The Delaware County Weekly

Bringing Delco news and information directly to our residents!

—— April 19, 2024 (117th edition) ——

Delaware County extends warm wishes for a joyful Passover to residents who observe this profound and historic festival. At sundown on April 22, the week-long festival of Passover begins. As the community comes together to celebrate this time of reflection and renewal, we recognize the deep traditions and rich cultural heritage that Passover represents.

Passover is one of the Jewish religion's most sacred and widely observed holidays, commemorating the anniversary of the exodus of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery.

On the first two nights of Passover (only the first night in Israel), many Jewish families hold a Seder (literally meaning 'order'), where families and friends gather to share the story of the Exodus through ritual, conversation, and special Passover foods. Some participants use a ritual book called a Haggadah, which guides them through the steps of the ritual. The Seder can also spark creativity. Leaders and participants might choose different Haggadahs or add their own thoughts and questions, fostering conversations around themes of oppression and liberation.

Seders can be a memorable experience. For some, the highlights include special food rituals such as dipping greens into salt water to honor spring and the bitterness of slavery, eating matzah (the bread of slavery and liberation), eating bitter herbs and a sweet apple/nut mixture called Haroset, or drinking four cups of wine or grape juice. For others, highlights focus on the opportunity for families and friends to gather together, while some are drawn to the opportunity to sing around the seder table, whether it is the traditional four questions (Mah Nishtana), or other special seder songs. Many families also open their doors toward the end of the Seder to welcome the prophet Elijah, a symbolic act that expresses hope for future redemption.

Chag Sameach!

Delaware County Council was proud to recognize National Public Safety Telecommunications Week during the April 17 public council meeting. 

April 14-20 is recognized across the county as National Public Safety Telecommunications Week to honor and celebrate the dedication and diligence of emergency dispatchers and call takers who play a crucial role in public safety. Their tireless efforts behind the scenes often go unrecognized but are essential in saving lives and maintaining order during emergencies. 

Delaware County’s 911 Center is the third busiest center in Pennsylvania. Their team handled more than 816,000 calls in 2023. In the past year, the call center has seen multiple system advancements, which allow operators to better serve callers. 

The safety of First Responders is dependent upon the quality and accuracy of information obtained from citizens who contact the emergency communications center. Public Safety Telecommunicators are the first and most critical contact our citizens have with emergency services.

Delaware County’s Public Safety Telecommunicators have contributed substantially to the apprehension of criminals, suppression of fires, and treatment of people in need of medical help. They exhibit compassion, understanding, and professionalism during the performance of their job.

Delaware County Council commends Delaware County’s Director of Emergency Services Timothy Boyce and his team this week and EVERY week. Thank you for your dedication to the residents you serve each day!

Delaware County Elections Issues Final Guidance for the April 23, 2024 Primary Election 

Sample Ballots, In-Person Polling Places, Secured Ballot Drop Boxes, Naked Ballots, and more

Delaware County Elections is issuing final guidance for the upcoming primary election, scheduled for Tuesday, April 23. Polls will open at all 259 polling locations at 7:00 a.m. and remain open until 8:00 p.m. 

Here is a rundown of things that Delaware County voters should know before heading to the polls (or a ballot drop box). As a reminder, only voters registered with the Democratic or Republican parties are eligible to vote in the Primary Election. 

Sample Ballots, Candidate Lists, and Polling Places

Sample ballots, a candidate list and other resources are available at the Delco Votes! website at DelcoPA.Gov/Sample. Easy-to-use polling place resources, including an interactive map, downloadable list in PDF format, and a lookup tool are available at DelcoPA.Gov/Polls. While a small number of polling places change from election to election due to feedback from the community, construction, and other reasons, the vast majority of polling places typically remain unchanged. 

These new polling places for the election include: 

• Brookhaven 2: Brookhaven Municipal Center, 2 Cambridge Rd
• Darby TWP 5-1 and 5-2: Delaware County Community Center, 767 Beech Ave
• Haverford 5-3: Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave, Swan Multipurpose Room (Room change)
• Nether Providence 4-1 and 4-2: Strath Haven High School Cafeteria (Use Brookhaven Road entrance)
• Tinicum 5: Tinicum Township Municipal Bldg., 629 N Governor Printz Blvd
• Trainer Lennox Park, Trainer Lower, Trainer Upper: New Trainer Borough Municipal Bldg, 4300 Township Line
• Chester City 1-2 and 1-8: Parkside Fire Co, 107 W Roland Rd
• Chester City 2-4 and 5-2: Gilbert's Ballroom, 705 E 11th St

By law, voters must go to their designated precinct polling site to vote in-person on election day. Note: All precincts will have Electronic Poll Books with the capacity to give voters at the wrong site information on their correct polling place.

Electronic Poll Books

Voters and poll workers at all 428 precincts will have e-poll books. These were first introduced to approximately 39% of the county precincts during November 7, 2023 General Election. The cutting-edge technology has multiple advantages over the old paper pollbooks.

One key advantage of e-poll books is the ability to check-in voters more quickly. Instead of searching through hundreds of pages in a paper pollbook, workers with an e-poll book simply enter the first three letters of a voter's last name and first three letters of the first name to find the record.

Other advantages include the ability to seamlessly manage check-ins for up to six precincts in the same room. This minimizes confusion, ensures voters are directed to the correct precinct the first time, and maintains the integrity of the electoral process. The e-poll books also provide consistent voter instructions for all voter situations countywide. If the name is not located, poll workers also can search by date of birth or address—all streamlining and simplifying the voting process for Delaware County voters and poll workers.

Mail/Absentee Ballots

All mail/absentee ballots requested have been mailed. Voters who requested their mail/absentee requested shortly before or on the April 16 deadline should receive their mail/absentee ballot by Saturday or Monday. If you have recently applied to vote with a mail/absentee, and have not yet received the ballot, please contact the Election Hotline at (610) 891-VOTE (8683), or visit the Voter Service Center, located in the Government Center Building at 201 W. Front Street, in Media, PA.

Don't Mail Your Mail/Absentee Ballot Close to Election Day!

Ballots mailed through the US Postal Service in the final days leading up to Election Day, or on Election Day, are unlikely to reach the County by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots delivered after 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, regardless of the postmark date, cannot be counted.

Delaware County voters who have yet to return their mail/absentee ballot may use any of the more than three dozen ballot drop boxes located throughout Delaware County or in-person at the Voter Service Center, located on the ground floor of the Government Center Building at 201 W. Front St., in Media. The Voter Service Center is open on Election Day, Tuesday, April 23, from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Services include emergency absentee service and replacements for ballots that voters did not receive, or that they damaged, lost or mismarked.

Properly Returning Your Mail/Absentee Ballot at a Secured Ballot Drop Box

Delaware County voters may return their mail/absentee ballot at any of the more than three dozen secured drop boxes located in municipalities across the County.

Ballot drop boxes are located at safe, secure, ADA-compliant locations and are under video surveillance. Ballot drop boxes are large white metal receptacles, similar in size to a USPS mailbox, and clearly marked with the wording “Official Ballot Drop Box” and “Delaware County Board of Elections.” These drop boxes are designed for only one use: The return of mail/absentee ballots by Delaware County voters in the weeks before and including Election Day. Postage is not required to return a Delaware County mail/absentee ballot.

A list of drop box locations (and hours of operation) was included with the mail/absentee ballots mailed by the County and at the Delco Votes! website at DelcoPA.Gov/DropBox. Most ballot drop boxes are open 24/7 through Election Day (Note: Chadds Ford closes at 4:00 p.m. each weekday, including Election Day. Ridley Park Borough Hall, however, which typically closes at 4:00 p.m., will remain open until polls close at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. 

The deadline for voters to return their mail/absentee ballots at the Voter Service Center or an official Delaware County ballot drop box is 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, April 23.

Don't Return Mail/Absentee Ballots for Friends and Family!

Voters are reminded that they can return only their own ballot. Voters cannot return ballots for spouses, family members, or other individuals—unless an official ‘3rd Party Delivery Form’ (also called the “Authorize a Designated Agent to Help You Obtain and/or Return Your Mail-in or Absentee Ballot”). Voters who attempt to return ballots on behalf of other voters without authorization will be referred to the Delaware County District Attorney for investigation.

Don't Vote Naked!

Voters who are casting a mail/absentee ballot must mark their ballots in blue or black ink. Once the ballot has been completed, voters should place the ballot into the yellow secrecy envelope, seal that yellow secrecy 0envelope, and then place that item into the larger purple-and-white pre-paid return envelope. Voters must also complete the voter declaration section on the exterior of the purple-and-white return envelope, being sure to include their signature and today’s date. The lack of a proper date or signature can disqualify the ballot.

Ballots returned without using the yellow secrecy envelope are called "Naked Ballots" and cannot be counted.

Correcting Flawed Ballot Envelopes

Mail/Absentee ballots that are reviewed and determined to be flawed (damaged, unsigned, undated, improperly dated, unsealed, or not placed in the yellow “secrecy envelope” before being placed in the larger purple-and-white “Ballot Return Envelope”) are segregated, and the Bureau of Elections attempts to contact voters to give the voter a chance to obtain a new ballot at the Voter Service Center or request a replacement mailed ballot, if time permits. Any mail/absentee ballot with a legal flaw will be disqualified. By law, the Delaware County Bureau of Elections is prevented from processing the ballots from flawed envelopes.

Voters who have received notice from the Bureau of Elections that their ballot envelope is flawed must correct the ballot in-person at the Voter Service Center, located on the 1st floor of the Government Center Building, at 201 W. Front St., in Media, PA. Voters who are notified of a flawed mail/absentee ballot also may cast a provisional ballot at their precinct polling place on Election Day.

Military/Overseas Ballots

Military and overseas voters must complete their ballot and submit it for delivery by mail no later than 11:59 p.m. on the day before Election Day. The Bureau of Elections can receive timely-mailed military and overseas absentee ballots until close of business a week after Election Day.

Election Results (Unofficial)

Unofficial results for each election—including primary, general, municipal, and special elections—are posted on the Delco Votes Election Results web page, located at DelcoPA.Gov/Results, starting at or about 8:20 p.m. on election night. Results are only considered official upon certification by the Pennsylvania Department of State.

Visitors to the Election Results web page will notice a new look for the April 23, 2024 Primary Election. To view votes from precinct, mail and provisional categories, click on a contest (such as “United States Senator”) and then click on the “Vote Types” tab below the map.

Our Election Hotline

Delaware County Elections maintains an Election Hotline at (610) 891-VOTE. The hotline is staffed by trained employees prepared to answer Delaware County residents' questions and provide a variety of services, and is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Election Hotline will be open on Election Day from 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 midnight.

Election Day Issues

Voters who have concerns regarding voting irregularities can call the Delaware County Election Hotline at (610) 891-VOTE. Voters who witness what they believe to be criminal activity are asked to call the Delaware County District Attorney’s office at (610) 891-4184.

The Voter Service Center

The Delaware County Voter Service Center, located at the Government Center Building, 201 W. Front Street, in Media, is open and will provide a variety of in-person voter services on weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon. On Election Day only, the Voter Service Center will open at 7:00 a.m. and remain open through the close of polls at 8:00 p.m.  

Our Delco Votes! Website

For more election information, visit our website at DelcoPA.Gov/Vote.

Let's Vote, Delco!

Delaware County’s 2024 Senior Games to Kick Off June 10

Registration now open through May 31; Preview Party at Redwood Center scheduled for April 25

The Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging (COSA) and the Delaware County Parks and Recreation Department are gearing up for the 2024 Delaware County Senior Games. This popular Olympic-style competition offers senior athletes and active older residents a chance to display their athletic prowess and compete for medals in various sporting events.

The games, which run from Monday, June 10 through Friday, June 21, promote social and physical activity among seniors, encouraging them to achieve their personal best. Each year, hundreds of athletes aged 50 and older from across the county participate. Competitions include track and field, swimming, golf, bowling, table tennis, bocce, corn hole, horseshoes, and pickleball. Medals are awarded in every age category, and all participants receive a complimentary Senior Games t-shirt.

The games foster not only competition but also camaraderie and wellness among participants. Physical activity, even at moderate levels, can enhance mental capacity, prevent disease, improve healing, boost balance, and extend life expectancy.

The 2024 Senior Games will kick off with Pickleball at the Brandywine Youth Club in Concord and Bocce at Rose Tree Park on June 10. Events will continue Monday through Friday for the following 10 days, except for Wednesday, June 19, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.

Senior Games Preview Party

COSA and Parks and Recreation will host a 'Senior Games Preview Party' on Thursday, April 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Redwood Center in Upland Park in Brookhaven. This casual get-together is a great opportunity for seniors to mingle with friends and officials, enjoy refreshments, receive some surprise giveaways, and register for the Senior Games in person. The event also offers a chance for pre-competition practice in Corn Hole and Wii Bowling—a perfect way to refine skills, meet competitors, and have fun.

Marc Manfre, Director of Delaware County’s Parks and Recreation, and Barbara S. Nicolardi, Director of COSA, will again co-chair the longstanding games.

“We’re always thrilled to partner with Marc and his team to host the Senior Games," said COSA Director Nicolardi. "And this year, we’re particularly excited about the new Preview Party at Redwood, which we believe will attract new participants and provide a fantastic opportunity for residents to familiarize themselves with the games. It’s the ideal setting to foster camaraderie, ignite competitive spirits, and energize everyone for the competition."

“We’ve been a proud partner in the Senior Games for over two decades now, and we look forward to it every year,” added Parks and Recreation Director Manfre. “The seniors always participate in great numbers and with an enthusiasm that creates an exciting atmosphere.”

All participants will be invited to the Winner’s Circle Luncheon in July. 

Registration is required for all events. The fee is $15 for Delaware County residents 50 and older, and $20 for non-residents. Registration forms, schedules, and additional information are available at the Parks and Recreation Office in Rose Tree Park, local libraries, senior centers, and online at DelcoSeniorGames.Org.

For more information or to register, residents can call the Parks and Recreation Department at (610) 891-4663 or COSA at (610) 490-1300. Delaware County has also created an inspiring video to motivate seniors to get active for the games and in their daily lives. Check it out.

Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor was honored to attend the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards Luncheon at the Drexelbrook Event Center in Drexel Hill. 

The annual awards luncheon, attended by elected officials, local business leaders, Chamber members, chamber board members, and the honorees’ companies, families and friends, celebrates outstanding businesses in Delaware County and their impact on the Delaware County economy and community. 

Delaware County has strong partnerships among business leaders and professionals and events such as the Small Business Awards Luncheon help to strengthen those relationships. When one Delco business succeeds, the whole county benefits. 

Council thanks and commends Trish McFarland, President of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, and her staff and Chamber members for all of the hard work, skill, and innovation that they contribute to Delaware County.  

The County extends its congratulations to all of this year’s winners, including:  

• Small Business of the Year: National Realty Corp
• Small Business Person of the Year: Carley Razzi, Penns Woods Winery
• Entrepreneur of the Year: D3lco Effect
• Family Business of the Year: Tomorrow's Utilities
• 2024 Economic Driver: WSFS Bank - WSFS Sportsplex 
• Culture Creator: Keenya Cain

Small Business of the Year:

National Realty Corporation

Small Business Person of the Year: Carley Razzi, Penns Woods Winery

Entrepreneur of the Year:

D3lco Effect

Family Business of the Year:

Tomorrow's Utilities

2024 Economic Driver:

WSFS Bank - WSFS Sportsplex 

Culture Creator:

Keenya Cain

For more information, visit the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce website at DelcoChamber.org.

Delaware County Council Member Elaine Paul Schaefer, Delaware County Director of Emergency Services Timothy Boyce, and Delaware County 1st Assistant District Attorney Tanner Rouse were honored to join Radnor Township Superintendent of Police Christopher Flanagan, Radnor Township Board of Commissioners Jim Riley (Ward 4) and Moira Mulroney (Ward 5), and Radnor Township Manager William M. White on April 9 for the annual Radnor Township Citizens Police Academy graduation ceremony.

Now in its 7th year, the Citizens Police Academy offers a dynamic 9-week program that combines classroom and practical instruction in law enforcement fundamentals, aimed at enhancing community-police relations.

This year, twelve Cadets—Michael Brunswick, Jillian Buck, Mia Carpenter, Stacy Clarck, Barbara Cobb, Ena Fountain, Candy Neely, David and Janie Partridge, Neal Saswal, Daniel Shalev, and Lisa Woodcock—graduated in the presence of friends, family, and local officials. Speakers at the ceremony included Council Member Schaefer, First Assistant DA Rouse, Delaware County communications dispatchers, and members of the Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT).

The twelve new graduates bring the total number of members to over 125 since the program was formed in 2015.

“Fostering strong bonds between law enforcement and the community is pivotal to building mutual respect and enhancing community well-being,” said County Council Member Schaefer. “The Radnor Citizens Police Academy serves as a great model. We extend our deepest gratitude to Superintendent Flanagan, Sergeant McHale, the entire Radnor Police Department, and all the Cadets for their unwavering commitment. Their dedication is instrumental in enhancing our public safety and strengthening the fabric of our community connections.”

Throughout the 9-week course, participants engaged in hands-on scenarios ranging from domestic abuse responses to routine traffic stops, and even simulated crime scene investigations using real investigative tools. Cadets also had the opportunity to meet Radnor Police Officers and participate in ride-alongs during patrols. This immersive experience is designed to deepen understanding of day-to-day police operations and foster stronger community ties.

“We’re so proud of this program, and the graduates this year did an amazing job,” said Chief Flanagan, who has overseen the Academy since its inception. “The Citizens Police Academy is more than just a training course; it's a vital bridge that connects the police force with the community we serve. Each session, whether it's about tactical procedures or legal frameworks, not only educates but also opens channels for ongoing dialogue and transparency in policing.

Graduates are afforded the opportunity to join Radnor’s Citizens Police Organization, which supports the Township at various events, including MusicFest, Villanova University’s Commencement and Championship Celebrations, and Township holiday parades, all on a volunteer basis.

County Council extends its congratulations to the graduates of the Radnor Township Citizens Police Academy's 2024-07 Class! 

Interested in Becoming a Cadet?

Radnor residents can visit the Radnor Township Citizens Police Academy website or contact Superintendent Christopher Flanagan by email at CitizensPoliceAcademy@radnor.org for more information about the academy. New classes are held every spring, with the application period usually opened by end of January.  

Radnor Township Citizen's Police Academy's 2024-07 Class

Academy Training

Academy Training

Academy Training

Academy Training

For a closer look at the graduates in action, check out this video on the Radnor Township official YouTube channel highlighting this year's graduating class.

In 2023, Delaware County adopted its first sustainability plan Sustain Delco, which outlines goals and actions for a more sustainable Delaware County.

In the plan, Delaware County set an aspirational goal of achieving Zero Waste both in county operations and within the community. Composting was among the many actions identified in the plan.

To push these plans forward, we began composting at our County cafeteria, Capozzoli Café’ in January, and have already diverted 4,000 pounds of food waste from ending up in a landfill. 

Learn more about how Delaware County is turning food waste info nutrient rich compost with the help of Mother Compost and Linvilla Orchards.

Delaware County Govt Official 2024 Calendar

Meet Your Delaware County Council Members

Delaware County Weekly Sign Up & Past Editions