November 2023 #NewtownPA News of Interest
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Mack's #NewtownPA News: Plastic Bag Ban, A Bridge Too Far?, Bagged Stop Signs, 2024 Budget Advertised, more...
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November 2023 #NewtownPA News of Interest
- 1. November 2023 Issue of News of Interest https://youtu.be/o0RdqywqXrI Newtown Supervisor John Mack Plastic Bag Ban, “Preliminary” 2024 Budget Revealed, Steeple View Pedestrian Bridge – Is It a Bridge Too Far? What’s With the Covered Stop Signs on Lower Dolington Road, More... HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
- 2. Single-Use Plastics Ban Presentation by EAC Co-Chair Elaine McCarron at 8 November 2023 BOS Meeting View the Video: https://rebrand.ly/PlasticsBan_Preso
- 3. • Implemented 120 Days After Effective Date • Businesses Must Post Notice • Bans – Single-Use Carry-Out Bags (not bags used in store for fruit, vegs, candy, ...) – Plastic straws & utensils available only upon request (ADA requirement) – Styrofoam (with exceptions) • Businesses Can Request Extensions
- 4. Preliminary 2024 Budget Deficit Spending • Deficit = $2,289,430. This is covered by a 2023 General Fund balance of $4,134,661 • Thus, Net Fund Balance for 2024 = $1,845,232, which is 11 % of TOTAL EXPENDITURES. Good accounting practices recommend 17% to cover emergencies. https://rebrand.ly/2024Prelim_Budget
- 5. Preliminary 2024 Budget Highlights • 3 Mil Tax Increase • 2.69 Miles of Roads Repaved in 2024 • Fire Protection – weekend coverage by newly-hired paid firefighters • Debt Service – new to cover for loan payments related to new LED Street Lights, Pedestrian Crossings • Need for Future Tax Increases – why?
- 6. Steeple View Bridge Is This a Bridge “Too Far” for Newtown Twp Residents? Blog Post: https://rebrand.ly/SteepleBridgePost
- 7. Steeple View Bridge Some Concerns Blog Post: https://rebrand.ly/SteepleBridgePost • Benefits only Borough/Steeple View residents – Too far from N. Sycamore St businesses – Won’t be used for access to ball field as claimed by supporters • We already have a plan for a Newtown Creek bridge at the other end of town – Applied for a grant to cover costs • Costs for Township Unknown
- 8. The Survey In general, how much are you in favor of/opposed to the Steeple View and Frost Lane bridges? https://forms.gle/LkSieg9UyEHfymNy5
- 9. Stop Signs Unveiled! Alert posted 28 November 20, 2023 by NTPD: “The two new stop signs have been placed in service on Lower Dolington Rd.”
- 10. Supreme Court To Decide How Public Officials Can Use Social Media?! RUH-ROH! Can elected officials block constituents from posting on their social media sites?
- 11. Thank You! Visit my website & Subscribe! www.johnmacknewtown.info/news.html
Editor's Notes
- Hello! Welcome to the VIDEO EDITION of the November 2023 News of Interest e-newsletter. This version includes updates to some of the stories covered in the 15 November 2023 email version. You can subscribe to my newsletter and receive it each month via email. You can easily opt-out at any time. Just go to my website www.johnmacknewtown.info (or dot com) and hit the SUBCRIBE button!
- Next up is the proposed single-use plastics ban ordinance. Some details regarding this ordinance was presented in a presentation by Elaine McCarron who is the Vice Chair of the Newtown Environmental Advisory Council. This is a video of that presentation. It includes Q&A with Supervisors and comments from residents. Also included are comments from Maryann Verdan, McCaffrey's Markets VP of Operations. Her comments were made at the April 3, 2023, EAC meeting. Ms. Verdan asked for a delay to allow PA lawmakers to pass a state-wide ban. Ms. McCarron responded to that request.
- More Highlights: 24 Municipalities in Pennsylvania have now passed a Single-Use Plastic Ordinance. Following passage of the Ordinance, education will be a priority of the EAC. The EAC will also be providing a vendor list to businesses for plastic alternatives and suppliers of recyclable paper bags, which we are compiling now from information supplied by other municipalities that have passed ordinances. Recyclable paper bags may be provided by the business for a minimum charge of ten cents. In case of violations, businesses will first be given a warning before any violations will be imposed. UPDATE: The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 at its Nov. 21 meeting to advertise the single-use plastics ban ordinance (see https://sco.lt/8ZQ5Qm). It goes into effect - is enacted - (if passed) on April 9, 2024. Businesses have 120 days to comply. They can request a 1-year exemption; According to our Solicitor:'s memorandum: "On the recommendation of the EAC, the Township Manager, or his or her designee (most likely the Code Enforcement Officer) may grant up to a 1-year temporary exemption to allow a particular business that has an inventory of single-use plastics to exhaust or has no reasonable alternative to using single-use plastics. The hierarchy of enforcement of the ordinance is as follows: A written warning for a first offense with a 30-day grace period before issuing a second offense; a civil penalty of $50.00 for a second offense; a civil penalty of $100.00 for a third offense; and a civil penalty of $200 for a fourth or any subsequent offense.” The earliest the ordinance can come up for a vote is at 20 December 2023 Board of Supervisors meeting.
- Advertised on 11/12/23 in BCCT. Deficit = $ 2,289,430; This is covered by $ 4,134,661 2023 balance Thus, Net Fund Balance = $ 1,845,232 (11 % of TOTAL EXPENDITURES; Good accounting practices recommend 17% to cover emergencies)
- The Steeple View bridge is just a concept, but the developer has already asked in confidence for opinions from Newtown BOS members (read more about that here: https://sco.lt/6MchWK). The Newtown Borough Council has announced a new timeline for the approval of the Steeple View redevelopment project. A revised preliminary as final land development plans are scheduled to go before the planning commission at its Dec. 4 meeting. Following that review, the plan is tentatively scheduled to go before the borough council at its Dec. 6 work session. A final vote could happen as early as the Tuesday, Dec. 12 council meeting.
- See the grant application for the OTHER proposed Newtown Creek bridge: https://bit.ly/LSA_BridgeGrant_Application An important issue that will need to be addressed is the developer’s concern regarding the cost of the bridge. “We have no problem putting a bridge in,” said the developer’s representative at a meeting with the Borough Planning Commission. “It’s an issue of timing” AND COST! “Because one end of that bridge would be placed (at the developer's expense) in a Newtown Township park, the bridge could be installed only if Newtown Township consents,” said the representative in a June 2023 letter to the township. “Any [so-called] ancillary improvements on the Newtown Township end of the proposed bridge (pathway, lighting, signage, etc ... ) [and associated costs] would be the responsibility of the Township.” Meanwhile, newly elected Borough Council member Julia Woldorf tells why she no longer supports Steeple View: https://sco.lt/95IJbE Spoiler Alert! She also thinks it will not help businesses – in the Boro!
- What's Your Opinion? In general, how much are you in favor of/opposed to these proposed bridges? PLEASE TAKE MY SURVEY. All responses are confidential – no identifying information will be revealed.
- The stop signs had been covered with plastic garbage bags for several months.
- The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in two key cases about how public officials use social media. The cases explore whether two school board members in California and a city manager in Michigan violated the First Amendment by blocking constituents posting criticism on their personal social media pages. The constituents in the cases believe these social media pages were actually operating as an extension of government work.
- Thanks for listening. Be sure to visit my website and subscribe to the email edition of the News of Interest newsletter. LINK: https://www.johnmacknewtown.info/news.html