Mayor's Message 9/1/2021

Mayor’s Message
September 1, 2021

Good evening everyone, I have a couple of updates…

The remnants of Hurricane Ida have moved into Delaware County this afternoon, calling for severe thunderstorms, a high wind advisory, isolated tornadoes, and concerns for power outages and flash flooding in our area. Out of an abundance of caution, today I issued a declaration of disaster emergency due to Hurricane Ida. The full declaration is available on our website, www.upperdarby.org, and our social media channels. Please stay off the roads if you are able and do not drive or walk through flood waters. 

Twice a week trash pick up ends on this Friday, September 3rd. Please note that Monday, September 6th is a Township Holiday. Our offices will be closed and there will be no trash or recycling collection that day. This information is also available online at www.upperdarby.org/trash, or you can call the Mayor’s Request Line at 610-734-7625. 

There is currently one opening on the Upper Darby Historic Commission, as well as a few on the Library Board. If you are interested in serving on one of these entities, please send an email with a cover letter and a copy of your resume to mayor@upperdarby.org. 

We are seeking sponsors, vendors, and performers for the 2021 Upper Darby International Festival on Saturday, October 2nd, from 1 to 5 pm. Please email festival@upperdarby.org for more information, and be sure to follow the Festival’s Facebook page for future updates. 

As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise in our area, getting vaccinated is of critical importance. We must remain cautious and vigilant as we navigate the virus. To find a vaccine location, please call 484-276-2100 or visit www.delcopa.gov/vax. For resources about vaccine hesitancy, please visit www.factsoverfiction.info. 

On Saturday, September 18 we will be hosting a pop-up skate park from 11 am to 2 pm at Observatory Playground on West Chester Pike.  This event is a partnership between Upper Darby and the Delco Skate Coalition.  Many thanks to the Recreation Committee for their work on this project.

Lastly, I would like to read a proclamation in honor of the 20th Anniversary of September 11th, 2001:

WHEREAS, twenty years ago this month, on the morning of September 11, nearly three thousand men, women, and children’s lives were lost in a series of attacks intended to terrorize the United States; and

WHEREAS, we can never undo the pain and injustice borne on American soil that day, nor will we ever forget those who perished; and

WHEREAS, many Upper Darby residents felt the pain of this tragedy personally as we endured the loss of loved ones or friends; and 

WHEREAS, we came together as both a community and a country in the days, months, and years that followed, lifting each other up as we began to heal; and

WHEREAS, in remembering and honoring the lives that were lost, we reaffirm our connection to one another. On September 11, 2001, no matter where we came from, who we prayed to, or who we were, we were united as one American nation. May the same be said of us now and always.

NOW, THEREFORE I, Barbarann Keffer, Mayor of Upper Darby Township, along with Township Council, do hereby proclaim Saturday, September 11, 2021 as a Day of Service and Remembrance in Upper Darby, and I encourage all residents to honor the memory of our fellow Americans who were lost on that fateful day 20 years ago.

Thank you and have a good evening.