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Union County Residents Invited to Help Guide New Jersey into a Sustainable Future

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to invite members of the public to participate in a free workshop that will help create a plan for improving access to transportation, educational resources, economic opportunities and quality of life in the North Jersey region. The workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, March 19, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Kean University STEM Building’s 6th-floor Conference Center, 1075 Morris Avenue in Union Township.

“This is a fun, interactive event that enables Union County residents from all walks of life to get on record with their concerns and their goals for improving our communities,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “It’s a unique opportunity to make your voice heard, and to have a say in setting Union County and the North Jersey region on a positive path to the future.”

The workshop is hosted by the Freeholder Board, Together North Jersey and the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority.

Together North Jersey is a voluntary partnership of counties, cities, towns, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions working together to develop a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development encompassing Union County and the surrounding area.

The effort is part of a national initiative, funded partly through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, aimed at helping cities, suburbs and rural areas plan to develop more sustainably and create livable communities.

“We have passed the stage in which economic growth was linked to pollution, traffic congestion and poor public health. Today we have the opportunity to create a more sustainable model that supports a growing, thriving commercial sector while enabling our communities to grow more pleasant, enriching and healthful, too,” said Carter.

Part of the workshop involves a group activity in which participants use electronic “clickers” to register their answers to questions about building stronger communities while encouraging economic growth.

The workshop also includes breakout sessions in which individuals and small groups can speak directly with planners and workshop hosts about living, working and getting around in the region, as well as “open house” sessions for informal discussion.

A light meal and child-friendly activities are also included.

More information is available online at togethernorthjersey.com. For those not able to attend the workshop in person, an opportunity to provide input is available at Together North Jersey’s www.engagenorthjersey.comonline project.

The Kean University STEM Building is easily accessible by mass transportation, and parking is free. For directions and more information about the workshop, including assistance with child care, transportation, language interpreters and audio assistance, contact Miriam Salerno at 848-932-2876 ormiriam.salerno@ejb.rutgers.edu.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release.   Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.