Month In Review: December 2011

The firehouse on Liberty Street lit a Christmas tree in honor of the holidays and merchants on State and Sycamore streets strung lights and hung wreaths.

Roberts Ridge Park vandalism suspects Colin O'Neill and Jacob Grussenmeyer waived their right to a formal arraignment in front of a judge in Doylestown ealier this month. O'Neill, 19, of Washington Crossing, and , 20, of Northampton Township, will face a judge when their trial begins at county court in Doylestown on January 26, 2012.

Representatives from McDonald’s came before the Newtown Township Planning Commission in December seeking a variance to build a restaurant in the Village at Newtown East shopping center. However, the Planning Commission recommended against the granting the variance. It has suggested to the Board of Supervisors that the township solicitor be sent to the Zoning Hearing Board when the matter is heard.

A conditional use hearing for the proposed Stocking Works II development that began in December has been continued until Tuesday, Jan. 10. The hearing in front of Newtown Borough Council is the first step in an approval process for the redevelopment of the former Stockburger Chevrolet site off South State Street.

One Council Rock School Board member wants to ban teacher access to Facebook and YouTube in all district schools. During a meeting earlier this month, Patty Sexton said YouTube and Facebook should not be accessible from any computer at any school. Students are already not able to access the sites thanks to the district’s filtering software.

This month, Newtown Township denied Beneficial Bank’s conditional use request to put a branch on Sycamore Street and Richboro Road. During a meeting on Dec. 21, the Board of Supervisors chose to deny the bank’s request to build a 3,200-square-foot branch with three drive-through lanes at the site of the former Stockburger dealership.

The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors have approved a $14 million budget for 2012. The budget, which includes $10.6 million in operating expenditures, does not raise municipal taxes. The tax rate will remain at 2.5 mills and the owner of an average-assessed home will again pay $94 in municipal taxes in 2012.

Dancers from Newtown's BC Discoveries Dance and Theatre Arts Company, are preparing to perform Jan. 4 at the Orange Bowl halftime show as Clemson faces West Virginia.

Thousands of people packed the streets on Dec. 4 to watch the Newtown Holiday Parade, which was sponsored by the Newtown Corporation. Participants included marching bands, Mummers bands, horse drawn carriages, floats, antique cars, a nativity scene complete with a camel, fire trucks, Santa and more.

Newtown Borough Council passed a 2012 budget that will increase municipal taxes by 50 percent. In 2012, the owner of an average assessed home in Newtown Borough will pay $360 in municipal taxes – about $129 more than in 2011. The $2.37 million budget increases the tax rate from 6 to 9 mills. The budget utilizes $60,000 of the reserve, which leaves about 10 percent of the operating budget in that fund.