Override Of Historic Porch Angers HARB

By Jeremy Van Duyne

MILFORD — The Milford Borough Council held their latest council meeting this past Monday night. Multiple members of the borough’s Historical Architecture Review Board (HARB) were in attendance at the meeting to voice some criticism towards the council over a recent building decision that the council had made.
Megan Strub, Chairman of the HARB, opened the meeting’s public comment section by reading a letter that the HARB had put together voicing some anger at the council for overriding a denial that the HARB had made on a certificate of appropriateness.
The conflict between the council and the HARB stems over some recent changes that were made to the Harford-Smith house located on 201 E. Harford Street, one of the oldest standing buildings in the borough. Developer Billy Shi had recently put a certificate of appropriateness request into the HARB requesting to make some changes to the entranceway due to considering it a tripping hazard. The house has been remodeled from a three-story building into an apartment duplex, one of three buildings in the apartment complex, but the only one fronting on Harford Street, near other historic buildings.
“This concerns the Harford-Smith that was built circa 1740,” said Strub when reading the letter. “The owner applied for a certificate of appropriateness to remove the original entry platform and stairs. As well as lower the pillars and doors to street level. “
“This would leave the doorway uneven with the windows and completely change the historic aesthetic of the building. Which is classified as a contributing structure to the Milford’s National Historic District.”
At their meeting held back on July 12, the HARB denied the request. According to Strub, members of the HARB came up with alternative ways that the tripping hazard could be alleviated without compromising the aesthetic of the building.
However, at the July 17 meeting for the borough council, the council decided to override the denial the HARB had recommended for the certificate and instead approve it. The council made the approval based on some new plans the owner had put forth that would include increasing the height of the door so it would be even with the windows.............................................For more information subscribe to our paper.

Wait Till Hearings, Milford Twp. Tells Aquifer Advocates

By Chris Jones

MILFORD — Milford Township has two public hearings scheduled for issues that directly or indirectly affect the effort to protect the Milford Aquifer. Meanwhile, at their latest meeting on Monday, Sept. 18, the township Board of Supervisors truncated public comments about the Watershed & Wellhead ordinance and National Land Developers’ (NLD) warehouse plan near the I-84-Route 6 exit.
During public comment, Vito DiBiasi, spokesman for Friends of the Milford Aquifer, said the map pertaining to the wellhead ordinance was “illegitimate for what we are trying to protect,” and that surface water alone was not consistent with the definition of a wellhead. He directed the board to applicable state codes and the Pa. Constitution for statutes about water quality. Board Chairman Rachel Hendricks said the ordinance had been under discussion for two years and would get a public hearing at the next township meeting on Oct. 2
When DiBiasi broached the NLD topic, Hendricks said he was out of order and would brook no comments before the next hearing for NLD’s Conditional Use application, scheduled for 6 p.m. October 19, at the Pike County Public Library, 119 E. Harford St. in Milford..............................................For more information subscribe to our paper.

Del Val Teachers Study Use OF AI In Classroom

By Wayne Witkowski

WESTFALL — Artificial intelligence, popularly known as AI, has been gaining traction, as well as controversy, among school districts across the country.
It also has drawn attention at Delaware Valley and will be a topic at teacher in-school meetings through the upcoming school year as a possible tool for problem solving and academic development, particularly in math, science and English.
“AI appears to be the next big wave in education. However, I believe it is a bit premature to determine if it is going to be a true game changer like many have speculated in the national media,” said Delaware Valley School District Superintendent Brian Blaum prior to the Board of Directors’ first work session of the year on Thursday last week. “Like all forms of technology, the key is in using it to enhance student learning. Any new technological innovation brings with it the fear of using it improperly, so we have to continue to be as knowledgeable as possible as AI software continues to develop and be made readily accessible. “
Blaum said the district is planning on offering professional development to its staff on the newly implemented Act 80 days with regard to AI, the first on Oct. 9 and two after the holidays on Jan. 2 and 15. “Hopefully our teachers can remain as informed as possible as AI continues to mature,” said Blaum.............................................For more information subscribe to our paper.