nb news 116

Volume 25, Number 1 Winter -Spring 2016

Burkart Hall Renovation

Less than a year ago, the Borough was awarded a grant from

Bucks County Community Development for approximately

$110,000 to install a new elevator and bathroom for handicap

accessibility. At the recommendation of the Burkart Hall Com-

mittee, Robert Binkley, Chairman, Bruce Burkart, Mary Pat

Holewinski, Peter LaMontagne, Lori Kesilman, and Craig

Sturza, we hired an architect, Matt Piotrowski, who came up

with a design that placed a new covered stair entry and the

elevator in the rear of the building, and located a new bathroom

on the upper meeting room floor. The plan also called for the

demolition of the internal stairway located in the side of our

meeting hall.

Sealed bids were sought, and Eiseman Construction, a

builder located in the Borough, was the low bidder. Construc-

tion began in September, and was substantially completed by

the beginning of February. Bob Binkley acted as the General

Contractor along with Borough officials. John Jester, a New

Britain manufacturer, donated fire-rated door systems for the

job. A new ceiling and carpeting were installed and a small group

of volunteers, including Bruce Burkart (after whose family the

building has been named), Bob Binkley, Dan O’Leary, Halsey

White, and Mark Hintenlang, took on interior demolition,

interior renovations to the ducting system, lighting, paint,

Front (l-r): Bruce Burkart and Dan O’Leary. Back (l-

r): Mark Hintenlang, Bob Binkley and Halsey White

(standing on the ladder).

See Inside for Big

Changes in the Borough

G New Council Members

G New Manager

G New Solicitor

Burkart Hall Open House

Saturday, April 23

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The New Britain Borough Historic Preservation Commit-

tee invites you to a dedication and Open House to showcase the

renovations at Burkart Hall. Come meet some of the residents

who donated their time and expertise to the project. Bruce

Burkart will give a presentation about the history of the

Borough at 1 p.m.

insulation, and the installation of a repurposed window in the

area where the old stairs had been removed. The result is

essentially a new meeting hall, reversed in layout from the old

hall, with a fresh new look and feel, and ease of entry with a

handicapped accessible elevator — ready for decades of use.

A very special “Thank You” goes out to Bob Binkley, Bruce

Burkart, Halsey White, Dan O’Leary and Mark Hintenlang, and

everyone who worked on this project. You all have provided us

with a meeting hall to be proud of.

Thank you, Bill and Nancy

We want to acknowledge outgoing Council members,

William (Bill) Macklem and Nancy Schuyler, for their time and

dedication. They are both long-time residents of the Borough.

Both served on Council for about 18 years and made numerous

contributions to the Borough. We wish them the best in the

future.

The November election brought the Borough two new

Council members as well as re-electing two Council members.

We welcome Robert (Bob) Binkley and Thomas (Tom)

Price as our newly elected Council members. Please read more

about Bob and Tom below. Jeffrey (Jeff) Gilmore and Peter

(Pete) LaMontagne were re-elected to Council.

The Borough held its bi-annual reorganization meeting on

Monday, January 4 where Mayor David Holewinski conducted

the swearing in ceremony of two new Council members and the

re-elected Council members. Robyne Kelemen was voted Presi-

dent of Council and Peter LaMontagne was voted Vice Presi-

dent.

Meet the New Council Members

Bob Binkley

Bob grew up in Narberth,

PA, went to college in New

York (Columbia) and taught

music in Philadelphia schools

for four years. He then spent

thirty years in real estate devel-

opment with an emphasis on

historic rehab. Among his

many projects, Bob was project

manager for the historic reha-

bilitation of the Doylestown Agricultural Works. For the last

15 years, he has created garden structures in the Central Bucks

area.

Avocationally, he is a musician and has directed or per-

formed in over 50 musical theater productions. Bob started the

Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society, now in its eighth

season, with a home at Delaware Valley University.

Bob and his wife Winnie, who is also a musician, moved to

the Borough in 1976 when his son Neil was just four. They have

lived here ever since. Bob has volunteered in the Borough over

the last few decades in various capacities including many

projects in the Nature Preserve, the WWI Memorial recon-

struction, and the new train station replica building at Covered

Bridge Park. He serves on the Planning Commission, the

Appointment Advisory Committee, and is the chairman of the

Burkart Hall Renovation Committee, where he has spent time

trying to cut the costs of the renovation. Bob even got his hands

dirty, along with several other volunteers, ripping up the old

carpet, installing insulation and painting.

According to Bob, “I want to help usher in new develop-

ments in the Borough. Change is happening along Butler

Avenue in a significant way, and I may be able to bring my

background to bear on keeping it as reasonable and attractive

as possible. I’m also looking forward to working with our

exceptional new manager.”

Changes to Borough Council

Tom Price

Tom Price and his wife Beth

have lived in the Borough since 1994,

where they raised two sons. Their

oldest is currently a junior at Penn

State and the youngest is a senior at

C.B. South. Tom and his family have

loved living in the Borough and feel

lucky to be part of a small, friendly

community with much civic pride.

Tom has lived and worked in the

Central Bucks area most of his life. His family moved to

Chalfont when he was in junior high school, and he graduated

from Central Bucks West in 1973. After graduating from

Gettysburg College with a BA in Political Science, Tom was

hired as a Social Studies teacher by the Central Bucks School

District. Tom’s first few years with the District were spent

teaching at Unami and Holicong, but most of his career was

spent at C.B. West, where he also served as the faculty advisor

to the Student Government and then as the Social Studies

Department coordinator. Tom retired from teaching in 2013

after thirty-five exciting and rewarding years.

Tom has spent many years serving on the Borough’s

Nature Preserve Committee and, since retiring, has gotten

more involved in Borough affairs, serving on the Planning

Commission and the Orchard Park Committee, and also coor-

dinating the Bird Town program in the Borough.

Tom has continually been impressed with the dedication of

the Borough’s volunteers and elected officials he has worked

with over the last several years and is eager to become even

more involved by serving on Borough Council. He sees this as

an exciting time for the Borough and believes that the develop-

ment of the Butler Ave. corridor will be the largest challenge –

and opportunity – facing the Borough in the coming years. As

a member of Borough Council, Tom hopes to encourage this

development while still maintaining the existing residential and

small-town character of the community. He also hopes to

encourage more of our residents to become involved in civic

affairs.

Welcome Our New

Manager – Sam Bryant

We are pleased to introduce and

welcome our new manager, Sam

Bryant. He is a graduate of the Fels

Institute of Government at the Uni-

versity of Pennsylvania, where he

obtained a master’s degree in public

administration with a certificate in

public finance. He previously worked

in various capacities for the Town of Hilton Head Island,

Doylestown Township and West Pikeland Township.

Prior to graduate school, Sam served in the AmeriCorps

NCCC program where he received a Presidential Service Award

and was involved in disaster relief following major flooding in

Nashville, TN.

Sam’s hobbies include jogging the extensive area trail

system and watching NFL football. He is originally from South

Carolina, but has lived in Pennsylvania for nearly five years.

He is happy to address any resident concerns as best he can,

and welcomes feedback and ideas from the public.

Sam, who just started with the Borough in mid-December,

is an impressive person who has already made some cost-saving

suggestions. We are all looking forward to working with him.

Happy Retirement,

Robin!

Welcome Our New

Solicitor - Mike Savona

New Britain Borough is fortu-

nate to welcome Michael J. Savona

from Eastburn and Gray, PC, as

our new solicitor. For nearly 20

years, Mike has served as solicitor

to numerous municipalities and

government agencies across Penn-

sylvania. He has served as counsel

to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Com-

mission, as well as solicitor to

Northampton Township, Middletown Township, Lower

Southampton Township, Warminster Township,

Conshohocken Borough, the Borough of Hatboro and 9

different townships, boroughs, cities, and zoning hearing boards

in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Mike is a respected authority on the Municipalities Plan-

ning Code and the local land development process, and has

guided his municipal clients in efforts to promote redevelop-

ment, to foster “green” development initiatives, and to stream-

line the development review process in order to make his

municipal clients an attractive place for new business to locate,

develop and prosper.

He received his J.D. from American University, Washing-

ton College of Law in 1996 and his B.A., Magna Cum Laude,

from California University of Pennsylvania in 1993.

Mike’s volunteer and community work includes his ap-

pointment as the first General Counsel to the Pennsylvania

State Tax Collector’s Association (PSTCA) in March 2013.

Since 2013, Mike has been an active member of the Board

of Directors of the Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County and

in 2015, he was elected Vice President.

A resident of Newtown, Bucks County, Mike enjoys spend-

ing his free time traveling abroad, cooking and spending time in

the outdoors with his German Shorthaired Pointer.

Our Best to Michael

Goodwin in Retirement

Michael Goodwin retired as our solicitor in late September.

We were very sorry to see him go but we wish him all the best.

Michael has been the Borough Solicitor since 2001, prior to that

he was the solicitor for our Zoning Hearing Board for many

years. As counsel for New Britain, Michael was always looking

out for the best, under the law, for our Borough. His research

ability was painstaking and resulted in well thought out answers

to sometimes difficult situations. Our best goes out to Michael

in, what we hope to be, a long and enjoyable retirement.

After 25 years with the Borough, Robin Trymbiski retired

in December. Robin has spent the last 16 years as our Borough

Manager and before that she was the administrative assistant

for nine years. Robin started her career with the borough when

the offices were in the basement of Burkart Hall. She was

instrumental in helping the Borough transition from that

location to the present offices at 45 Keeley Avenue. Robin was

the administrative assistant to Manager John Wolf and Manager

Robert Schaffer before she took over the roll of manager of

New Britain Borough.

Robin’s cheery disposition, kindness, helpfulness and will-

ingness to assist the residents and businesses of the Borough

will be missed, but we wish her a happy, healthy, fun-filled

retirement. We know she will be spending a lot of time with her

grandchildren, her husband Frank, and out on the golf course.

Around Town

The AROUND TOWN column will be a regular column in our

newsletter. We’d like to make it a column about residents and

businesses in the borough who have special events and we’d

like to acknowledge good deeds. If there is a birth, marriage,

milestone anniversary, special birthday, someone in the family

graduating college, getting special honors for academic and/

or business achievement, someone that performs a good deed

or gets special recognition, please let us know by contacting

Marie Esher Coia at [email protected].

Congratulations to New Parents and

Grand Parents

Borough residents June & Bob Bair welcomed their first

grandchild on October 30, 2015. Tesa Olivia Bair was born

to their son Robert and his wife, Nicole at 11:23 PM weighing

6 pounds 13 ounces and 21 inches long. Mother and daughter

are doing well.

Borough residents Vicky Cangelosi and her husband,

Brian Guentter had a 7 pound 12 ounce 21 inch baby boy,

Oliver Mason Guentter, on Saturday, November 28, 2015.

Mother and Son are doing well. Vicky is the daughter of

Borough residents Joe and Linda Cangelosi.

Bucks County Wellness Center

Relocates but Stays in the Borough

Bucks County Wellness Center has moved their office

from East Butler Ave, where they have been for the past 17

years, to West Butler Ave. They are now located across from

Lenape Valley Church at 312 West Butler Ave.

Dr. Michael Brady has been in practice as a wellness

doctor for 21 years, all of that time in New Britain Borough.

He is focused on helping people get and stay well naturally by

using the “whole person approach.” Dr. Brady is dedicated to

helping people reduce their risk of lifestyle-related prevent-

able chronic conditions, including chronic pain, as well as

giving them the tools to become more responsible for pro-

moting optimal health and wellbeing.

In honor of their relocation they are having an Open House

Happy Hour on Friday, April 1 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. They will have

complimentary chair massages, raffles and much more. To

RSVP for the free event call 215-345-1445 or visit

www.bcwcOpenHouse.eventbrite.com.

Pine Run Students Learn about Birds

This year the children in the after school program of Pine Run

Elementary school are participating in a fun, hands on environ-

mental project. New Britain Borough Council member Lori

Kesilman, connected us with Bird Town environmental educa-

tion educator, Marge Eberz and Mary Ellen Noonan, of the Bucks

County Conservation District. The following article is a group

effort written by a few of the children who have been participating

in the Bird Town program.

Every month we have a presentation about birds and their

habitat. We have learned about invasive plants and how they are

harmful for birds and other plants. They take up too much room

and crowd out the native plants that the birds eat and live in. We

also went outside to look for different birds and plants.

We were able to do challenges where we had to give specific

directions to someone we couldn’t see. We were told that if we

were birdwatching we needed to be specific about what we were

telling someone who was with us exactly where the bird went,

since the birds are really fast and hard to detect. Another time we

were in groups and had to pick up different items with things like

spoons and tweezers to understand how birds have different

sized beaks. Some beaks are sharper and pointier than others.

This is why not all birds eat the same kind of food.

It is up to us to help the birds not just survive, but thrive. This

is our motto. We can put string in our birdfeeders and then the

birds can make nests with them. We should also have a water

source nearby for them. We should have different types of bird

feeders with a variety of food and suet for many types of birds. We

are enjoying learning about birds and how we can help them

survive and thrive.

Written by Page Controy, Abby Rogers, Allie Cain, Anna Kesilman,

and Kate Kesilman.

Spotlight on Borough

Businesses

We are highlighting a different Borough business in each newsletter

to help promote them so they can continue to be viable and prosperous-

which benefits us all. We will also inform you of new businesses in the

Borough. Small business provides goods, services, and employment

to the community. Please shop and frequent our Borough businesses.

Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home

241 E Butler Ave

New Britain, PA 18901

Phone:(215) 340-9654

www.fluehr.com

40 Years of Service to Bucks County

For 40 years, the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home has

served the families of Bucks County. Joe and Chris Fluehr

opened their first funeral home in Richboro with a vision of

personal and professional service to their community. They

sought to provide the highest level of care and respect to families,

while giving them a peaceful place to say goodbye to those they

love.

Over the years, the Fluehrs have grown their business to

meet the needs of the community as they built a second funeral

home as well as a crematory. For almost 20 years, they have cared

for the bereaved families of New Britain. Their second home also

provides a beautiful backdrop in which families are helped by the

Fluehrs and their dedicated staff.

With many people choosing cremation, the Fluehrs opened

their crematory in 2010 and is located at their Richboro Funeral

Home. By operating their own crematory, the Fluehr Family is

able to maintain custody and care of the deceased entrusted to

their care.

Many things have changed in the funeral industry in the past

40 years. For example, corporate funeral homes and cemeteries

are increasing in numbers, fewer families are opting for a tradi-

tional viewing, and cremations are becoming the choice for many

people. “Yes, things are changing in this industry, but some

things are still the same,” expresses Joe Fluehr III. “People still

need compassion and someone with a good heart. Someone who

understands their loss and who will navigate them through the

challenges of what needs to be done after a loved one dies. That

is my focus and those who work with me.”

The Fluehrs have been honored to work with the families of

Bucks County for 40 years. They look forward to the changes

ahead and serving this community for many more years to come.

New Britain Welcomes

New Businesses to the

Borough

Kelly’s Fitness

New Britain Baptist Church

www.kellysfitness.net

Kelly’s Fitness is a small studio inside the New Britain

Baptist Church. Their specialty is helping women in midlife

achieve and maintain excellent health. Women can attend 2-

3 times each week and achieve real progress in fat-loss,

endurance, strength, and flexibility. The founder, Kelly

Knueppel, is a personal trainer with an engineering back-

ground and 20 years of experience. She has researched and

developed the most efficient, effective ways to work out.

What they are most proud of at Kelly’s Fitness is the encour-

aging and friendly environment. Women leave here feeling

empowered physically and emotionally.

There are two classes offered, Total Body Training and

Barefoot Vitality. Both address the whole body and are

appropriate for all levels. There are morning, evening and

Saturday classes. They have 10 class passes, unlimited monthly

passes, or a drop-in option for $12. Your first class is free, so

come give it a try!

Homegrown Office Support

PO Box 5055

New Britain, PA 18901

267-616-2040

[email protected]

www.homegrownofficesupport.com

Homegrown Office Support utilizes online technology

and cloud-based applications to provide remote bookkeeping

and administrative support to small businesses and entrepre-

neurs. Bookkeeping services include managing accounts re-

ceivable/payable, banking, reporting and other tasks. Admin-

istrative services range from calendar/email management to

client outreach and marketing assistance. Homegrown aims

to relieve their clients of the burden of performing laborious

office tasks which will allow them more time to focus on their

core business and customers.

Lifelong Borough resident, Lara La Sala, graduated from

Gwynedd Mercy University with an Accounting degree. After

eight years in private accounting, she started Homegrown

with partner Lindsey Link. Lara’s experience in accounting

and office administration will bring a high level of detail and

organization as well as a firm commitment to integrity and

(continued on page 6)

ethics to her business. She recently completed the QuickBooks

Desktop 2015 ProAdvisor certification. She currently serves on

the New Britain Borough Finance Committee. Lara and her

business partner hope to grow Homegrown Office Support

into a trusted leader in the virtual support industry.

Fluffy First Pet Care

215-534-4090

www.fluffyfirst.com

Based in New Britain Borough, Fluffy First Pet Care

services New Britain, Doylestown, Furlong, Warrington,

Hatfield, Chalfont and Colmar. Services include dog walking,

in-home pet sitting, transportation to and from appointments,

and waste removal from your yard. Fluffy First accepts non-

aggressive dogs and cats without discriminating by breed.

Other pets and needs are accepted on a case-by-case basis. The

company’s founder, Patty Cangelosi, is a New Britain resident

who loves and connects with animals of all shapes and sizes. She

volunteers for animal rescue and finds nothing more rewarding

than helping our furry friends. Her “son” is a five-year-old pug

named Cheese.

Does your dog need an “outing” during the day while

you’re away? Or a sitter to watch him or her for a longer stretch

of time? Is your yard in need of a spring cleanup? If you

answered yes to any of these questions, Fluffy First is the paws-

itively perfect pet care business for you.

For more information, please visit our website or call/text

Patty @ 215-534-4090.

Welcome New Businesses

(continued from page 5)

Butler Avenue “Main St”

Public Meeting

Thursday, May 12, 7:30 p.m.

Delaware Valley University

New Britain Borough residents have shown their sup-

port during the past 3 years for improving Butler Avenue,

our “Main Street.” By attending public town hall meetings,

participating in committees, responding to surveys, coming

to Borough Council meetings, and reading our newsletter,

our community members have expressed enthusiasm for

the redevelopment of vacant properties and for improving

the safety and appearance of Butler Avenue. Our Borough

Planning Commission, Borough Council members, and the

Borough Community and Business Committee invite you

to discuss a vision for Butler Avenue that has emerged from

public discussion and participation. You will see a presen-

tation by the Bucks County Planning Commission on the

current situation on Butler Avenue and how it could look

and function as inevitable changes occur in the future.

Borough officials want the community to understand how

Butler Avenue is likely to change and how we can best be

assured that we guide those changes to meet community

goals. Please join us.

G Come see the Changes

G New Spring/Summer Menu

G Everything Homemade

G Family Friendly

G 37 Best of Bucks Awards

Moments with the Mayor

The seasons are changing, as we depart the

short days and long nights of winter and enter

into the expanded daylight of spring, so does

the Borough of New Britain, leave the dol-

drums of winter and move toward the rejuvena-

tion of spring. After the retirement of our

Borough Manager and Borough Solicitor, we

have a new Borough Manager and a new Bor-

ough Solicitor; both are positive additions to

our Borough. We’ll soon be seeing new families

moving into the Hidden Meadows townhomes

along Shady Retreat. That development is coming along very

well and those families will begin to enjoy the benefits of living

close to transportation, shopping and great schools as all of us

in New Britain enjoy.

There is continued excitement about the Butler Avenue

Corridor planning and development. With the Knoell property

moving closer to development and additional properties in the

area begging to be developed or renovated to better serve our

community and the surrounding area, we need to become

enthusiastic about the future of the mixed use and university

overlay areas that will help define the New Britain of the future.

Included with the development comes “walkability”, a key

component of the renovation and construction around Dela-

ware Valley University and an overwhelming desire expressed

by our residents in the Town Hall meeting of a couple of years

ago. This “walkability” will allow the connection of the Univer-

sity area to the rest of the Butler Avenue Corridor. Speaking of

the “walkability”, we should see the safe route to schools

project moving toward completion this spring and the con-

struction of our route to the New Britain train station begin

soon.

We should all be excited that Chalfont

Borough has joined the boroughs of New

Britain and Doylestown in the Central Bucks

Regional Police Department. This move will

give our police better resources in develop-

ment of officers and increased coverage of our

area by a very professional law enforcement

organization. Safety is the major concern for

our residents and that combined with efficien-

cies of scale make this move a positive for all

of us.

The changing of seasons also brings us into a change in

Burkart Hall, the renovation is just about complete and it looks

really great. Thanks to those who donated time and energy by

working on the project. It turned out to be a fantastic improve-

ment and with the handicap capability we now can accommo-

date any resident that wants to participate in meetings of all

kinds. In thinking of Burkart Hall, there are some finishing

touches that the room could use. If you’ve ever thought about

a donation to the borough in honor of a loved one, now is your

opportunity. We still need window treatments and chairs for

the room, if you are interested in making a donation please

contact the borough office and in recognition of the donation

a small brass tag could be attached to a chair or window shade

in memory of your loved one.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned to our website,

www.newbritainboro.com, for updates on activities and infor-

mation concerning our Borough and the surrounding area.

Community Garden

If you are interested in participating in the Community

Garden as a new member, please contact the Borough office by

April 15

. There is limited availability remaining. Each plot is

approximately 4.5’ x 25’ and is located in the fenced-in area of

Orchard Park. Membership requires the support of shared

gardening spaces through monthly workday participation.

Melissa Ceresi, DMD PC

960 Town Center

New Britain, PA 18901

215-230-7060 T

215-230-7907 F

[email protected]

www.drmelissaceresi.com

Snow Removal

Please clear your side-

walks of snow as soon as

possible to avoid icing and

to provide safe access for

your neighbors. Do not

blow or shovel snow into

the street as this creates

more work for the snow

plow contractor. If you

have a fire hydrant along

your property frontage, clear snow from around it and remind

your neighbors in case of emergency, the fire company may

need this hydrant to save your house. Be safe and alert for traffic

while working near the roadway, wear bright colored clothes. If

you can’t…or shouldn’t be shoveling snow, hire someone to do

it, call the Borough for contractors’ contacts (it’s best to have

this scheduled before the storm event).

Bird Town News

Turn Your Yard into a Habitat for Birds this Spring!

With Spring just around the corner, it’s time to think about

what you can do to make your yard friendlier to birds. Make a

concerted effort to plant native trees, shrubs, and perennials in

your yard that provide food, cover, and nesting sites for birds.

A diversity of native plants yields a diversity of insects and more

birds. Eliminate the use of pesticides, which kill the insects that

all birds need to feed their young, and provide fresh water and

nesting boxes. To learn more about what you can do to turn

your yard into good bird habitat, read Doug Tallamy’s book,

Bringing Nature Home or visit the Bird Town page on the

Borough’s website.

Spring Bird Walk Scheduled

The members of the borough’s Bird Town committee

invite you to enjoy us for a bird walk this spring with Ray

Hendrick, a Doylestown Township ornithologist who has

made and erected 300 nest boxes throughout our area. Ray is

also the chair of the Doylestown Township Environmental

Advisory Council and a local Bluebird expert. Come and learn

about the return of the Bluebirds, the restoration of native

habitats, and how we can each help restore our native bird

populations through the Bird Town program’s BIRD HABI-

TAT RECOGNITION NETWORK – HEALTHY YARD

PROGRAM. Bring your family and friends. All ages are wel-

come. We will meet at the New Britain Covered Bridge Park on

Saturday, April 23 at 8:00 a.m., rain or shine, and do some

birding at Orchard Park, Covered Bridge Park, and the Pine

Run Reservoir. Bring binoculars if you have them. Dress

comfortably for the weather and wear sturdy walking shoes.

A-Day Bird Town Booth

Members of the Bird Town commit-

tee will once again be manning a Bird

Town booth at Delaware Valley

University’s A-Day during the weekend

of April 22-24. Visit our booth to talk to

members of our committee and learn more about the Bird

Town program and how you can create bird-friendly habitat in

your own backyard!

Local Business Support Sought

The Bird Town committee is reaching out to local busi-

nesses to gain support for the Bird Town program. Local

business owners can support the program in two ways: Through

their participation in the Habitat Discount Program, busi-

nesses can offer a discount to borough residents who have

registered their properties in the Habitat Recognition Network;

through the Business Support Network, businesses can

make a straight, tax-deductible contribution to the Bird Town

program. More information about these programs can be

found on the PA Audubon website at http://pa.audubon.org,

or interested business owners can contact the Borough Office

to ask a member of the Bird Town committee to contact them.

Bucks County

ReadyNotify PA

If you would like to be placed on a list to get emergency

notifications you can register with Bucks County. Bucks County

has launched a new Mass Notification service that allows them

to alert you. You opt-in to enter your contact information and

subscribe to notifications you care about based on your loca-

tion. The information you provide is protected and will not be

used for any other purpose.

When Bucks County issues a notification about a potential

safety hazard or concern, you will receive a message on the voice

or text communication methods that you have registered. You

can stop receiving at any time by removing your contact

information from your profile.

Please visit www.readynotifypa.org to register and learn

more.

Wreaths Across America

– Special Thanks!

The New Britain Borough Historic Preservation Commit-

tee wishes to thank the following individuals for their support

of our 2015 Wreaths Across America Ceremony so that wreaths

could be placed on the veterans graves in the historic New

Britain Baptist Church Cemetery. The event would not be

possible if not for the dedication each year by the following

individuals including those who came out to support the event

and place wreaths on the veteran’s graves.

I Bruce Burkart, Coordinator and New Britain Borough

Historian for making sure that all of the veterans’ graves are

identified by an American flag and for reading the names of

the veterans buried in our cemetery during the ceremony.

I Malcolm Rollins for ringing the church bells and coordi-

nating the event with the church

I Marie Esher Coia for leading our ceremony

I The Central Bucks Marine Corp League Color Guard:

Robert Sundling, Budd Pearce and Don Gee

I Ron Haskell and his nephew for playing taps

I Jackie D’Agostino, Location and Group Leader for orga-

nizing, fundraising and advertising the event

I The gentlemen who presented the memorial wreaths in-

cluding Marine Corporal William McBride, Air Force First

Lieutenant Lloyd Van Sant, Navy Seaman First Class Peter

Ulmen, Army Specialist Malcolm Rollins, Coast Guard

Seaman John Remmey, and Merchant Marine Third Mate

Renton Meininger.

Thank you to all who sent donations so that we may

purchase wreaths. They include Jo Schuler, Harry Baum, Elaine

Hanrahan, Joseph & Mary Gilardi, Jill Coulton, Benjamin &

Sarah Eastburn, First Friends Child Care, Marie & Tony Coia,

Jackie & Michael D’Agostino, Margaret Fabry, Bill & Ruth Ann

Focht, Carrie Gamble, Eugene & Marge Hamilton, Gieseler

Insurance Agency, Inc., Bruce Burkart, Lorraine & Dick Moxey,

Tom & Beth Price, Bob & Winnie Binkley, David & Mary Pat

Holewinski, Joann Malta, Malcolm & Jan Rollins and Stephen

Barth.

For more information about Wreaths Across America visit

www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.

Building in The Park

Two years ago, volunteers began planning and raising

funds to design and construct a new building in Covered Bridge

Park, which is owned by the New Britain Civic Association.

They chose an adaptation of the old New Britain train station

to bring back to life a charming small building lost to fire some

years ago. The original was designed in the late 1800’s by

Philadelphia’s premier architect, Frank Furness. We have a few

photographs of the old station, but if you have any tucked away

somewhere, we’d love to scan them and preserve these and

other historical images.

It was a very great challenge for volunteers to research the

original building, design the new one, raise the funds, and

actually construct it including the architectural details of the

original building. Professionals did the foundation, roof and

electrical, but community volunteers did all of the rest. With a

special acknowledgement to Gilmore & Associates for their

generous donation, we raised over $38,000 in cash, plus a

tremendous quantity of in kind donations.

The front portion of the building supports group activities,

such as Civic’s popular Duck Derby, and New Britain Borough’s

Summer Day Camp.

An Open House is planned on Saturday, April 16

12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

We would love to see you there!

Saturday, March 19 - 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Chalfont Fire Co. Soup, Used Book & Rummage Sale, 301 N. Main St.

Friday, April 1 - 4:30 to 6 p.m. Bucks County Wellness Center Open House, 312 West Butler Ave

Saturday, April 16 - 9 a.m. - noon Spring Work Day, Nature Preserve

Saturday, April 16 - noon to 3 p.m. Building in the Park Open House, Covered Bridge Park

Sunday, April 17 - 3 p.m. DelVal Jazz Band & Chorale Spring Concert, DVU Life Sciences Bldg. Free

Saturday, April 23 - 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Burkart Hall Open House, Keeley Ave

Sunday, April 24 - 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Chalfont Fire Co. Buffet Breakfast, 301 N. Main St.

Saturday, April 30 Arbor Day, Commemorative Tree Planting, Orchard Park, Keeley Ave

Sunday, May 1 - 7 p.m. DelVal Symphonic Band Spring Concert, DVU Life Sciences Bldg. Free

Saturday, May 7 - 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Chalfont Fire Co. Turkey Hoagies, 301 N. Main St.

Thursday, May 12 - 7:30 p.m. Butler Avenue Public Meeting, Delaware Valley University

Saturday, May 21 - 9 a.m. - noon Spring Work Day, Nature Preserve

Sunday, May 22 - 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Chalfont Fire Co. Chicken Barb-B-Que, 301 N. Main St.

Friday & Saturday,

June 17 & 18 - 8 p.m.

Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society, HMS Pinafore,

DVU Life Sciences Bldg.

Saturday-June 18 - 2 p.m. Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society, HMS Pinafore,

DVU Life Sciences Bldg.

Calendar of Community Events

Summer Camp

Summer Camp will run from June 27 to August 5,

2016 (6 weeks) 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays (fair weather only)

An exciting array of supervised programs are planned

at this year’s summer camp including arts and crafts,

theatre, nature/science and sports. Ages: Children ages 6 through 12 (no

exceptions).

Location: Covered Bridge Community Park, Keeley Avenue

Pre-registration is required and can now be done online at

www.newbritainboro.com/communityinformation/camp. You are also

welcome to register at the New Britain Borough Administration Building, 45

Keeley Avenue. No on-site registration.

Registration dates:

New Britain Borough residents: April 4 – June 17

New Britain Township and Chalfont Borough residents:

April 18 - June 17

All municipalities including those listed above:

April 25 - June 17.

Fee for the 6 week program (checks payable to New Britain Borough):

Residents: $265: Non-residents: $320: Guest charge: $25 each day.

Spring Work Days

Scheduled in

Nature Preserve

Saturday, April 16 & Saturday,

May 21 from 9:00 a.m. until

noon

Community volunteers of all ages are

needed for two workdays in the Nature Pre-

serve. Participants are asked to bring work

gloves and tools for digging planting holes,

mulching, cutting vines, and clearing brush.

Please meet and park at the main entrance

to the Nature Preserve on Matthews Avenue or

at Miriam’s Meadow on Landis Mill Road.

Protecting our Water Resources

RIGHT-OF-WAY MAINTENANCE

Please trim vegetation within the right of way which may

obstruct sidewalks (8’ over sidewalks) or street signs. Dispose

of vegetation properly. Do not allow leaves to block storm

sewers or drainage ditches, direct grass clippings back toward

your yard, not into the street, as they will contaminate streams

with residual fertilizers. Any sidewalk, curbing or driveway

aprons which have settled create tripping hazards, please cor-

rect these as soon as possible, as the Borough will be conducting

inspections of these items and issuing property maintenance

violation letters for any displacement greater than ½”. We

appreciate these items being corrected as soon as possible as

any items corrected prior to these inspections will save the

Borough time and money.

PROJECTS / GRADING

The Borough recently passed a grading ordinance to pro-

tect downstream properties from excessive runoff, erosion and

sediment caused by upstream properties. If you’re planning a

project, which involves earthwork or piping, please stop in at

the Borough to ensure that you will not be causing detriment to

your downstream neighbor.

Please support the New Britain Civic Association

Annual Membership Dues

J Family $15 (all members of the same household)

J Business $25

Larger Donations - It is important to acknowledge your

support. In addition to our appreciation, expressed in a

letter suitable for framing, prominent donations will be

reported in the New Britain Borough Newsletter. Support

for capital improvements to the Park can be recognized

with signage at the Park or a plaque on the capital item and

may also receive newspaper coverage.

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY/STATE/ZIP

PHONE EMAIL

David Holewinski, President Joseph Cangelosi

Derek MacMillan Vice President Vince Quirus

Malcolm Rollins, Treasurer Mary Pat Holewinski

Peg Havner, Secretary Vicky Cangelosi-Guentter

Halsey White

New Britain Civic Association

PO Box 5124, New Britain, PA 18901

215-345-8750

Check website for changing information.

www.newbritaincivic.org

Volunteers are needed for projects throughout the

year. If interested, please contact David Holewinski:

[email protected]; 215-407-7104.

The New Britain Civic Association is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions

are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

RAINWATER RUNOFF

Consider reducing runoff to help your downstream neigh-

bors by installing rain barrels on your downspouts, lowered

planting beds (rain garden), connecting roof drains to stone

pits, etc. These methods provide ground water infiltration.

ADDITIONAL STORMWATER

INFORMATION

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/watermgt/wc/

npdsms4/ms4cd/Education/RainDrainBrochure.pdf.

Springtime Property

Inspections

New Britain Borough has adopted the 2012 International

Property Maintenance Code. Consequently, in the spring of

2016, the borough will be looking at the areas in front of

properties for possible public safety problems. We

will be looking at sidewalks and curbs, driveway aprons, size of

house numbers, mailbox placement and any encroachment of

trees and shrubbery.

If you have any questions regarding the property mainte-

nance code, please call the borough office at 215-348-4586 and

ask for Mr. Tom Yatsky.

New Britain Borough

45 Keeley Avenue

New Britain, PA 18901

New Britain Borough Officials

Mayor: David Holewinski

Council: Meets 2

Tuesday of each month in Burkart Hall, 7:30 PM

Robyne Kelemen, President; Peter LaMontagne, Vice-President; Robert Binkley; Mary Pat Holewinski;

Jeffrey Gilmore; Lori Kesilman; Thomas Price

Planning Meets 3

Tuesday of each month in the Burkart Hall, 7:30 PM

Commission: Michael Stanislaw, Chairman; Karl Dieterichs, Vice Chairman; Robert Binkley (Council Liaison)

Rick Eggleston; Richard Moxey; Michael Parke

Zoning Meets, as needed, 3

Thursday of the month in Burkart Hall, 7:30 PM

Hearing Board: Robert Bair, Chairman; Anthony Coia, Vice Chairman; John Wolff; David Siegfried

Andrea Antell; William Schaefer – Alternate; Matthew Benscoter – Alternate

Tax Collector: Richard Sabol, 215-489-8658 (Hours: Tuesday, 6 - 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. - noon)

Solicitor: Michael Savona Police Chief: James Donnelly, Office 215-345-4143

Newsletter Editor: Marie Esher Coia

The following Borough personnel are located at the Borough Building, 45 Keeley Avenue.

Phone 215-348-4586. The office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Website: www.newbritainboro.com Email: [email protected]

EMERGENCIES: DIAL 911

Borough Manager: ................................... Samuel Bryant

Roadmaster ............................................... Mark Hintenlang

PRST STD

US POSTAGE

PAID

Doylestown, PA

Permit No. 640

Borough Secretary: .................................. Carrie Gamble

Zoning Officer: ......................................... Thomas Yatsky

Building Inspector, Fire Marshal & Emergency Management:

Dan Jenkins, Keystone Municipal Services