Middletown supervisors adopt updated codes, approve purchases and appointments; auditor appointment draws dissent

Alongside approval of the Maple Point Elementary School land-development plan, the Middletown Township Board of Supervisors acted on a slate of municipal items.

Ordinances and codes
- The board enacted Ordinance 22-01 to adopt the 2018 edition of the International Fire Code, with local amendments addressing open-burning rules, false-alarm fees and clarifications on standpipe/hydrant requirements; the vote was unanimous (5-0).
- The board authorized the township solicitor to draft and advertise an ordinance to adopt the 2018 edition of the Uniform Construction Code and the 2018 edition of the property-maintenance code; that authorization also passed unanimously.

Purchases and capital items
- The board approved the purchase of five Ford utility police interceptors (three 2021 and two 2022 hybrid units), plus outfitting and decals, for a $228,000 total cost; funding sources include an RDA award ($128,536), an insurance recovery ($43,773) and a township capital contribution (~$55,715). The chief noted the hybrids are new to the fleet and that the department will track fuel and maintenance savings.
- The board approved a budgeted replacement of an aging heavy-duty tire machine and wheel balancer (Snap-on Tools) for $18,339 to support in-house maintenance.
- Parks & Recreation received authorization to execute a $235,158.86 contract with Martorano Recreation Company to replace the Cobalt Ridge playground with an inclusive design that integrates accessible ramps and sensory features for users with disabilities.

Appointments and controversy
- The board reappointed three members to the Technical Board of Appeals for five-year terms (unanimous).
- A separate and contentious appointment to fill a vacancy on the Board of Auditors passed 4-1: Linda Pascali was appointed to serve through Dec. 31, 2023. The appointment prompted public comment and internal debate about whether the vacancy should be filled by a candidate matching the departed elected official27s party; some residents urged appointing a Republican, while board members defended their selection process and candidate vetting.

Emergency and other business
- Township staff presented an emergency authorization request after a power outage damaged the police indoor range27s specialized HVAC and filtration system. The board approved a $15,751 replacement with Burns Mechanical to restore range operations and reciprocal arrangements with neighboring jurisdictions that use the indoor facility.

Votes at a glance (formal outcomes)
- Consent agenda (bill list $1,037,079.04; settlement, change orders, escrow releases, snow emergency resolution 2022-05): approved 5-0.
- Maple Point Elementary preliminary/final land-development approval (LD #21-05) with conditions: approved 5-0.
- Ordinance 22-01 (2018 International Fire Code): approved 5-0.
- Authorize advertisement of adoption of 2018 Uniform Construction Code and property maintenance code: approved 5-0.
- Police vehicle purchases and outfitting: authorized 5-0.
- Tire machine and balancer purchase: authorized 5-0.
- Cobalt Ridge playground contract: authorized 5-0.
- Reappointments to Technical Board of Appeals: approved 5-0.
- Board of Auditors appointment (Linda Pascali): approved 4-1.
- Emergency HVAC replacement for police indoor range: authorized 5-0.

The board closed with several recognitions and adjourned. Several items (final land-development plan sign-off, ordinance drafting and publication, coordination with PennDOT) remain as next procedural steps.