As we approach Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Delaware County Council recognizes our Jewish community members. 

Held on September 24 this year, Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is a deeply significant occasion that falls on the 10th day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Jewish lunar calendar. Typically occurring in September or October, this solemn day is marked by fasting, heartfelt prayer, and profound introspection. Its origins trace back to ancient times when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple in Jerusalem to earnestly seek forgiveness for the sins of the entire community.

Today, Yom Kippur continues to serve as a profound moment for Jewish people s to engage in a process of self-examination. It is a day to seek forgiveness from both the divine and fellow humans, reminding us of the paramount importance of atonement, contemplation of our actions, and the potential for spiritual growth. It is also a time for community, reinforcing the cherished values of forgiveness and reconciliation that bind us all.

We extend our heartfelt wishes for a deeply meaningful Yom Kippur to all who observe this sacred day. May this opportunity for reflection, repentance, and renewal bring you spiritual solace, growth, and a strengthened sense of community.

Delaware County Council unanimously voted to adopt a resolution denouncing hate crime in Delaware County during their public meeting on September 20, 2023. 

Antisemitic vandalism incidents have been reported in Delaware County recently, and according to data compiled by the Anti-Defamation League, Pennsylvania overall saw a 65% increase in antisemitic incidents of assault, vandalism, and harassment in 2022. Other hateful behavior has occurred and is occurring in Delaware County and state-wide. According to data maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania saw a sharp increase in hate crimes in 2021, with 255 incidents reported, almost as many as the previous three years combined. 

In 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raised civil rights violations, including hate crimes, to its highest-level national threat priority, and preventing and prosecuting hate crimes is a top priority for the U.S. Justice Department.

The resolution states that current Pennsylvania law is inadequate to prevent this surge of hate crimes, and stronger legal protection is necessary to protect the residents of Delaware County and calls on Delaware County residents to stand up against hate. In part, the resolution reads:

"Whereas, bigotry, violence, hate, and racism do not align with the values of Delaware County Council and our community and they have no place in Delaware County and will not be tolerated.

Whereas, hate crimes instill fear across communities and undermine our democracy; and we believe that the vast majority of County residents are as appalled as we are by these crimes, and it is only a small group of persons who are responsible for trying to spread hate in Delaware County."

In the resolution, Council urges state lawmakers to promptly pass the package of anti-hate crime bills (including HB 1024, HB 1025, HB 1026, & HB 1027) currently being considered in the Pennsylvania Legislature. Council also urges all residents to speak up against hateful behavior so that we may create a more just, peaceful, and inclusive society which will benefit everyone. 

“We can no longer sit silently,” said Delaware County Council Member Richard Womack. “We all know that hate crimes do exist, and we must be outspoken, and we must call that out, and that is what we are doing here today. When I look around our county and I see that people are being targeted because of their race, because of their religion, because of the sexuality, there is something wrong. This Council will not stand for this. We will speak out against it. We will not stand for it.”

The adopted resolution is available at delcopa.gov/pdf/AntiHateResolution_9-20-2023.pdf.

How to Enter the Contest 

To submit a name for consideration, go to DelcoPA.gov/NameOurPark, and complete the short entry form — including your suggested name, your reason for the name, and your contact information. The entry form takes less than five minutes!

Submissions must be received no later than Halloween, Tuesday, October 31, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. 

The contest is open to Delaware County residents of all ages. All submissions must be submitted online. Entries should reflect the values of our community, celebrate our County's rich heritage, culture, and natural resources, and inspire a sense of inclusivity and togetherness. All submissions must be received online and only one submission per resident will be accepted. 

Delaware County Council will choose the winning name from submissions received by the Halloween deadline, and are solely responsible for the final selection, based upon the naming g polices of the County. No vulgar, crude, religious, or political submissions will be considered.

Complete contest rules can be found online at DelcoPA.gov/ContestRules.

So, get your thinking caps on Delaware County — you have until 5:00 p.m. on Halloween to give us your best idea! We look forward to hearing from you. Good luck! 

More Information about the New Park

For more information about the park, including project updates, timelines, planning materials, and the most up-to-date version of the evolving Park Master Plan, please visit the Parks and Recreation website at DelcoPA.gov/NewPark.

Delaware County Council and the County’s Department of Human Services and Community Support will hold a resource fair on October 12 at the Media Borough Community Center for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren or great grandchildren.

Globally, grandparents often serve as surrogate parents for their grandchildren or great-grandchildren, usually in response to family crises including the mental health of parents, incarceration, substance abuse disorders, or death. 

Grandparents are often quickly placed into a caregiver role and may not have the resources or preparation needed to parent as effectively as they’d like to. They may face a variety of challenges including legal difficulties regarding custody or guardianship, financial hardships, and difficulties in parenting children who are suffering emotional and/or behavioral difficulties due to a loss of a parent. 

Research shows that parenting a grandchild can have an impact on the physical and mental health of the caregiver. Grandparents may have limited energy and physical health problems that make raising their grandchildren more challenging. Some grandparents also neglect their own health due to a lack of financial resources or because of the demands associated with caring for their grandchildren. Others may also experience significant anxiety and depression.  

Delaware County’s Resource Fair for Grandparents will offer an opportunity for residents to learn about services and resources from:

• Delaware County Department of Human Services and Community Support
• The Delaware County Office of Services for Aging (COSA)
• Children and Youth Services
• Delaware County Bar Association
• The Early Learning Resource Center
• Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon’s Office
• Senator Tim Kearney’s Office

The Resource Fair will be held on Thursday, October 12, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. at the Media Borough Community Center, located at 301 N. Jackson St. in Media, PA. Free childcare will be provided. Registration is not required. 

Delaware County Council Member Christine Reuther and the County’s Director of Military and Veterans Affairs COL Arthur L. Jenkins Jr. were proud to join several local Veterans in raising the U.S. Air Force flag on September 18 outside of the County Courthouse in Media.

The flag raising was held in honor of the founding of the Air Force on September 18, 1947. The U.S. Air Force flag will fly from the flagpole in the courtyard of the Government Center and Courthouse complex for a week. 

Throughout the year, the County raises flags in honor of all branches of the military and invites active military and Veterans to join in the flag raisings. Military flags will be raised at appropriate times later this year in observance of the Navy, on Oct. 13, 1775; and the Marine Corps, on Nov. 10, 1775. The Army flag was raised in June and the Coast Guard flag was raised in August to commemorate the anniversaries

Council expresses deep gratitude to those who have served or are serving in the military protecting and defending our country. 

The Delaware County Health Department (DCHD) will be holding a vaccination clinic for seniors, ages 60 and up, on Tuesday, October 10, at the Keystone First Wellness & Opportunity Center in Chester. 

During the clinic, DCHD will be offering a limited number of influenza (flu), pneumococcal, and Shingrix (Shingles) vaccinations to help protect our senior community from respiratory illnesses and other dangerous infections. 

“We can’t stress enough how important preventing serious infections is, especially for our seniors,” said Delaware County Health Department Director Melissa Lyon. “Flu season will be here before we know it! And the best way for folks to prepare is by getting their annual vaccinations before it starts.” 

Seniors can call the DCHD Wellness Line at (484) 276-2100 to schedule their appointment. Those receiving a vaccine are asked to wear short sleeves to ensure that flu shots can be administered easily.

Date: Tuesday, October 10

Time: 10:00 AM -1:00 PM 

Location: Keystone First Wellness & Opportunity Center, 1929 W. 9th Street, Chester, PA 19013

In addition to the senior vaccination clinic scheduled for October 10, DCHD will hold several additional vaccination events (including flu and the new 2023 COVID-19 vaccines) for residents throughout the month of October.

This fall, DCHD will also accommodate a limited number of walk-in requests for flu vaccinations from Delaware County residents, ages 3 and up.

Standing vaccination clinic locations and schedules are as follows:

Delaware County Wellness Center at Chester

151 W. 5th Street, Chester, PA 19013

Select Mondays every month 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Delaware County Wellness Center at Yeadon

125 Chester Ave., Yeadon, PA 19050

Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Thursday: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Additionally, there are limited ‘after hours’ appointments on select Wednesdays and Saturdays:

Wednesdays (Oct. 18, Nov. 8): 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 

Saturdays (Nov. 4, Dec. 16, Jan. 6): 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

For more information or questions regarding any of DCHD’s clinics, please contact the Delaware County Health Department Wellness Line, available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., by phone at (484) 276 – 2100, or by email at DelcoWellness@co.delaware.pa.us.

Residents who are homebound but interested in vaccination are also encouraged to call the Delaware County Wellness Line.

The community is invited to participate in Delaware County’s 3rd Annual Faith & Blue Weekend, being held October 6-8, hosted by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Media Borough Police Department, Pennsylvania DMC Youth & Law Enforcement Corp., Delaware County Park Police, and Second Baptist Church.

The initiative was created in 2020 by MovementFoward Inc. to build strong communities where everyone feels safe and included by utilizing members of faith-based organizations and members of law enforcement. 

Faith & Blue was launched to facilitate safer, stronger, more just, and unified communities by directly enabling local partnerships among law enforcement professionals, residents, businesses, and community groups through the connections of local faith-based organizations. The initiative aims to re-calibrate police-community relations through solutions-focused activities that are organized jointly by faith-based or other community groups and law enforcement agencies.

The community is invited to join law enforcement and faith-based organizations to participate in two local Faith & Blue events:

Delaware County’s Crucial Conversation Panel Discussion

Friday, October 6th 

1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Trainer Borough Municipal Complex

4300 Township Line Road, Trainer, PA 19061

Community BBQ

Sunday, October 8th 

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Second Baptist Church

400 East State Street Media, PA 19063

Learn more about the National Faith & Blue program at https://faithandblue.org

Delaware County is excited to host two Career Fairs this fall to fill a variety of full-time and part-time positions. The career fairs will be held at the Delaware County Emergency Services facility located at 360 N. Middletown Road, in Media, on Thursday, October 5 and Tuesday, October 24, from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 

Multiple departments are looking to hire, including the Department of Human Services, the George W. Hill Correctional Facility, Fair Acres, Park Police, the Bureau of Elections, IT, Human Resources, and the Health Department. 

Positions offer competitive employee benefits as well as opportunities for advancement. Interested applicants are advised to bring copies of their resume and will have the opportunity to apply in person during the fair. On-site interviews may be held for qualified attendees. 

Open positions include: Classification Coordinator, Domestic Relations Officer, Court Information Officer, Correctional Officers, Administrative Assistant, Deed Clerk, Environmental Health Specialist, Juvenile Probation Officer, Office Manager, A/V Technician, Telecom Technician, SAP Basis Admin, IT Records Clerk, Network Lead, Poll Workers, Risk Manager, Senior Project Manager, Budget Analyst, HR Advisor, HR Manager, HR Generalist, HR Recruiter, Labor Relations Generalist, Healthcare Recruiter, Program Coordinator, RN’s, LPN’s, NP/PA’s and MHP’s, Dietician, Food Service Worker, Judicial Support Technician, Program Coordinator/Grant Management (Population Health), and more. 

For a complete list of open positions, visit Delaware County website at delcopa.gov/jobs.

Walk-ins are welcome, though interested individuals are asked to pre-register at delcopa.gov/job-fair.

Attendees will have an opportunity to meet the Recruitment Team to discuss open positions to gain a better understanding of the job duties and the benefits offered, and have the team review their resume and skill set to determine if they are a candidate for that position (or a different position that might be a better match). 

Delaware County job fairs are a great opportunity for individuals to meet with the recruitment team and discuss positions; however, qualified individuals who are interested in open positions are urged to apply online immediately if they are interested in a position. Applications and resumes can be submitted online today.

Delaware County is seeking three Delaware County residents to serve on the Delaware County Sustainability Commission. New members will include:

• One representative with expertise and experience in the field of water resources.
• A municipal manager or other staff member representing a municipality within Delaware County.
• A representative of the general public.

The Sustainability Commission is responsible for providing reviews and recommendations to Delaware County Council and certain County Departments, including:

• Recommendations regarding best environmental and energy practices for buildings, facilities and operations; fuels, vehicles, and transportation food; responsible purchasing; housing; energy sources; air quality; stormwater management; natural and cultural resource protection, wildlife preservation; and climate change;
• The identification of County environmental and energy policies and recommending ways to promote and educate about the County’s environmental and energy initiatives’
• The identification and recommendations regarding voluntary actions, projects, and programs for municipalities, businesses, non-profits, and other partners to implement County environmental and energy policies;
• The creation, review, and input into a Delaware County Sustainability Action Plan; and 
• Recommendation of Triple Bottom Line related actions, projects, and programs to County Council for implementation.

Terms are three years and run through September of 2026. New members must be Delaware County residents and selected candidates will be appointed by the Delaware County Executive Director. 

Delaware County encourages interested residents who can contribute their time, energy, and passion, to complete the brief online application. Applicants must provide their name, address, contact information, current employer/occupation, a brief explanation as to why they are interested in serving on a particular Board, and attach an up-to-date resume.

For more details about this and other board and commission openings, and to submit an application, visit the Delaware County Boards & Commissions web page, linked below.

Delaware County Govt Official 2023 Calendar

Meet your Delaware County Council members

The Delaware County Health Department website