to help our
Park and Recreation commission
create the best possible plan for a
park of about 100 acres near the
Veteran’s Center off of Pennhurst
Road.
If you do not receive a survey,
give us a call and we’ll send one or
you can click a link on our website
For Your Peace of Mind…
Anyone soliciting in the Township must
have a solicitation permit issued by the
Police Department. If someone approaches you or comes to your door, ask
to see their permit. If they do not have
one please report it to the Police immediately by calling 911. Waiting to call
does not help us help you and others.
If you have a complaint regarding
burning in the Township you must call the
Police while the incident is occurring - to
report after the fact does no good.
to print one. A park on that side of the township has been a long time in coming
so after you complete the survey, you might consider attending Park & Rec meetings on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 7 PM and get directly involved with this
important and exciting project and plans for our upcoming community day too.
Community Day May 2, 2015
East Vincent News
Page 4
Public Works Department
I Think That I Shall Never See…
Snow Removal
Have you seen this fish?
Trees on your property near the road must be kept trimmed and
growth should not extend such that branches
interfere with passing vehicles, bikers or hikers.
It is the property owner’s responsibility regardless whether the tree is in the right of way or not.
The-right-of-way allows utility and public works
department workers to perform road maintenance and other functions, it does not cede your
ownership or responsibility for the land.
Sidewalks are to be cleared within 24
hours of snow or ice. Do not shovel
snow into the street. It is unsafe &
illegal.
Vehicles will be ticketed/or towed if
left on the street during a storm.
Please do not place trash cans or
recycle bins in the street. We must
plow to the curb for proper drainage,
mail delivery, etc. and it becomes an
impossible task when objects are
placed in the cart way.
Marking stakes have been placed
at stormwater inlets to prevent damage.
This decal is
placed on all
stormwater
inlets to remind
you not to put
anything
in
storm drains as they empty into
our local waterways.
You can also help by keeping
pollutants off the ground that will
get carried away by stormwater
such as litter and pet waste.
Service your vehicle regularly to
prevent oils and
other fluids from
leaking
onto
paved surfaces.
Also, if you own a corner lot, you want to be sure drivers have clear
sight distance and can see around the corner to make a turn or cross
the road safely.
Christmas Tree Recycle
In January, we offered pick up and recycling of Christmas
trees. 183 trees were collected and chipped by the Public
Works Department. This service keeps the trees out of a
landfill and is a great way to recycle.
PLEASE
Do not remove the markers.
Township Holidays
The Township office will be closed February 16 for President’s Day and April 3 for Good Friday.
Gateway to Historic Chester County
262 Ridge Road
Spring City, Pennsylvania 19475
Phone: 610.933.4424
Fax: 610.933.1142
Email: [email protected]
PERMIT NO. 129
19464
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