Middletown Township

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There is on-going training for municipal employees and officials and the HR function is closely engaged in advancing objectives of the municipal sustainability program.

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The municipality has established goals from the energy audit findings and is methodically implementing the energy audit findings.

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Newly elected officials participate in Local Government Academy or other orientation training for public officials.

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Municipality maintains updated public safety mutual aid agreements with neighboring municipalities and shares resources.

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Municipality maintains an updated Public Safety comprehensive plan to be sure staffing and financial resources keep pace with municipal needs for Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services.

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Municipality participates in a regional service program or contracts services to or through other municipalities for fire, police, or EMS.

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Professional staff are employed or retained, in the areas of budgeting and finance.

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A revenue-expenditure trend analysis is conducted annually.

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Funds for capital-related borrowing are not used for day to day expenses.

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Municipality routinely evaluates ability to ensure that revenue is sufficient to maintain public infrastructure, i.e., road, water, sewer, stormwater (community has an asset management based budget system).

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Obligations for pensions/other post-employment benefits are funded for the long-term to at least 80%.

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5-10 percent of operating funds are carried over year to year.

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Taxation takes a balanced approach applicable to all sectors of municipal services provided and fees satisfy cost recovery.

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All municipal-sponsored events have a sustainability-awareness component

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A program exists to actively pursue and match residents and local businesses to volunteer opportunities to better the community and assist the local government.

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Civic engagement, public participation and transparency are regularly assessed and facilitated.

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An Environmental Advisory Council is active.

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Municipality communicates with the public via a regularly scheduled newsletter or regularly updated web based communications.

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Municipality is an active participant in a Council of Governments.

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Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreements include conflict resolution provisions.

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The municipality is committed to passing a resolution (within six months of enrolling) to affirm participation in the Sustainable Community Essentials Certification Program.

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Professional development for municipal personnel and officials includes participating (at a minimum, per year) in quarterly Local Government Academy, PA DCED or other professional training association programs.

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PA State anti-idling law is enforced and compliance is promoted.

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A burn ban has been formally adopted and made part of municipal ordinance, and State or County outdoor wood fired boiler construction and operation is in accordance with state law

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Policies, plans and ordinances protect wetlands and waterways and their buffers.

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Written policies exist and ordinances and incentives have been enacted to conserve environmentally and ecologically sensitive places (for example, slopes over 25%, slide prone soils and geology, springs and vernal pools, mature woodlands, Natural Heritage Areas, etc.) in order to protect public safety and natural resources while using green infrastructure for stormwater management.

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Low impact and green development projects, as well as techniques (pervious pavement, bioswales, cisterns, woodland and steep slope protection) are fostered through incentives, ordinances and design guidelines.

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Tree and woodlands protection and management policies are in place (for example, community forestry plan and canopy goal; tree planting programs; tree maintenance programs; tree hazard and health assessment projects; computerized assessment of municipal trees, Tree/woodland replacement criteria in ordinances, etc.).

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Sustainable landscape maintenance practices are in place for parks and municipal grounds.

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The municipality actively encourages water conservation and efficiency measures in the community and among businesses.

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Low impact development and onsite stormwater infiltration is encouraged.

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Water provider(s) prioritize improving service to existing developed areas as opposed to opening up new areas to development.

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Drinking water and sanitary sewer rates are based on the real cost of providing service.

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Sufficient investments are being made to the water, sewer, and stormwater systems per real costs and keeping pace with maintenance and operations.

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Cooperation is occurring with neighboring municipalities to manage water and sewer supply, treatment and distribution, sewage and stormwater, in the most cost-efficient way.

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The zoning ordinance provides for or accommodates a full range of housing opportunities throughout the community.

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The Comprehensive Plan includes a parks/recreation and open space component with proposed passive or active greenways, parks and trails and the zoning and subdivision ordinances support the vision.

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The zoning ordinance has inclusionary housing provisions/incentives

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Traffic calming techniques, "complete streets" projects, access management and congestion management programs have been evaluated and are being implemented.

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A natural resource inventory has been developed for the community within the last 7 years as part of the comprehensive plan.

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A Transfer Development Rights (TDR) program is in place to incentivize development where infrastructure currently exists and to protect important green space.

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Staffing is in place sufficient to enforce building and maintenance codes.

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The municipality utilizes a system for collection of delinquent taxes and fees in order to mitigate blight and abandonment.

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Trails for walking and bicycling are being developed or maintained

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Alternate transportation (e.g. transit, inter-modal, multi-modal, bicycle/pedestrian) are accommodated and promoted.

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Public transportation and ride sharing are promoted and facilitated, as is transit-oriented development (where applicable).

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All municipal buildings have an active recycling program.

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Police are trained on the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists and state law on passing bicycles.

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Professional staff are employed or retained to manage the land use program.

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Comprehensive land use/development plan is current, addresses impacts to neighboring communities, and incorporates sustainability principles.

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A multi-municipal comprehensive plan has been adopted as has an official map.

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The municipality maintains and supports an initiative to encourage residents to buy local.

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A program exists (perhaps in partnership with an outside agency) to facilitate home ownership: homebuyer incentives, employer-assisted housing, community land trust, etc.

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The municipality has elected to administer and enforce PA's statewide Uniform Construction Code (UCC).

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The municipality has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code within the last 6 years per good, safe rental housing.

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The comprehensive plan and ordinances promote pedestrian-oriented, dense, walkable, mixed-use development (in existing and proposed development), and redevelopment in the core or town center.

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Up-to-date ordinances for zoning and subdivision/land development are in place to implement the comprehensive plan.

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Measures are taken to ensure a wide range of candidates are interviewed for all municipal job openings i.e., the Rooney Rule.

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The municipality has a written municipal policy prohibiting discrimination and valuing diversity and inclusion.

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The municipality has provided diversity training for municipal employees.

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A municipal sustainability program (in name) has been developed and departmental goal setting and budget processes are used to advance it.

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The municipality and local public schools cooperate to share facilities and other resources. (For example, the municipality assists with the cost of evening lifeguards for community use of a school swimming pool or for provision of crossing guards.)

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A sustainability assessment has been conducted to evaluate municipal facilities, operations, plans and regulations relative to conserving resources, saving money, and implementing policies and procedures that simultaneously advance the environment, economy, and social equity.

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Education programs are made available for residents on the benefits of organic, locally-purchased food; farmers? markets and farm stands are facilitated.

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A community produce garden(s) is available.

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Incentives exist for establishment of farms and gardens within the municipality.

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The municipality supports a program (or cooperates with neighboring communities) to engage residents in strengthening sustainable food systems to link local foods, farms and people (ex. Buy Fresh Buy Local initiative, Good Food Neighborhood, etc.).

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Programs by local government, or in cooperation with the non-profit and private sector, exist to address community health concerns, i.e. exercise programs, feeding programs for children and the elderly, crime watches, accessible health care, exercise away from areas of air pollution, etc.

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Outdoor recreation opportunities, amenities, and lifestyles are promoted.

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The municipality has reviewed ordinances, resolutions, and other policies to remove impediments to the use of alternative energy (wind, solar, geothermal) installations or green buildings.

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The use of pesticides and herbicides is being monitored and reduced by all municipal departments which use them