Upcoming Meetings
Board of Supervisors Regular Business Meetings

Join via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/94447566092?pwd=Q014UVllZUdSWk5Mbjc1bjFTVjY3UT09

1. Tuesday, October 13th at 7 p.m.
2. Tuesday, October 27th at 7 p.m.

Board of Supervisors Work Sessions
Join via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/99829592813?pwd=VS9yN1ZrZUJBcUZ0c1lXR0krR09UZz09

1. Wednesday, October 7th at 4 p.m.
2. Wednesday, October 14th at 4 p.m.
3. Wednesday, October 21st at 4 p.m.
4. Wednesday, October 28th at 4 p.m.

Township Budget Work Sessions
Join via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/99829592813?pwd=VS9yN1ZrZUJBcUZ0c1lXR0krR09UZz09
The Township budget season is starting! Budget work sessions have been scheduled for*:

1. October 14th at 10 a.m.
2. October 21st at 10 a.m.
3. October 28th at 10 a.m.
4. November 4th at 1 p.m.

Current budget documents may be downloaded at https://smithfieldtownship.com/departments/finance/.
*note: The Board may not necessarily use all four meeting dates. Follow us on Facebook for updates.

Planning Commission
Join via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/97371009085?pwd=RVo2c2ptUFdFOGx1SzNBaUVhWnU1UT09

1. Thursday, October 8th at 7 p.m.

1. You can vote in person.
   Smithfield Township’s regular four polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3^rd. Voters are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing. Voters are also recommended to bring their own pens (blue or black ink only).
2. You can vote via mail, without an excuse.
   You may vote via mail, without providing an excuse. You may drop off your own voted ballot at the County Board of Elections dropbox, located at One Quaker Plaza, Room 105, Stroudsburg, PA 18360. If you mail your ballot, it is advised you mail it no later than October 27^th. Voted ballots must be received by the Board of Elections by November 6^th at 5 p.m, according to the latest PA Supreme Court ruling.
3. You can vote via absentee, with justifications.
   If you are absent from your municipality (due to work or other duties) or are ill or physically disabled, you may vote by Absentee Ballot. You may drop off your own voted ballot at the County Board of Elections dropbox, located at One Quaker Plaza, Room 105, Stroudsburg, PA 18360. It is recommended that you have your ballot in the mail no later than October 27^th. For military absentee ballots, see http://www.monroecountypa.gov/Dept/Voter/Pages/VoterEmpowermentAct.aspx

For sample ballots, registration links, polling place locations and locators, & more information on the 2020 general election, visit www.smithfieldtownship.com/resources/voting-electedofficials.

I recently attended the monthly meeting of the Township officials in Monroe County. The discussion led to how to best accommodate children on Halloween, which got me thinking about sugar consumption.

Sugar, while it is delicious, can be dangerous. According to the CDC, over 34 million people in the US have diabetes, and 88 million over the age of 18 have pre-diabetes. That means one in ten Americans have diabetes, and one in three of the US adult population has pre-diabetes. What causes it? For some it is inherited, but for most it is a sugar-rich diet – did you know there’s sugar in some fast-food hamburger buns? Diabetes is deadly if not properly managed. Some of the potential complications of diabetes include nerve damage, kidney damage, eye damage, and cardiovascular disease.

The first step is to be aware of how little sugar the body needs. The American Heart Association recommends men consume no more than 9 teaspoons of added sugar daily, and women and children under 18 consume no more than 6 teaspoons. Halloween is our biggest sugar holiday, and it’s important to mitigate our children’s sugar consumption.

There are alternatives. Cookies can be made with Stevia and dark chocolate chips. No-sugar-added snacks like some (but not all) dried fruit or nuts are great alternatives too. Search “No Sugar Candy” on the internet and you will see pages of choices!

It’s not as easy as going to the supermarket and wandering an entire aisle of sugar candies sold in bulk bags to hand out on Halloween. But isn’t it worth a little more time and some more pennies to give kids treats that can enforce good habits? One day, maybe we can all achieve a healthier Halloween.
Interested in learning more about Diabetes? Check out the CDC’s webpage on Diabetes.

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• Interactive COVID-19 symptom checker
• Opt-in for alerts for potential exposures to the virus
• Updates on the latest public health data about COVID-19 in PA
• Advice for what to do if you have a potential exposure to COVID-19