Middletown Township Committee Introduces 2021 Budget with 0% Municipal Tax Rate IncreaseThe Middletown Township Committee introduced its $84.4 million budget with a zero percent municipal tax rate increase at the Monday, May 3rd Township Committee Workshop Meeting.
The proposed 2021 municipal budget represents an ongoing commitment to minimizing costs while maximizing tax dollars and services. Despite a loss in revenue due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the municipal tax levy is less in total dollars than in 2020.
“The Township Committee and Administration collaborated to find creative ways to reduce our overall expenses through streamlining efficiencies, shared services, and pursuing grant opportunities,” said Mayor Tony Perry.
Through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Middletown was allocated $3 million to be used over the next year to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. “Once it is clear what exactly the stimulus package can be used for, we will make strategic decisions about how to best utilize the relief funds,” said Deputy Mayor Rick Hibell.
Click HERE to read the press release.
Click HERE to review the 2021 municipal budget introduction presentation.
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Shout-out to the "Heroes Helping Heroes" at the Heroes Cafe at Bayview!
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Mayor Tony Perry, Committeewoman Pat Snell, and Middletown Township Police Department Chiefs stopped by the Heroes Cafe at Bayview Elementary School on Thursday, May 6th for some tea and coffee. Mrs. Amy Jennings, a special education teacher at Bayview, and her students decided their New Year's resolutions were to perform acts of kindness for their community, which is how they came up with the idea of the cafe.The students sort orders and prepare ready-to-brew cups for the teachers and staff at Bayview for free. Staff members can pay this act of kindness forward by donating to No Limits Cafe, a Middletown-based cafe that employs individuals with developmental disabilities. So far, the Bayview Heroes have raised $1200!
The motto of Heroes Cafe at Bayview is "Heroes Helping Heroes" and that is exactly what the students and staff at Bayview Elementary School do. Click HERE to watch a video of these heroes in action. . Thank you for the delicious drinks, Heroes Cafe at Bayview! There truly are no limits to what a hero can do.
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Mayor’s Wellness Campaign Activity: Family Bike Ride on Saturday, May 15th at 3 PM
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For this event, all participants will need both a bike in working order, as well as a helmet. This ride is an "out-and-back". We will be riding along the Henry Hudson Trail, part of the Monmouth County Park System. The ride will start at McMahon Park in Middletown, then head west for approximately 3 miles. We'll take a water break, then ride back to our starting point. The ride, out-and-back, should take approximately one hour. All levels are welcome - including training wheels, bike kid carriers, and more! If skills or levels vary drastically, we may split the group for a more advanced pace or a more leisurely, little-legged cruise. Free for Middletown residents. Signup is required, walk-ups are allowed as space permits.
Click HERE to register.
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Mayor's Wellness Campaign Activity: Family Hike on Sunday, May 16th from 11 AM to 12 PM
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Join Middletown Recreation in a family hike, part of the activity series in the Mayor's Wellness Campaign! This mid-morning hike at Poricy Park (345 Oak Hill Road) is set to start at 11:00 AM. Families should meet at the Pavilion located in front of the Nature Center, wear sneakers, and bring a water bottle. Please note that the trails are not stroller-friendly. The hike will take place on trails that are not flat and involves steep steps, so please plan accordingly. Free for Middletown residents. Signup is required, walk-ups are allowed as space permits.
Click HERE to register.
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Watch the May 3rd Middletown Township Committee Workshop Meeting
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Click HERE to watch the Monday, May 3rd Workshop meeting on the Township's YouTube channel or catch it on our TV channel (Verizon FIOS Channel 26/Comcast Cable Channel 20) every night at 5:00 PM and 8:30 PM from May 7th through May 16th.
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IMA Urgent Care Centers and Primary Care is running a bottled water drive through May 15th. The water will be donated to help our firefighters and first aid squads. IMA will match a case of water for each case donated.
You can drop off donations every day to IMA Urgent Care Middletown (363 Route 36, Port Monmouth, NJ) and from Monday through Friday to Family Practice of Middletown (18 Leonardville Road, Middletown, NJ).
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COVID-19 Testing at Train Station Now on Sundays & Mondays
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Due to a decrease in the amount of testing that has been done at the train station, Immediate Care will now be offering testing on Sundays from 9 AM to 4 PM and Mondays from 1 to 7 PM.
They are no longer doing testing on Fridays, beginning May 7th.
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UPDATE ON TOWNSHIP COVID-19 VACCINATION DISTRIBUTION
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Walk-up appointments are now being offered at the Brookdale Community College vaccination site, in addition to scheduled appointments. The site is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8 AM to 4:30 PM and on Saturdays from 8 AM to 12 PM. The Moderna vaccine is administered at this site, which is for people 18 years of age and older. No one 16 or 17 years old will be admitted into the clinic.
Click HERE to book your appointment at the Brookdale Community College site. Click HERE to access a COVID-19 Digital Resources Packet from the NJ Department of Health.
Independent pharmacies, such as Middletown Family Pharmacy and Bayshore Pharmacy, are now administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
Click HERE to book an appointment at Middletown Family Pharmacy. Click HERE to book an appointment at Bayshore Pharmacy.
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Join MTPL for 100th Anniversary Celebration on Wed., 6/2 from 4:00 to 5:00 PM
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Homes are popping up on the Google Map! Take a look to see who’s participating and what they will be selling.
Want to participate? Include your home! By registering for this event, you'll be able to enter your featured items to our database. Price includes a lawn sign and your items featured on a mobile friendly webpage to advertise your sale. Sellers have the option to participate in Saturday, Sunday or both dates. In case of poor weather, you can decide whether or not to continue with your sale.
Click HERE to register your address on the map.
*Please note, COVID restrictions will apply based on the guidance at that time.
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Middletown Preschool is accepting applications for enrollment in the 2021-2022 school year! Applications for the PreK-3 and PreK-4 year-old classes are being accepted while space is available.
For more information about the school, enrollment, and tuition fees visit www.middletownnj.org/preschool.
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Keep "Striving for Five" Middletown!
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As part of Middletown’s Recycling Education Campaign, the Department of Public Works will be adding the sticker above on new and replaced recycling carts in town as a reminder to keep “Striving for Five!” and recycling right.
Items accepted curbside include bottles and cans, glass, paper, and cardboard. Please note the items listed above that are not accepted curbside, which contaminate our recycling stream. For questions on what goes where, emergency collection notifications, and personalized collection calendars, residents can download the Recycle Coach app!
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Apply for The MAC One-Act Play by Monday, May 10th
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MAC has missed in-person theatre so much and is excited to bring back The MAC One-Acts, an in-person one-act play festival featuring original works by local playwrights! After an incredibly successful virtual festival last spring, MAC is taking this year’s event outdoors and in person. Join MAC on June 4th and June 5th at 7:00 PM at MAC's outdoor canopy space for two intimate evenings of readings!
MAC is now accepting submissions to The MAC One-Acts! It’s time to dust off that abandoned script or bring to life that new idea that’s been percolating. MAC will pick six finalists to have their pieces read aloud by actors in front of an in-person audience in MAC's outdoor space.
The deadline to apply is May 10th at 11:59 PM. Finalists will be selected on May 14th.
Click HERE for more information. Click HERE to fill out the submission form.
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Submit Suggestions for MTPL's 2021 Time Capsule by May 21st
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Do you want to contribute to the Middletown Township Public Library's 2021 time capsule in honor of its centennial anniversary?
Visit the library's Circulation Desk to submit your suggestions on what should go inside it. The deadline is Friday, May 21st. Possible items to include are photos, newspaper clippings, and a meaningful note for a future generation.
Please keep in mind that the capsule is small. Visit www.mtpl.org/centennial for information and updates.
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Click HERE for information about ways you can help honor the friends, neighbors, and family members we lost on 9/11 through Middletown's 9/11 20th anniversary donation and sponsorship opportunities. For information and updates, visit www.middletownremembers911.com and follow the Middletown WTC Memorial Gardens Fund on Facebook @MiddletownRemembers911.
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Click HERE to access hi-res photos from this e-newsletter.
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Verizon FiOS Channel 26/Comcast Cable Channel 20
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