Middletown supervisors outline 2022 capital requests including hybrid police vehicles, park upgrades and surveillance overhaul

Middletown Township officials presented the draft capital plan for 2022 on Oct. 4, outlining requests across public safety, parks, transportation and municipal infrastructure that will be prioritized at upcoming budget workshops.

Police requested four marked patrol vehicles — two with a hybrid package — plus two motorcycles, a drone and a storage shed. The police chief said the hybrid package "is gonna cost $3,400 more for the vehicle itself," but estimated fuel savings over the vehicle life would offset that initial premium.

Parks and Recreation outlined several projects, including an updated park master plan, trail connectivity from Langhorne to Levittown, completion of an almost‑finished skate‑park grant project and construction of a pickleball court near the senior center. Park upgrades include inclusive playground features and tree‑remediation funding after two summer storms.

Missus Burkes proposed replacing a 20‑year analog surveillance system at the municipal center with IP cameras at an estimated cost of $57,000 to provide sharper images and cloud storage for recordings.

Public Works proposed continuing the annual pavement program, bridge and footbridge work, stormwater and drainage repairs, and multiple vehicle and equipment replacements including dump trucks, a rubber‑tracked excavator, a skid steer and a stump grinder. The plan also earmarked funds for ADA curb ramps, school‑zone lighting upgrades and the Swift Road/Woodburn intersection improvements.

IT and sustainability items were included: device and server replacements, migration to Office 365 and a new "sustainability" category proposing two electric‑vehicle chargers, solar assessments for township buildings, a roof replacement and a solar‑powered pond aerator.

Board members asked clarifying questions about vehicle lifespans, hybrid maintenance, access for future development near PennDOT projects and grant opportunities. Officials said many items will be refined at the board's budget workshops and may depend on grant funding or RDA (Redevelopment Authority) awards.

The capital plan presentation set priorities for further discussion at two upcoming workshops; no final funding votes were taken at the Oct. 4 meeting.