Residents press Middletown supervisors on trash contract, water-authority funds and police staffing

Several residents addressed the board during public comment to question the recently approved single‑hauler trash contract, ask about the townshipuse of water‑authority sale proceeds and interest, and press for increased police staffing.

Jim Janka (speaker 11) asked whether the trash contract with Waste Management was final; Chair (speaker 1) confirmed it was. Janka referenced a roughly $40 million principal from a prior water‑authority sale and asked whether interest earnings on that fund had been used to subsidize trash service. Assistant Manager (speaker 12) and other staff said the principal balance is restricted by a prior board resolution and that interest has sometimes been available for use; staff emphasized the board uses interest funds selectively for budget needs. "The interest is there to be used if we need it, but we don't always use it," the chair said.

Janka criticized the board's handling of the trash service poll and expressed concern about people on fixed incomes; the chair replied the poll response rate (about 25% of households) limited its representativeness and that many respondents had differing preferences, and that maintaining manual two‑day collection at higher cost was not considered a responsible use of township finances. Janka also asked about police staffing amid growth; staff said officer staffing is reviewed annually and that the township meets with the chief each year to assess needs.

Other residents raised questions about volunteer fire companies and whether truck-fund money could be used for loan payments related to Tower 8; township staff said volunteer companies are independent 501(c)(3) organizations contracted to provide services, and the township is in the process of negotiating a single contract and further oversight of apparatus funding.