Township to participate in climate change discussion MIDDLETOWN - Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger was joined by Sierra Club Cool Cities representative Maria Stavoia Sept. 17 to announce that Middletown would be part of the National Conversation on Climate Action. The event will take place on Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church St. Middletown's event will include a discussion about the science of global warming as well as local efforts to curb pollution, reduce energy use and lessen the amount of taxpayer money spent on energy. The discussion will be led by Dr. Patrick Hossay, an associate professor at Stockton College, and Scharfenberger. The National Conversation is sponsored by ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the Association of Science-Technology Centers. It is designed to highlight and catalyze local efforts to address global warming, build local awareness and facilitate community engagement. More than 50 communities around the nation are expected to participate. Earlier this year, Middletown became a Sierra Club Cool City when the mayor and Township Committee adopted the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement. The mayor and Township Committee also adopted the Middletown Township Green Initiative, a working document that outlines a list of energy saving proposals to be considered.