South Heidelberg Township

Citizens, The Township Public Works crews will continue post storm clean-up throughout the day today (sorry the video states Tuesday but this video is from this morning). This will include addressing various roadways that may have experienced snow drifting or require additional cleanup as well as widening of main and side roadways. Our team will also be working on clearing sidewalks and open space areas including bus stop sidewalks owned by the Township. Thank you to our... Public Works crew members Bill Lanza, Kim Steinman, Lynwood Lamm, Ryan Wilkes, Jared Sparr and our Part TIme Plow Member Matt Smith. The team worked almost 48 hours straight to plow and treat the 59+ miles of Township Roadways through multiple waives of snow and sleet which resulted in well over 20 inches of snow. Please be safe in your travels today and thank you to all of our citizens who helped our plowing efforts by moving vehicles off of streets.

Citizens, Due to the winter storm, Trash and Recycling Collection will occur on Friday February 5, 2021. Thank you.

Citizens, Another winter roadway update showing N. Galen Hall Road at around 10:45 AM today (2/2/2021). Crews continue to work to clear and widen roadways. Most main roadways will be cleared similar to N. Galen Hall Road but work remains on some secondary roads and in development. If you must travel today please take extra time and be safe. Thank you.

Citizens, Another winter roadway update showing Huntzinger Road at approximatley 10:40 AM on Tuesday 2/2. Roadway conditions are pretty clear at this point. Our crews are continuing to work clearing and widening roads. If you must travel please allow extra time and be safe.

Citizens, A roadway update from this morning at 10:40 showing Route 422. Road conditions are pretty good at this point. If you must travel please take your time and be safe. Thank you.

Citizens, Election Day is Tuesday November 3, 2020. A few reminders and help as you head out to the polls or to the ballot drop boxes (mail in or absentee ballots) on Tuesday November 3, 2020: Find Your Polling Location. To find your polling location to vote in person go to: https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/.../PollingPlaceInfo.aspx... Polling Hours: 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM Keeping In Person Voting Safe: The polling locations have been sanitized prior to election day. Wear a mask, social distance and utilize hand sanitizer stations before and after voting. How To Vote Guide for Berks County Voting Systems. If you are a first time voter or need a refresher go to this link for step by step voting instructions for in person voting: https://www.votespa.com//P/Berks-County-Voting-System.aspx General Information on Voting in Person: A great resource with information on voting in person, Q&A, etc: https://www.votespa.com//Pa/Voting-at-a-Polling-Place.aspx Ballot Drop Box Locations. Berks county has Ballot Drop Box locations for those who requested a mail in/absentee ballot. These locations are open from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Election Day and are located at: Berks County Services Center 633 Court Street, Main Entrance Lobby off of Reed Street Reading, PA 19601 County of Berks Agricultural Center 1238 County Welfare Road Leesport, PA 19533

For October, the Spotlight is on Don Boulanger. A South Heidelberg Township resident for 32 years, Don has been an active in our community serving many volunteer roles as well as serving as a member of the Berks County Department of Emergency Management. Don truly embodies service to his community in serving in various important roles including as a Poll Worker during our elections. The Township appreciates Don for being a great citizens and volunteer in our community! Che...ck out the link to read more about Don! https://www.shtwp.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=81 See more

Citizens, It's time to "Fall Back" as daylight saving time ends on Sunday November 1, 2020 at 2:00 AM. So be sure to set your clocks back 1 hour this evening.

Citizens, In case you missed it, check out the Reading Eagle Future Ag Leaders article about Conrad Weiser Senior Erin Horack. Erin and her family are citizens of South Heidelberg Township. Way to go Erin, you have a bright future ahead of you! #shtwpproud https://www.readingeagle.com//article_7577d7b2-12e8-11eb-9

Citizens, We saw this post regarding a missing dog named Molly in South Heidelberg. Please reach out to the Police Non Emergency Number 610-655-4911 or contact the owner directly at the number listed below if you see Molly. Thank you. Update- still NOT FOUND. New, better picture below. ... Everyone in this group has been absolutely awesome but I’m personally finding it hard to navigate all of the questions and suggestions since it’s not my dog and I end up having to pass the info on. Anyone with information about the dog, could you please contact the owner at the number listed here directly? It’s a cell number so you can text him. Thank you for all the shares, please still keep an eye out. This dog is lost in our S Heidelberg Twp neighborhood off of Belle Alto. She is blind and deaf. Posting for a friend, phone contact # is 484-219-7277. If you would see her it would be best to try to leash her, since she’s blind she may be especially scared, but it would probably be easy to get her leashed. Her name is Molly, she is microchipped but has no collar. She went missing last night off of Sharon Lane. Sorry I guess you would need a collar too, I just now found out she doesn’t have one on. See more

South Heidelberg Township has again been named to the Safewise Safest Small Towns in America list for 2020. South Heidelberg has received this award for 3 years including this recent 2020 award, ranking as the 52nd Safest Small Town in America with only 5 other small towns in PA appearing before South Heidelberg Township in this latest ranking. The Safewise report utilizes FBI unified crime reporting data and population information to calculate crime rates and rankings for... each town in the United States. This award is the result of our dedicated and professional Police Officers. Their professionalism and commitment to building relationships through community policing is what makes South Heidelberg Township and our community a great and safe place to live! #SHPDPROUD #2020SAFESTSMALLTOWNAWARD https://www.safewise.com/safest-towns-america/

Citizens, There have been some questions on the development occurring on Route 422 (across from Sheetz). As a summary: - February 2019 a plan was approved to subdivide the property located along Route 422 and Aspen Avenue. The lot was subdivided into 4 lots with the first lot having a Members First Federal Credit Union. ... - The project was delayed as a Highway Occupancy Permit was needed from PENNDOT as a 4 way traffic signal and a driveway leading into the property was required. That permit was approved recently and the project began moving forward. - What you are seeing now is site preparation as the project is putting up erosion and sediment control and digging out the area as part of the development plans. - The Members First Federal Credit Union and the infrastructure (roads, pavements, etc) around the other lots will be underway and continue into 2021. - At this point the Township has not received plans for the other lots. Members First has stated they hope to have one of the lots as a "restaurant" and the other as a "retail space" but there are no plans submitted for those lots at this point. The 4th lot (next to CBL Apparel will remain vacant for the time being). Below are pictures of the overall development as well as a picture of what the Members First Federal Credit Union will look like when built. Thank you.

Citizens, Those municipal authority sewer customers serviced PA American for their water received elevated sewer bills for this most recent billing. The reason for the increase is due to PA American Water submitting meter readings for the last quarter that only included 2 months (instead of 3 months). The current sewer billing has an extra month of service to account for the last billing missing a month. This was an error made by PA American Water in their submission of the meter reading file. The municipal authority discovered the error when we began to receive calls following this most recent billing. Thank you.

Halloween Movie Night and Costume Contest is underway. Come on out to the Township building to enjoy treats and a movie. The lawn is open now and movie starts at 730 PM.

Citizens, Over the last few years the Township has worked with various third parties to ensure road damage as a result of those third parties was repaired. This week concluded a stretch of road repairs that totaled over $1.54 MILLION DOLLARS and addressed 5.48 miles of Township roadways. And this work was done at $0.00 COST TO OUR TAXPAYERS. The Township thanks its citizens for your patience during these projects. It may have seemed as if the roadway projects were never... ending and at times caused motorist frustration, however this work was necessary and part of the Township's commitment to representing our citizens and ensuring third parties doing business in our Township are "good neighbors" and repair what they damage and do so fairly and based on objective review. The major projects for 2020 have concluded and there will be some "punch list" items that will be addressed post construction that our Public Works and Engineering team will be on top of. Thank you again and enjoy the drive on these new roads!

Fire Commissioner Jared Renshaw of the Western Berks Fire Department was recently awarded the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. Commissioner Renshaw, who is a South Heidelberg Township Citizen continues to increase his knowledge and in doing so helps to provide a professional and well trained department to serve not only South Heidelberg but many other municipalities in Western Berks. Great Job Commissioner Renshaw, we are glad to have you leading Western Berks Fire Department!!! Check out WBFD's post for more information on Commissioner Renshaw's achievement.

Citizens, As you know, the election will be held on Tuesday November 3rd, 2020. Below is some information to help our citizens exercise their fundamental right to vote in the upcoming election. There are some changes this year to include the ability to mail in or drop off your ballot. See below for information to include links that will help you understand how to vote in this year’s election and where to vote if you chose to do so in person. INFORMATION ON VOTING IN PER...SON. To find helpful information on voting at a polling location go to: https://www.votespa.com//Pa/Voting-at-a-Polling-Place.aspx VOTE IN PERSON FIND MY POLLING LOCATION: To find your polling location to vote in person go to: https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pa/PollingPlaceInfo.aspx EARLY IN PERSON VOTING. Anyone who has not already applied for a Mail In or Absentee Ballot can vote early in person at the Berks County Board of Elections located at 633 Court Street, Reading PA 19601. Contact the Berks County Board of Elections for more information on early in person voting by phone at 610-478-6490 VOTE BY MAIL IN OR ABSENTEE BALLOT: To find information on applying for a mail in or absentee ballot go to: https://www.votespa.com//Pag/Mail-and-Absentee-Ballot.aspx. October 27th at 5:00 PM is the deadline for applications to be returned to the Berks County Board of Elections. November 3rd is the deadline for returning your mail in or absentee ballot. By mail it must be postmarked by 8pm on November 3rd. In person via drop off, must be in drop box by 8pm on November 3rd. MAIL IN BALLOT DROP BOXES. Citizens have the opportunity to mail in their ballots or drop them off at an official drop box location. To find official ballot drop box sites go to: https://www.votespa.com/voting-in-pa/pages/drop-box.aspx Official Ballot Return Instructions: https://www.co.berks.pa.us//OFFICIAL%20BALLOT%20RETURN%20- MAIL IN BALLOT TRACKING: Citizens can track their mail in ballot by going to: https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/BallotTracking.aspx

For October. the Spotlight is on Bonnie Paine. A South Heidelberg resident since 2000, Bonnie and her husband Doug really enjoy Halloween and decorating her home which Bonnie mentioned is truly a family affair. "I collect anything to do with Halloween, from old postcards, pins, ceramics to kitchen towels. I design and send my own Halloween cards out each year since 1983 and have them framed on the walls. My oldest decoration is a glass jack-o-lantern from the 1900's and I even have a picture of myself at 9-months-old the jack-o-lantern Check out the October Spotlight for Bonnie Paine by going to the South Heidelberg News Flash: https://www.shtwp.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=80

Citizens, Fall Leaf Collection will begin next Wednesday October 28th. The Public Works team will begin in Zone 1 (see map attached to this post) and work through each zone until the last day of leaf collection which is December 4th. Attached to this post is also a graphic showing the advised method for gathering your leaves for collection. For more information on Fall Leaf Collection check out the SHTWP.ORG News Flash Article at: https://www.shtwp.org/CivicAlerts.aspx...?AID=79 Thank you.