middletown township report
TRANSCRIPT
2020 Volume 1 Winter 2020 Middletowndelcopa.gov
Expand Your Green Footprint: Techniques to Manage Stormwater
Residents often ask how to better manage the
stormwater flows on their properties. If you have
stormwater issues at your residence, you may
want to consider employing one or more of the
following stormwater management techniques.
Disconnect and Redirect Downspouts
Gutter downspouts move rainwater from the roof
to the ground and away from a building’s
foundation. If the flow from a downspout is
causing water ponding or erosion issues, the
point where it discharges can often be changed
to a location where it can be better managed. For
example, roof runoff can preferentially be
directed into grassy lawn areas where it can be
filtered by the grass and absorbed into the
ground.
Rain Barrels
A rain barrel is a
water holding
container typically
about 50 – 60
gallons that is
connected at the
end of a gutter
downspout and
used to collect
runoff from roofs so
it can be used for other purposes. A rain barrel
usually has a screen on its top where water enters
to keep out leaves and other debris and to limit
the potential for mosquito activity inside the
barrel.
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP
R E P O R T News of Your Community
Managing Stormwater continued on p. 2
Winter Snow Reminder
There are several important things residents
can and should do in preparation for snowfalls
to aid with the removal of snow from their
streets:
• Park cars in the driveway, if possible.
• If you must park in the street, coordinate with
your neighbors to park all cars on one side of the
street to allow for greater passage of the snow
plow.
• Shovel snow “downstream” (in the same
direction of travel) from your mailbox and driveway
so that piled snow does not get pushed back into
the driveway entrance by the snow plow.
• Do not plow snow from your driveway into
the street or across the street.
• Remove any portable basketball backboards or
similar obstructions from the curb area before
winter.
• Keep fire hydrants near your home clear of
snow in case of emergency.
Page 2 MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP REPORT
Techniques to Manage Stormwater (Continued)
Replace Impervious Surfaces with
Pervious Paving
Hardscapes such as paved driveways and walk-
ways are surfaces that are impenetrable to wa-
ter. Replacing hardscapes with permeable pav-
ing can allow more water to be absorbed into
the soil and lessen the impact stormwater has
on your property and on the municipal storm
sewer system. “Permeable” or “pervious” paving
is a modified type of pavement that allows water
to drain through the surface rather than run off
it.
Vegetated Swales
A vegetated swale is a wide, shallow channel
planted with grass vegetation that directs storm-
water drainage to another location. These swales
may be grass covered and/or contain water tol-
erant plants, or they may be filled with rocks and
gravel on steeper slopes to prevent erosion.
Because a vegetated swale redirects rather than
stops the flow, it’s important to make sure the
swale directs the excess stormwater to a location
where it will be released safely without impact-
ing downstream residents.
Planting Trees
Tree planting is a great way to reduce storm-
water flows on your property while also helping
to stabilize the soil. If you have a stream on your
property, planting trees along the streambank is
one of the best things that you can do for the
water quality in the stream. Try not to mow your
lawn directly up to the edge of a streambank –
let the trees and vegetation grow along it. The
roots will stabilize the streambank and help pro-
tect it from erosion during flood events.
Rain Gardens
Rain gardens are shallow bowl-shaped depressed
gardens that can temporarily store runoff until it
can be absorbed into the soil. These depres-
sions are typically planted with native, water-
tolerant vegetation that use the runoff for plant
growth and help increase the amount of infiltra-
tion into the soil.
These are just some of the options available
to help improve the management of storm-
water on your property. You may be able to
tackle many of these projects on your own.
But, if you have complicated stormwater is-
sues, consider getting assistance from an en-
gineer or landscape professional. For more
information, contact Chris Fantozzi at
[email protected] or visit middletowndelcopa.gov/stormwatereducation
Special Spring Leaf
Collection Scheduled for
March 2020
Didn’t get all your leaves cleaned up
before the winter? The Township
provides a special leaf collection each
spring.
Place leaf bags out to curb by
7:00AM on March 23, 2020
to ensure collection.
There is no need to call the Township for
collection. Simply place leaves, contained
in biodegradable paper bags, out at the
curb by 7:00AM on Monday, March 23
so that the Public Works Department can
make a sweep of the entire Township
throughout the week.
Please note that this collection is for
leaf waste only — yard waste (sticks &
branches) is collected year-round and
recycled separately. The yard waste
collection schedule can be found on the
Township website: middletowndelcopa.gov/yardwaste
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP REPORT Page 3
Candles may look pretty, but they are a cause of
home fires—and home fire deaths. Remember, a
candle is an open flame which means that it can
easily ignite anything that can burn.
“Candle with Care*”
• Blow out all candles when you leave the
room or go to bed.
• Keep candles one foot away from anything
that can burn.
“If you do burn candles, make sure that
you…”
• Use candle holders that are sturdy.
• Put candles on a sturdy, uncluttered surface.
• Light candles carefully—away from hair and
loose clothing.
• Don’t born the candle all the way down.
• Never use a candle if oxygen is used in the
home.
• Have flashlights and battery-powered light-
ing ready to use during a power outage. Do
not use candles.
• Keep children away from matches and never
leave them alone in a room with a burning
candle.
Facts
Winter is the peak time of year for home candle
fires. More than one-third of home candle fires
start in the bedroom. Two of every five candle
fires start when things that can burn are too
close to the candle.
* Information is from the National Fire Protec-
tion Association. For more information, go to:
https://www.nfpa.org/education
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP REPORT Page 4
Parks & Recreation Events
2020 SAVE THE DATE Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 4 at 1pm
Roosevelt Community Center
Sunset Music Festival
Date TBD at Roosevelt Community Center
Summer Camp 2020
Runs 6 weeks from the end of June-early Aug.
Info on website mid-April
Book Club
1st Tuesday of every month at 1pm
Roosevelt Community Center
Calling all Pinochle & Bridge Players
Mondays at 11am
Roosevelt Community Center
Discount Ski Resort Tickets to Bear Creek, Blue
Mountain and Jack Frost/Big Boulder ski resorts
are now available for sale through the winter
season. Sold at the Township during office
hours.
Proposed 2020 Day Trips**
Saturday, March 21: Washington, DC on Own
LV/RT 8AM/8PM $58
Thursday, March 26: Fulton Theater and lunch – Kinky
Boots. LV/RT 10AM/6PM $116
Saturday, March 28: NYC Broadway Show - Company
starring Patti LuPone
LV/RT 8:30AM/8:30PM $199
Tuesday, March 31: Odyssey Cruise and lunch on the
Potomac. LV/RT 8:15AM/7:15PM $128
Tuesday, April 7: Rice’s Market/Peddler’s Village
LV/RT 8:30AM/5PM $47
Wednesday, April 15: Bethlehem Casino
LV/RT 9AM/6PM $40
Thursday, April 23: Hunterdon Hills–Sherlock Holmes–
Immersive, Musical, Lunch Theatre
LV/RT 9AM/5:30PM $110
Tuesday, April 28: Annapolis—Guided tour, cruise,
and lunch at Carroll’s Creek Café
LV/RT 8AM/7:30PM $112
Sunday, May 3: NYC Broadway Show – Mrs. Doubtfire:
She’s a New Musical Poppets
LV/RT 9:30AM/9:30PM $150
Wednesday, May 13: Private Tour at The Barnes
Foundation and Rodin Museum Philadelphia, PA
LV/RT 10:15AM/6:30PM $93
Tuesday, May 19: Cape May, NJ and Lewes, DE on
own with ferry ride
LV/RT 8AM/8PM $59
Saturday, May 30: NYC Broadway Show – Diana: A
New Musical
LV/RT 8:30AM/8:30PM $199
Saturday, June 6: 911 Museum and Memorial
LV/RT 8AM/8PM $81
Thursday, June 11: St Michael’s Day – Cruise and
lunch at Crab Claw
LV/RT 8:00AM/5:00PM $98
Wednesday, June 17: NJ Grounds for Sculpture
LV/RT 8:30AM/5PM $62 Tuesday, June 23: Ellis Island LV/RT 7:30AM/7:30PM $74 ** Send registration form or provide the following: Name of trip, date of trip, your name, address, phone number and email. Make check payable to Middletown Township and mail to P.O. Box 157, Lima, PA 19037
For questions about any trips or events, please contact us: Email: [email protected] or Call: 610-565-2700 Ext. 241
https://middletowndelcopa.gov/parksandrec
Page 5
Megan Killian started working for Middletown Township in
August 2019. Megan worked for Chester Heights Borough as
the Administrative Assistant/Open Records Officer/
Recording Secretary. Megan has 5 years experience in local
government and 10 years working in healthcare. Megan’s
responsibilities as receptionist are to manage the front desk,
greet visitors, manage recycling concerns and answer
incoming phone calls. Megan assists the Planning and
Development department by answering questions from the
general public and contractors. When asked what her
favorite part of the job is she said, “I like the variety of
projects I get to help out with.” In her free time, she loves to
spend time with her husband and two daughters. They love to walk and bike on the Middletown
trails and spend lots of time at the beach.
Township Welcomes New Staff Members
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP REPORT
Meet our Receptionist: Megan Killian
Meet our Parks and Recreation Director: Jennifer Maull
Jennifer Maull was recently hired as Director of Parks and
Recreation. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Elementary Education
and Liberal Arts from Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Jennifer has 22 years of experience in education as a college
professor, Title I administrator, a Regional Director of Operations,
and an Executive Director of a preschool. As Director, Jennifer will
manage the Parks and Recreation Department by planning trips
and activities, such as the Sunset Festival, Blood Drives, Summer
Recreation Camp, and more! When asked what she hopes to
accomplish in Middletown Township she said, “I hope to increase
community involvement and enhance the lives of all members of
the Township by providing quality and engaging programming
and to develop the parks to be accessible, community-oriented,
and state-of-the-art.” In Jennifer’s free time, she enjoys spending time with family, watching and playing
sports, and traveling.
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP REPORT Page 6
Middletown Historical Society News and Notes VISIT US ONLINE AT MTHSDELCO.ORG
Meetings: 3rd Tuesday of each month - 7:00PM at the Roosevelt Community Center
On Sunday, December 8th, Middletown Township
Historical Society hosted a gathering at Roosevelt
School to reveal the contents of the Franklin Mint
time capsule. Special guests included Marvin
Segel, son of Joseph Segel, first owner of the mint;
Representative Chris Quinn; Kevin McLaughlin
representing the developers; and Woody McKay,
former long-time employee of the Mint. Many
alumni from the Franklin Mint were among the 125
attendees.
The Mint, an international company employing
thousands of people from the Delaware Valley and
beyond, became an important part of Middletown
Township when the groundbreaking for the new
facility took place on January 15, 1969. The
cornerstone was laid on August 15, 1969, when the
time capsule was placed. A program on the
history of the mint was given by historical society
board member Dr. Gary Grove. This was followed
by the reveal of the items found in the time
capsule.
Fifty years after the arrival of the Mint in
Middletown, the facility was demolished to make
way for new development. While demolition was
underway, former employee Woody McKay alerted
the historical society to the existence of the time
capsule and the urgency to have it salvaged. The
capsule has been donated to the historical society.
Visit mthsdelco.org to see the December 8th
program, a list of the contents found in the time
capsule, and to hear the audio of the
groundbreaking ceremony. Tony Jochum, Take 1
Creations Inc., donated his time and talent to
create a video of the ceremony which is linked to
the historical society website.
Historical Society Reveals Contents
of Franklin Mint Time Capsule The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of
the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaran-
teeing and protecting women's constitutional
right to vote. The passage marked the largest
expansion of democracy in the history of our
country and opened greater avenues of oppor-
tunities for women to participate in all sectors
of American life. In 2020, Middletown Mondays
will focus on important contributions of women
from Delaware County and the Philadelphia
region.
Our Spring lectures will take place on:
• Monday, February 24
• Monday, March 16
• Monday, April 20
Our Fall lecture dates are:
• Monday, September 21
• Monday, October 19
• Monday, November 16
Lectures begin at 7:00PM and are held at Lime
Estates (411 N. Middletown Road). All infor-
mation will be posted on our website:
mthsdelco.org and on our Facebook page
“Middletown Township Historical Society
(DELCO)”. Please follow us on Facebook! If
you don’t have access to a computer, printed
flyers will be available at the Middletown Free
Library and the MTHS Museum at the Roose-
velt Community Center.
Middletown Mondays Lectures
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP REPORT Page 7
Get Your 2020 Dog License
Annual dog licenses are available for sale at the
Township Building or at the County Government
Center. In addition to the state requirement that
all dogs must be licensed, if your dog strays and is
wearing its tag, the dog will be able to be
returned directly back to you and you can avoid
unnecessary worry, costs and trips to the
Brandywine Valley SPCA. Delaware County offers a
license tag look-up service on its website at
www.co.delaware.pa.us that provides the lost
dog’s name and phone contact information.
Chester Creek Interceptor Phase 3 (CCIP3) Update
As previously reported, the MTSA awarded the
contract to PACT One, LLC for construction of
Phase III of the Chester Creek Sanitary Sewer
Interceptor. This is the third and final phase of
MTSA’s Chester Creek Interceptor project. PACT
commenced with construction during the month
of August. The project is on schedule to be
completed by the summer of 2020. The Sewer
Authority would like to thank everyone for their
understanding and cooperation during
construction of the Interceptor.
Sewer Authority Update
Delaware County provides a Mass Notification
service to all County residents. Residents can
subscribe to receive specifically chosen
notifications.
Access the Delco Alert portal at
www.delcoalert.org. When the County issues a
notification about a potential safety hazard or
concern, a message will be sent on the voice or
text communication method which is selected at
time of registration. Your contact information is
protected and will not be used for any other
purpose.
Are You Following Us On Our
Social Media?
Twitter:
twitter.com/MiddletownDelco
General Facebook: facebook.com/middletowndelco
Parks and Recreation Facebook: facebook.com/
middletowndelcoparksandrec
Yard Waste
2020 Collection Dates
February 5
March 4
April 1 & 15
May 6 & 20
June 3 & 17
July 1 & 15
August 5 & 19
September 2 & 16
Yard waste refers to twigs, sticks,
branches, tree and shrubbery clippings
ONLY!
Council Meeting Live Videos Township Council Meetings are now recorded
LIVE. On the second and fourth Monday of each
month, Council meets to discuss issues around
the township. Residents who cannot attend the
meetings can watch from anywhere. The live
video can be accessed at vimeo.com/
middletowndelco All meetings will be recorded
and posted.
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP
27 N. PENNELL ROAD
P.O. BOX 157
LIMA, PA 19037-0157
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID
MEDIA, PA PERMIT NO. 151
Council Members
At Large
Kathleen Bell
Mark Kirchgasser
Norman C. Shropshire
First District
Susan Powell
Second District
Walter (Bok) Read
Third District
Bibianna Dussling
Fourth District
Stephen Byrne
Name changed? Report changes to
Township REPORT editor.
Editor
Alexandra Mitchell
Contact Information
Phone: 610-565-2700
Middletowndelcopa.gov
Printed by The Country Press, Inc..
on recycled paper.
Recycling Quick Tips
Co-mingle plastics 1-7, glass, steel, bi-metal, and
aluminum cans. Newsprint, phone books, junk mail,
and office paper may also be placed in the same
container with the other co-mingled materials,
provided that the paper is prevented from blowing
away by the use of a lidded container.
If using a lidless container, paper should be bundled
in paper bags or tied and placed in or near the
container(s). Corrugated cardboard and gray
cardboard (pizza and cereal boxes) are to be bundled
or stacked in bags and placed in or near the recycling
bin.
Non-Township issued containers must have Yellow
Recycling stickers affixed, available free at the
Township Building, Wolff’s and Linvilla Orchards.