Get to know
Mark Kirchgasser
Middletown Township Council at-Large
LEADERSHIP THAT CREATES RESULTS FOR MIDDLETOWN
I've lived in Middletown for over 40 years, I attended Rose Tree Media Schools and graduated from Penncrest, as have my wife Mary and our children Kelly, John, Matthew ('20) and Katelyn ('22). My wife and I met in Middletown during fire prevention week when I crawled in to her Indian Lane kindergarten classroom with an airpack on during fire prevention week. She grew up here too - we are both inextricably committed to this community and our quality of life here.
I've managed to stay involved here in Middletown on a number of levels; in our children's schools, as a volunteer with Middletown Fire Company where I recently received my 40 year pin, and prior to Council where I served terms on both the Planning and Zoning Commissions.
As a member of and now Chairman of Council, I believe it's an obligation to respectfully listen to every member of our community's comments and provide answers. Some are easy to give, some quite difficult - in a community of almost 16,000 there will be varying opinions.
I won't shy away from problems either: I believe we are elected to make the tough decisions as well as easy ones. Over the past 10 years we've had to address issues such as aggressive development proposals for the former Franklin Mint property, and now recently with controversy surrounding the installation of the Mariner East pipelines through densely populated areas and adjacent to Glenwood elementary.
Council has proactively addressed these issues with transparency with our community involved. And, in the case of the Mariner pipeline where we can't undo a State decision, we aggressively negotiated with Sunoco and have proactively ramped up public safety initiatives to address the risks the materials transported through these lines present.
Some of our accomplishments during my time as a member of Council are:
Holding the line on property taxes, Council having not raised property taxes in 19 of the past 20 years
Lowered property taxes in 2016
Leading Delaware County in Municipal open space acres
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Initiating our work and funding for a Township led 'loop road' solution to help reduce traffic congestion at 452/1
Early supporters and first government to approve and enable the Chester Creek rails to trails project
Worked through the difficult Franklin Mint redevelopment issue, ultimately landing on a plan 33% of the originally proposed density
Secured 'TRID' funding to dramatically increase the Township's trail network by negotiating land and securing a trail behind the former Franklin Mint that will connect the Chester Creek Trail and the new Promenade at Granite Run to the new Wawa SEPTA station.
Purchased and repurposed the former Roosevelt Elementary School to a community center, park and new home for the Middletown Free Libary