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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 REPORT 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.

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP REPORT

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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

[email protected]

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.