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Awards & Accomplishments
Be proud of your community! Middletown Township, its staff and its volunteers consistently receive local, regional and state and national awards for outstanding programs and service. Take a look at our growing list of awards, and noteworthy accomplishments.
2019
- The No. 1 Safest Small City in New Jersey and 7th Safest in the Nation by Top 50 Safest Small Cities in America, a report from Frontpoint Security
Awards
2018
- Top 100 Safest Cities in New Jersey for 2018 by National Council for Home Safety and Security
2017
- The 9th Safest Place to Raise a Child in America by Safewise
- The No. 1 Safest City in New Jersey and 8th Safest in the Nation by National Council for Home Safety and Security
Awards
- Asbury Park Press Readers Choice Awards for having the best Library and Fire Department in Monmouth County
- NJSACOP Accredited Chief/Executive Director Certification awarded to Police Chief R. Craig Weber
- Monmouth County Education Association Friends of Education Award - MAC Director Maggie O'Brien
- Middletown Township Committee Distinguished Citizen Award - Tom Garretson
- Middletown Township Committee Distinguished Citizen Award - Tony Panzica
Grants
- Bayshore Village which was ravaged by Superstorm Sandy gets federally backed funding for redevelopment
- NJ American Water Grant to Poricy Park for the Murray Pond Embankment Stabilization Project
- NJ Preservation Office Grant to develop preservation plan for Murray Farmhouse
- Recreational Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities Grant for the Summer Inclusion Camp
- Energy Allocation Grant for Emergency Generators
- State Grant to Augment Code Enforcement and Building Inspections for Sandy Damaged Properties
Life Saving Awards (presented by the Township Committee)
- Matt Deickmann and Chuck James were recognized for their efforts to help a man who was critically injured in a motor cycle accident. The duo provided critical first aid to the man before an ambulance arrived.
- First Aid members Jack Hueston and Roy Williams for rescuing a teenage girl from the icy waters of Sandy Hook Bay on February 17, 2015.
- Fire Marshall Buddy Skelly and Police Officer Nick Caprio for their role in an rescuing father and son from a capsized kayak in the Raritan Bay
Milestones
- Mayor's Food Basket donates more than 3 tons to Middletown Food Pantry
- Middletown’s crime rate dropped to its lowest level in more than 25 years, according to available records dating back to 1989.
- Fallen Veteran Commemorative Street Sign program launched by Veterans Affairs Committee; about 30 signs installed this year.
Noteworthy Accomplishments
- HS South Softball Team win state championship
- HS South Girls Basketball win state championship
- HS North Hockey win school's first state championship
- Middletowner & Chicago Blackhawks Defenseman Trevor van Reimsdyk Win the Stanley Cup
- Middletown Township Fire Company No. 1 member Stanley J. Midose - 59 years of service, Thorton Ryder - 53 years of service and Richard Cadman -52 years of service.
- HS South Football Team win state championship
- Middletown Soccer U13 Girls Team Win NJYSA Presidents Cup
- Eagle Scout Christian DeSanctis of Troop 32 installs Little Free Libraries at Township facilities
- Anniversary Plaza dedicated to mark the spot where the Middletown 350 time capsule is located
- New website launched
2014
- 1772 Foundation Provides $10,000 for Grover House Rehabilitation
- Asbury Park Press Best of the Best - Middletown Library
- Asbury Park Press Best of the Best - Middletown Police
- Asbury Park Press One of the Best - Middletown Fire
- Asbury Park Press Article Names website one of the best
- Life Saving Awards
- Captain Emeritus Jack Hueston, Captain Emeritus John A. Waltz Jr, and Engineer Christian Burbank of Community Fire Company, MTFD Fire Chief Emeritus Michael Chenoweth and Firefighters James Phillips and Matt Deickmann from Belford Engine Fire Company for their heroic rescue of a victim from a burning house.
- Public Works Employee Arthur Watkins for performing the Heimlich Maneuver on a choking employee, saving her life.
- Milestones
- Mayor's Food Basket collects one ton of food for Middletown Food Pantry for the holiday season
- More than a 1,000 people march in the Middletown 350 parade.
- MONEY Magazine Names Middletown One of the Best Place to Live in New Jersey and in the Northeast Region
- New Jersey Governor's Award in Art Education - Arts Center Director Maggie O'Brien
- Proclamations
- Jim Davis Jr. for extraordinary community service. Davis and his company, Whirl Construction, donated time, labor, tools and equipment this year to construct the Middletown 350 Anniversary Plaza at the Middletown Arts Center. Davis then ran the 2014 New York City Marathon in support of A Run for Coach Curti, a community fundraiser dedicatedto thememory of Jim Curti. He was also a 2014 Middletown Day sponsor.
- Safewise, a home security website, named Middletown one of the 50 safest communities in New Jersey
- Social Communities Activities Network Leader of Distinction in the Field of Aging - Senior Center Supervisor Patrice Nugent
- State Grants
- The township made the top 10 in this round of funding from the state Department of Environmental Protection with an award of $204,362. The grant is based on 2012 recycling successes. In Middletown, the recycling rate increased over 50 percent that year because the township switched to single stream recycling
- The township was awarded $20,000 award from the state Recreational Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities (ROID) grant program to bolster the Middletown’s Summer Recreation Inclusion Program
- Best Municipal Website
- Monmouth University Polling Institute E-Goverment Award
- First Aider of the Year Manuel Flores
- Police Officer of the Year Lieutenant Stephen Dollinger and Sergeant Fred Deickmann
- OEM Coordinator of the Year Charles W. Rogers
- Middletown Elks 2179 First Responder Recognition
- Excellence in Programming
- New Jersey Parks and Recreation Association
- Program: Camp Jinka
- Bronze Certification
- Sustainable Jersey
- Meritorious Service
- 2010 FBI National Academy Associates
- Police Chief Robert Oches for his work on the FBI Youth Leadership Program
- Innovation in Programming
- New Jersey Parks and Recreation Association
- Program: River Rangers
- Top 100 Places to Live in the United States
- MONEY Magazine ranks Middletown 89th
- Sustainable Grant
- The township was awarded a $10,000 grant to develop a native garden at the Poricy Park Conservancy
- Monmouth County Open Space Grant
- $250,000 matching grant for development of new ball fields and trails at the Conifer Tact Ball Fields
2009
- Best Special / Innovative Program
- 48th Annual Municipal Public Information Contest
- Sponsored by the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, Rutgers Center for Government Services and NJ Municipal Managers Association
- Program: BUY Middletown program.
- Achievement in Planning Award
- New Jersey Planning Officials
- Port of Belford Feasibility Study
- Ruth Hughes Innovative Accessible Recreation Facility Award
- New Jersey Commission on Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities
- Middletown Arts Center
- Community Champion
- Monmouth County Arts Council
- Arts Center Director Maggie O’Brien
- Public Servant of the Year
- Northern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce
- Deputy Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger
- Police Officer of the Year
- American Legion 338
- Police Officer Patricia Colangelo
- Best Integrator Fit Award
- Center for Digital Government
- For work on the public website and GIS
- Top 100 Best Places To Live in the United States
- MONEY Magazine Ranks Middletown No. 87
- Excellence in Design
- New Jersey Parks and Recreation Association
- Middletown Arts Center
2007
- Best Print Entry
- 46th Annual Municipal Public Information Contest
- New Jersey State League of Municipalities, Rutgers Center for Government Services and New Jersey Municipal Managers Association
- Special Citation - 2007 Police Officer of the Year
- Parade Magazine and the International Association of Chiefs
- Corporal James Roese
- Monmouth County Planning Board Merit Awards
- Campbell’s Junction Revitalization
- Stout Tucker House Restoration
- Cool City Designation
- Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter
- Lowest Tax Increase in Monmouth County since 2000 reported by Newark Star Ledger
- The Star Ledger reported Middletown had overall lowest tax increase compared to all Monmouth County towns except tiny Roosevelt Borough
- Also the lowest average increase for 2006 when compared to towns of comparable town such as Brick, Dover, Edison, Hamilton, Old Bridge and Woodbridge
- Victor E. Grossinger Award for Innovative Programming
- Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners
- Program: Paint Your Banner
- Charles Pike Award for Parks and Recreation Facilities
- Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners
- Facility: Middletown Arts Center
2006
- Top 100 Places to Live in the United States
- MONEY Magazine ranks Middletown 50th
- Charles W. Rogers III, OEM Coordinator
- Emergency Management Coordinator of the Year
- New Jersey Emergency Management Association
- Victor E. Grossinger Award for Innovative Programming
- Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners
- Program: United in Memory: 9/11 Memorial Quilt Exhibit
- Local Government Customer Service Excellence Awards
- State Department of Personnel
- Cultural and Arts Center Director Maggie O’Brien
- Patrolman James Roese - Rude Awakening
- Best of the Best - Local Government Customer Service Excellence Awards
- State Department of Personnel
- Patrolman James Roese
2005
- Best Print Entry
- Municipal Public Information Contest
- New Jersey State League of Municipalities, Rutgers Center for Government Services and New Jersey Municipal Managers Association
- Safest Community of Its Size in Ocean and Monmouth Counties
- Designation based on the State Uniform Crime Report
- Demonstrated Excellence in Project Management
- New Jersey Excellence in Technology Awards Program
- Project :Human Resources - Paper to PC
- Most Innovative Use of Technology
- New Jersey Excellence in Technology Awards Program
- Project: Fire and Fire Aid Computer Aided Dispatch
- Local Government Customer Service Excellence Awards
- State Department of Personnel
- Code Enforcement Officer Ralph Gengo
- DPW Supervisor Steve Hallgring
- Program: Leaf and Brush Education and Enforcement Program
- Most Effective and Outstanding Recycling Program
- Monmouth County Solid Waste Advisory Committee Award
- Recycling Coordinator Samuel Posten
- Victor E. Grossinger Award for Innovative Programming
- Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners
- Project: Community Connections Collaborative Art Project
- Excellence in Programming in the Arts
- New Jersey Recreation and Parks Association
- Project: Construction 2003, the annual Community Art Project
2004
- Local Government Customer Service Excellence Awards
- State Department of Personnel for Excellence in Internal and External Communications
- Public Information Officer Cindy Herrschaft
- Information Systems Director Walter Bennett
- Best Overall Public Information Program
- Municipal Public Information Contest
- New Jersey State League of Municipalities, Rutgers Center for Government Services and NJ Municipal Managers Association
- Victor E. Grossinger Award for Innovative Programming
- Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners
- Program: Duckoration 2002
- Excellence in Programming in the Arts
- New Jersey Recreation and Parks Association for All Aboard the Arts, the first spring arts festival
- Governor’s Volunteerism Award
- Environmental Commission Chairman Michael Fedosh
- Victor E. Grossinger Award for Innovative Programming
- Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners
- Program: Senor Homecoming Dance at Middletown Senior Center