Middletown Township  
   October 2017
Thank you for reading this October edition of Middletown Township's monthly E-News! Please enjoy and share with your friends and neighbors. And remember to follow the Township and Police Department on Twitter  and like our Parks & Recreation Department, Fire Marshal's Officeand Police Department on Facebook to keep up to date on the latest news, events, safety concerns, and other happenings in the Township!
Fire Prevention Month
 
October is Fire Prevention Month, and the Office of the Fire Marshal and local fire companies want to keep Middletown residents safe from the dangers of fire. Several volunteer fire companies have held open houses, and the Langhorne Middletown Fire Company has an open house coming up on October 28th at the fire station in Langhorne Borough, 114 East Maple Avenue, Langhorne, PA. Coinciding with the Borough's Harvest Day, the open house invites everyone from the community for tours of the station, up-close looks at fire trucks, and a chance to talk to local firefighters. The Fire Company also will have fire prevention activities and giveaways for kids and run and fire prevention table at the Borough Hall.

Also throughout this month, Fire Marshal staff will visit all 18 daycare centers and every elementary school within the Township to stress the importance of fire safety. Their lessons and activities teach children about fire prevention and how to escape if a fire occurs.

This year's fire prevention theme from the National Fire Prevention Association is "Know 2 Ways Out." Whether at home, school, work, or any place you frequently visit, it is important to always have a second way to evacuate in case your primary route is blocked by a fire. For more information, please visit the National Fire Prevention Week website.

Fall Service Saturday

The Middletown Citizens' Service Corps (MCSC) once again brings us Fall Service Saturday.

From 9 a.m. to noon on November 18th, volunteers from the community will help disabled or elderly residents with household tasks and to prepare their homes for winter. Tasks will include cleaning a yard, replacing smoke detector batteries, help changing hard-to-reach lightbulbs, removing window air conditioning units, and more.

The MCSC is both seeking volunteers and accepting requests for work. If you are interested in volunteering and helping your neighbors in need, please contact Paul Kopera at 215-750-3890 or pkopera@middletownbucks.org. If you wish to request service for yourself or help a neighbor request service, please contact Lydia at 215-945-2920.

Volunteers for the Environment
Woman Walking Along Path In Autumn Woodland

From 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, October 21st, volunteers will place plants and trees along the walking paths in Idlewood, the wooded area behind Neshaminy High School. After securing a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Township partnered with Neshaminy High School for a program designed to rehabilitate Idlewood and provide outdoor environmental education opportunities to the community. Throughout the program, volunteers have cleared debris and invasive species from paths and installed measures to reduce erosion.

The October 21st event will see the addition of natural plants that protect the environment from invasive species. The volunteer effort will continue on November 2nd when more plants will be added along with informational cards to provide education on local species.

Anyone interested in volunteering for either occasion should contact Patrick Graham at pgraham@middletownbucks.org.


Special Police Recognitions
Officer Freer Receiving Her Award of Valor

Several Middletown Police Officers received public recognition for acts above and beyond the call of duty. At the October 2nd Board of Supervisors meeting, Chief Joe Bartorilla offered praise and certificates of commendations for members of the Police Department whose exceptional work kept the community safe.

One of the officers, Megan Freer, also earned special recognition from outside the department - the Award of Valor from the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia - for her integral role in solving a quadruple homicide. In July, Freer was dispatched for a report of a missing person. With support from Officer Robert Compton, she began an investigation that would soon coordinate across multiple police agencies to solve a quadruple homicide. Interviews revealed a potential suspect who was last seen with the missing person. Freer also discovered the last location in which the missing person's cell phone was active. This location coincided with a property that was owned by the suspect's family. The resulting search revealed that three other people with connections to the suspect were reported missing, including one whose vehicle was discovered when Freer searched the property with the Solebury Township Police Department. The following days brought officers from across the Bucks County area into an investigation and search. The investigation and quick thinking from Freer set the stage for the recovery of all four bodies and the arrest of the suspect. Her work led to a swift resolution that prevented the suspect from harming more people.

Freer and Compton were among the honorees at the October 2nd meeting, along with Michael Marks, David Strother, Nelson Webb, Jake Gallagher, Tom Leinheiser, and Steven Andrews, whose efforts included removing guns and drugs from the community and preventing a suicide.. Thank you to these fine officers for making Middletown a safer place!

Skate Park Design Update

The plan to rebuild the Community Park Skate Park hit a major milestone this month. The Parks and Recreation Department presented a design for the new facility at the October 2nd Board of Supervisors meeting. The design was created by Jesse Clayton of 5th Pocket Skateparks, a local company. Clayton, himself, found his passion for skating at the original Skate Park in Middletown, and the experience helped inspire his career designing skate parks throughout the country.

The Skate Park Committee is still seeking funds to help with the construction. They currently have raised approximately $18,000 toward their goal of $100,000. If you are interested in helping their cause, please send donations through the Middletown Community Foundation.

Halloween Safety Tips

Middletown Township wishes all residents a safe and fun Halloween. The reminders below for both parents and drivers will help ensure that the holiday remains a positive experience for those celebrating in the community.


  1. Children under the age of 12 should always trick-or-treat with an adult
  2. Costumes (or bags) should include bright or reflective material to increase their visibility to drivers, and they should not include anything that obstructs a child's vision or creates tripping hazards
  3. Carry glow sticks or flashlights
  4. Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible
  5. Drivers should be especially careful and drive slowly between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. when most kids are out
Additional information can be found from Safe Kids Worldwide at http://www.safekids.org/halloween and on the Police Department's Facebook page.

Upcoming Events
 


October 21  - Idlewood Action Day, 9 a.m. to noon
 
October 25 - Zoning Hearing Board meeting, 7 p.m. in the Public Hall of the Municipal Center
 
October 30  - Budget Workshop, 7 p.m. in the second floor conference room of the Municipal Center

November 7 -  Township Offices closed for Election Day

November 8 - Zoning Hearing Board meeting, 7 p.m. in the Public Hall of the Municipal Center

November 10 - Township Offices closed for Veterans Day


  
 
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Middletown Township
3 Municipal Way,  Langhorne, PA  19047
215-750-3800