1155 Red Fox Road | East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
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November 2024 Newsletter






Leaf Collection & Elections, Oh My!






November News from Smithfield

Make Your Voice Heard at the Ballot Box

Election Day Tuesday, November 5th

This year, the following offices are on the ballot:

  • President & Vice President of the United States

  • United States Senator

  • Representative in Congress, 8th Congressional District

  • Attorney General of Pennsylvania

  • Auditor General of Pennsylvania

  • Treasurer of Pennsylvania

  • State Representative, 189th Legislative District

The deadline to register to vote in time for this election or apply for a mail in ballot has past. If you have not yet received your mail-in ballot, call the Monroe County Office of Elections & Voter Registration immediately at 570.517.3165.

Voted mail-in ballots must be received by the Office of Elections & Voter Registration by 8 p.m. on Election Day. There are seven dropboxes where you may submit your voted ballot. It is too late to mail your ballot and have it be received in time. Polling locations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more election information, call the Monroe County Office of Elections & Voter Registration at 570.517.3165. Sample ballots will be available there and on Smithfield Township’s Voting page.



Municipal Center Holiday Closures

The Municipal Center will be closed Monday, November 11th in observance of Veterans Day. It will also be closed Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th in observance of Thanksgiving.

Trunk or Treat & Fall Fest A Success!

Several hundred members of our community joined us for our first annual Trunk or Treat & Fall Fest! Thank you to everyone who participated.

We had an amazing turnout which connected the community in a fun and festive way. Thank you to all of our trunkers, as well as Marshalls Creek Fire Co., Shawnee Fire Co., Bushkill Emergency Corps. and District Judge Jamie Levy and everyone who contributed towards making this day a success!

We are looking forward to more community events in 2025! Stay tuned.

Fall Leaf Collection Underway

The Department of Public Works will pick up leaves from residents on Township roads beginning on Monday, October 28th and concluding on Wednesday, November 27th. All leaves must be prepared for pickup by Sunday, December 1st. The leaf truck will pass through the township during the work week of December 1st for one final pickup; any leaves not collected at that time will be the responsibility of residents.

Guidelines
Residents may only place leaf piles on township roads only. Leaf piles should not include apples, sticks, or walnuts. For a list and map of Township roads, click below to download the Township Road Map. If you reside on a private road but have leaves you wish to dispose of, you may take them to Oak Grove for composting. For more information on Oak Grove, please visit the Oak Grove website. There are no fees associated with leaf pickup.

Keep In Mind

Leaf trucks will circulate township roads once per week during leaf pickup. Dates and pickups are subject to change in accordance with weather conditions. If you see a leaf truck pass a pile without picking it up, don’t panic! Leaf trucks need to periodically leave the area to empty the collected leaves. They return to where they paused the route to ensure they don’t miss piles. Leaves fell quickly and heavily this year – expect to see more trips out of area to dump leaves than in prior years.



Local Fire Companies Battle Brush Fire

In the early morning hours of November 1st, Shawnee Fire Company responded to a brush fire in their service area between Mosiers Knob Road and River Road. Through their perseverance and the assistance of mutual aid, the fire was contained.

Shawnee Fire Company was assisted by Marshalls Creek Fire Company, Delaware Water Gap Fire Department, Blue Ridge Hook & Ladder Company, Pocono Township Volunteer Fire Company, Stroud Township Volunteer Fire Company, Stroudsburg Fire Department, the National Parks Service, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources.

Also assisting were Suburban EMS, Bushkill Emergency Corps, our Department of Public Works, the Monroe County Office of Emergency Management, Red Cross for offering food/refreshments, and Ski Shawnee for offering support and equipment.

Fires like these are an excellent reminder that our first responders are almost exclusively volunteers. We are sincerely grateful for their actions that save lives and protect properties.

What Difference A Day Makes

Submitted by Debbie Kulick, Bushkill Emergency Corps

When they say, “What difference a day makes”, what it really means to our local EMS (Emergency Medical Service) providers is, “What a difference the EMS tax support makes!” This year Smithfield Township joined by Middle Smithfield Township implemented both an EMS and Fire tax to help support the organizations serving our communities. The tax helps support in part, Bushkill Emergency Corps, Suburban EMS and Marshalls Creek Fire Company BLS services.

The difference the additional funding has made will soon be evident as Bushkill Emergency Corps was able to order and commit to sustaining funding for the purchase of two new ambulances to its fleet. One ambulance will replace the costly to maintain, 24-hour-a-day Advanced Life Support unit (2009) with a new 2024 two-wheel drive box ambulance unit costing about $230,000 when complete. The second unit replaces a no longer acceptable 1992 Basic Life Support unit with a 2023 van-type unit costing about $125,000.  These units will upgrade the existing fleet and will assure dependable transport of patients to our local hospitals.

Bushkill Emergency Corps has chosen to acknowledge this support by extending to all residents of Middle Smithfield and Smithfield Townships (primary coverage areas) the equivalent of a subscription to the organization.  What this means is if a patient is responsible for a remaining portion of a bill for transport, the organization will deduct up to $500 from the remaining balance. 

As technology changes in the availability of equipment, and training requirements increase, over time this funding will continue to allow Bushkill Emergency Corps to upgrade equipment that will better serve our patients. At the recent 5thAnnual Bushkill Emergency Corps fundraising Gala, the organization shared information that detailed the cost of some of the current equipment used by EMS. Some of the items noted were: LUCAS CPR chest compressor system/$20,015 each, Stryker Stair-Pro Stair Chair/ $17,329 each, Stryker Power Pro XT package Ambulance Stretcher/$74,586 each.

Bushkill Emergency Corps is also investing in its own providers by providing scholarships to advance their training to the Paramedic level. The organization looks forward to its recent second candidate, Wilfredo Crespo, completing his training in December and joining the previous recipient, Joseph Bolger, as part of the Advanced Life Support Staff.

Bushkill Emergency Corps thanks the Board of Supervisors for their vision for the future of services needed and their commitment to the organization and continued support as Bushkill Emergency Corps enters its 60th year of service to the residents and visitors of Smithfield Township.

 

Fall Stormwater Management Tips

We dread the “s” word, snow, as much as anyone, but it is important to ensure we are prepared to deal with increased precipitation and runoff before it gets here.

  1. Inspect and Clean Gutters, Downspouts, and Stormwater Systems
    Regular maintenance of gutters and downspouts is critical in the fall, especially before heavy rain or snow.

  2. Maintain Swales and Stormwater Basins
    Ensure that stormwater swales and other flood control features are in good condition.

  3. Clear Vegetation from On-Lot Sewage Mounds

    Remove woody vegetation growth from on-lot sewage “turkey mounds” and inspect the mound and sewage system for any obvious issues.

To learn more about stormwater management, check out our MS-4 page.


PA 529 GSP $100 Match Incentive Ending Soon

The Pennsylvania 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan is offering a special dollar-for-dollar match up to $100 now through December 31st. PA 529 plans help families save for college and career education. They are easy to use and easy to set up for your children or grandchildren.

Click below to learn more! For detailed inquiries, email PA529@patreasury.gov or call 800-440-4000.


Rivers Edge Bike Park Survey Still Open!

The Rivers Edge Bike Park is located at 123 River Road in Smithfield Township (between the Minisink Hotel and Minisink Park) and is maintained by both Smithfield and Middle Smithfield Townships. The existing park consists of a bike pump track, disc golf course, and natural trails throughout.

Smithfield and Middle Smithfield Townships received a grant to develop a Master Plan for future development of the park. Part of that Master Plan includes surveying the public. Please complete the below survey to aid in the

development of the Master Plan.


Upcoming Meetings

Unless noted otherwise, all meetings are scheduled to occur at the Smithfield Township Municipal Center, 1155 Red Fox Rd, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301.

Board of Supervisors
Tuesday, November 12th at 6 p.m.
Tuesday, November 19th at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, November 26th at 6 p.m.

Planning Commission
Thursday, November 14th at 7 p.m.

Board of Supervisors & Planning Commission Joint Session – Signage
Thursday, November 14th at 7 p.m.

Environmental Advisory Council
Tuesday, November 20th at 7 p.m.