WINFIELD TWP — The township has been recognized as a progressive municipality.

The Pennsylvania Municipal League recently awarded the township a silver Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification, which lauds municipalities for being at the forefront of community development.

To earn the certification, Winfield met performance for 131 items, including community design and land use, energy efficiency, health and wellness, mitigating blight, intergovernmental cooperation and fiscal controls.

Adam Hartwig, township secretary, said Winfield moved toward sustainable community development in recent years by adopting a comprehensive plan, which guides a municipality in how to best use all its resources.

“We wanted to make sure tomorrow is better than today in the township,” Hartwig said.

Hartwig said the recognition would help the township try to get grants for projects and purchases.

He said the township is looking at converting its fleet of three dump trucks and a pickup to propane fuel.

Winfield also is considering the use of solar panels in the roofs of the municipal building and public works garage along with retrofitting street lights and traffic signals to LED bulbs.

The township continues to develop its municipal park off Brose Road to provide recreational opportunities.

The silver certification also cites Winfield keeping an inventory of vacant and blighted property while enforcing the Uniform Construction Code.

The township is a member of the Butler County Council of Governments.

Under fiscal controls, Winfield carries over 5 percent to 10 percent of operating funds each year.