Jenkintown Borough has been notified by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that our 902-grant application has been chosen for award in the amount of $12,973.

Jenkintown Borough’s application requested funding for 300 lidded, wheeled, 35-gallon recycling toters. The Borough will be responsible for the 10% grant match in the amount of $1,442.

The JB Environmental Advisory Committee conducted a community wide survey and compiled a list of addresses that need another recycling toter. The survey revealed that some of the larger homes require more than one recycling toter. There were some that were damaged and need replaced and when new residents move into the Borough in most cases a recycling toter is requested by the new resident.

Jenkintown Borough, mainly through the Environmental Advisory Committee, has continued to educate residents about the benefits of recycling and there has been increased interest from the community. The disbursement of the recycle toters will be conducted by the Public Works Department. Recycling tonnage is tracked and utilized annually when preparing the PA DEP 904 grant application which is awarded through a formula based on total recycling tonnage collected within the Borough.

Jenkintown Borough is transitioning from coin-operated parking meters and kiosks to a digitized payment system. This transition will begin in November and will be completed by year end 2024. There will be no fee to park Mon. through Fri. after 6:00 PM and all times on Sundays year-round in all Borough owned parking lots and previously metered parking spaces. This will not change the annual ‘Holiday Parking’ with the addition of free parking on Saturdays beginning on Thanksgiving and going through the New Year Holiday. Several 20-minute street parking spaces have/will be designated on West Avenue, Leedom Street and Summit Avenue for quick/easy access to businesses without a parking fee. The 20-minute parking spaces will also serve as unloading spaces when needed for business deliveries, improving safety and reducing traffic congestion.

ParkMobile, who has provided this digitized service to the Borough since 2018 as a payment option, will be the vendor providing all parking payment options at all formerly metered spaces and kiosks throughout the Borough.

ParkMobile allows users to pay for parking via their smartphone application, web browser, text, or through calling a phone number. Information on how to use ParkMobile’s payment options in Borough’s paid parking areas can be found on the ParkMobile information page on Borough website.

After careful review of available factors, Borough Council approved transition from coin operated meters to the digitized system at their September 17^th, 2024, meeting. Transition from kiosks to the digitized system was approved by Borough Council at their October 16^th, 2024, meeting. To that end logistical transition planning including installation of signage, striping, determining applicability designation and development of a means to disseminate information electronically has taken place or is ongoing.

A “Transition to ParkMobile” informational flyer that is being distributed to residents, business and property owners opens in a new windowcan be viewed here.

New Parking Enforcement hours are 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

If you have any questions or require assistance call Borough Hall at (215) 885-0700 and we will connect you with our Parking Enforcement Professionals who will assist anyone who is in need of assistance with this transition to digitized payment.

On Thursday, October 24th the Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED), Deputy Secretary of Business Finance and Executive Director of the Commonwealth Finance Authority (CFA), Mandy L. Book issued notification of the successful grant applications and awards. Jenkintown Borough’s facility improvement grant application had been approved for $800,000. It is of importance to note that this funding opportunity requires no local matching funds.

The Jenkintown Borough Hall / Police Department building at 700 Summit Avenue and Public Works building at 708 Summit Avenue are slated to receive improvements through this funding. The improvements will bring the facilities into current ADA compliance, replacement of the windows, doors and lighting systems will make the building healthier, more energy efficient and less costly to sustain. Interior spaces will be re-configured and will receive new commercial grade fixtures and finishes.

Strong support and assistance through local State Offices is essential for the success of an application for a Statewide grant opportunity. This grant award would not have been possible without the continually strong support of State Senator Art Haywood and State Representative Napoleon Nelson and assistance of their very capable staff, both Elected Officials work tirelessly for/with the Borough to bring funding back to Jenkintown Borough for vital projects.

The Grant award funds originate from the Statewide Local Share Account, which comes from the PA Racehorse Development and Gaming Act. The act provides for the distribution of gaming revenues through the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) to support projects in public interest within Pennsylvania. This round of funding for the LSA Statewide Program was very competitive and the demand far exceeded the available funds. The Commonwealth Finance Authority (CFA) received eligible grant requests totaling nearly $1.3 billion for approximately $346 million that was available.

The Jenkintown Borough 2024 curbside leaf collection will begin on Monday, October 28th and will continue through Tuesday, December 19th.  As in previous years the Borough has been divided into five (5) routes.  Each route will be collected four (4) times. 

The 2024 Leaf Collection Schedule can be found  HERE. 

The Jenkintown Borough Public Works Department works throughout the Borough to collect leaves placed at the curb. The leaves are then transported to Abington Township and processed into mulch, that mulch is then available free of charge to residents. 

Yard Debris (grass, leaves, small branches and other garden debris) can be recycled together in biodegradable paper bags and picked up as normal every Tuesday year-round.  

Biodegradable paper bags can be purchased at Borough Hall during normal business hours. Put bagged leaves at the curb just prior to collection day. Do NOT put invasive plants, trash, large branches, dirt, stones or rocks into the biodegradable paper bags. 

Residents are asked to please adhere to the following regulations regarding leaf collection in order to ensure a successful collection: 

• Do not put leaves in the road prior to the day before the scheduled collection. Leaves that are placed in the roadway prior to the night before are a serious safety concern as well as detrimental to storm water run off as they clog the storm drainage system. (contractors who do not comply will be cited) 

• Do not park on top of leaves. This prohibits access to the leaves and can be a fire hazard. 

• Do not include rocks, sticks, trash, etc. for collection with leaves.  This does damage to the collection machine and results in down time for repairs. Leaf piles with any of these items above will not be collected. 

• Please observe all regulatory parking signs. 

• Leaves should not be burned for disposal as per Jenkintown Borough Code Section 94-4 

The Public Works Department will make every attempt to maintain the schedule, but residents should be prepared for delays due to inclement weather. If this is the case the Public Works Department utilizes Fridays as a make-up day or an overabundance of leaves prohibits a route being completed as scheduled. Although the Borough strongly encourages you not to place your leaves in the street prior to one day before the scheduled pick up, once they are in the street, please leave them there and they will be picked up. 

The program is designed to improve stormwater management, public education and outreach, pollution prevention, illicit discharge detection and construction site runoff controls. The Borough’s efforts would not be enough to obtain the compliance permit without the dedication and hard work of the Public Works Dept., Emergency Mgmt., Fire Marshal, JB Environmental Action Committee, Residents and Business owners who have all participated and contributed to the success of the MS4 program.

The MS4 Report can be viewed here (PDF).