Mayor's Message 9/21/22

Good evening. 

This Saturday is the 5th annual Upper Darby International Festival from 12-6pm. It’s free and fun for all ages. We have a great performer lineup, featuring Minas, a Grammy nominated band, playing songs from their hit record Beatles in Bossa which sold-out when it premiered at the World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, and Snacktime, a brass-heavy Philadelphia band formed over the pandemic and now, it has a new live album, and gigs galore across the city and at our festival! We’ll have a beer garden which is new this year and the traditional parade of flags. The YMCA Kids Zone will also be returning. We’ve recently been featured in Visit Philly’s list of “things to do” in the greater Philly area this weekend, and it’s going to be a great event. I can’t wait to see everyone there. 

The Upper Darby Police Department is now holding their Teen and Police Service Academy at the Municipal Library from 4-7pm on the second Wednesday of every month starting in October. Each session will cover a new topic and give teens from grades 7-12 the opportunity to have open, honest, and real conversations with Upper Darby’s police officers. For more information, visit our Facebook page, Upper Darby Township - Government. 

I would now like to invite our representative from Brinker Simpson, Donna Stilwell, Acting Finance Director, to give an update to Council. 

*PAUSE FOR DONNA* 

Finally, there are three ARPA ordinances on the agenda for discussion today which include funding for Parks and Public Spaces, Revenue Replacement, and COVID Relief and Negative Economic impacts which allocates funding in the form of grants for nonprofits and small business as well as our COVID premium pay for township staff. As I stated in my letter to Council, now that multiple reports have shown that none of this ARPA money is missing, the time is now to put our debates behind us and focus on the future of our community. Our dedicated Township employees are rightfully restless watching other priorities go before their well earned COVID pay. Our residents with small businesses or nonprofits are awaiting grant funding from these ARPA allocations. These funds must be allocated and contracted out by December 31, 2024 and must be spent in full by December 31, 2026. I would like to ask that a member of Council make a motion to introduce and advertise Ordinances 3121, 3123, and 3124 tonight.

Thank you.