County of Union, New Jersey

Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Elections reminds residents that Tuesday, May 18 is the deadline for voter registration for the 2021 Primary Election. Voters who are registered in the Democratic and Republican parties will be able to vote in the Primary Election to choose their party’s nominee to run for Governor in the General Election, in addition to voting on local candidates.

Primary Day will be on Tuesday, June 8.  Election Day will be primarily in-person, with vote by mail ballots available to voters who choose that option.

You can register to vote if:

• You are a United States citizen
• You will be 18 years old by the next election
• You will be a resident of the State and county for 30 days before the election
• You are NOT currently serving a sentence because of a felony conviction
• As of March 17, 2020, persons currently on parole or probation are entitled to vote.

To register online, eligible residents should visit: https://voter.svrs.nj.gov/register and follow Online Voter Registration instructions. Your County Commissioner of Registration will notify you if your application is accepted. If it is not accepted, you will be notified on how to complete and/or correct the application.

To download a voter registration form visit the New Jersey state elections website at nj.gov/state/elections/voter-registration. Be sure to print and sign the form before returning.

To receive a voter registration form by U.S. Post, call the Board of Elections at 908-527-4123.

The Union County Board of Elections is open to assist residents who wish to register.  The address is 271 North Broad Street, Elizabeth and office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.  The Board will host extended hours on May 18 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

For all Union County Board of Elections information visit online at ucnj.org/ucboe, email ucboe@ucnj.org, or call 908-527-4123.

For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University and the Mobile Test Unit walk-up sites, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 and updates on statewide vaccine planning are available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

#  #

For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.

Union County, NJ – In recognition of Alcohol Awareness Month, The Union County Board of Commissioners invites all Union County residents to attend a virtual presentation on alcohol misuse featuring a panel of experts on treatment, counseling, and recovery. The program, titled “An Alcohol Misuse Learning Session” is being held on Zoom on Tuesday, April 27, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and is hosted by the Union County Department of Human Services’ Office on Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse.

“The Commissioner Board has a longstanding commitment to help the Union County community know the facts about alcohol, keep the lines of communication open, and ensure that our community has access to resources that can prevent or overcome alcohol abuse.” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

The program will be hosted by Gene Tavera, Union County Alcohol and Substance Abuse Coordinator, and presented by Kelley Ryan, Director of Community Prevention at Prevention Links. The panelists are:

• Krystyna Vaccarelli, LCSW, LCADC, Director of Substance Abuse Services at Trinitas Regional Medical Center.
• Kristina Bloodgood, Director of Admissions at New Hope Integrated Behavioral Health Care (IBHC).
• Sabrina Sabater, MSW, Division Director of Recovery Support at Prevention Links
• Rosalina Tuazon, Licensed Clinician and Substance Abuse Counselor at PROCEED, Inc.

The focus will be on providing an understanding of what exactly alcohol misuse means, what it looks like and how it can impact a life.

Additionally, the event will provide participants with an opportunity to speak with local experts and learn about the services they provide.

This event is free, however, pre-registration is required in order to receive the Zoom link. Please register at bit.ly/alcoholmisuse427.

For more information on An Alcohol Misuse Learning Session contact Gene Tavera, Union County Alcohol and Substance Abuse Coordinator at gene.tavera@ucnj.org.

More information on all Department of Human Services programs is available online at ucnj.org/human-services.

For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University, the Mobile Test Unit walk-up sites, vaccination information, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

##

For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.

For the second year in a row, the Union County Board of Commissioners has passed a budget with a zero percent tax increase.

The 2021 budget was passed at tonight’s meeting and will maintain all essential services. It continues the County’s trend of fiscally responsible budgets, and maintains the County’s bond rating which is the highest attainable.

“I am pleased to announce that we have again adopted a budget with a zero percent tax increase for the second year in a row,” said Commissioner Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “Despite the pandemic that is persisting this year, our fiscal outlook remains strong. We continue to offer our high quality governmental services, and our commitment to assisting our constituents.”

Commissioner Fiscal Committee Chairman Christopher Hudak said: “As we continue to face the COVID-19 Pandemic, we are mindful of its profound impact on all residents. We worked hard with our County Manager and our Finance Director to build a budget that would fund the response to COVID-19, our safety net and normal services.”

Both Mirabella and Hudak thanked their colleagues on the Fiscal Committee for their work in crafting the budget, including Vice Chair Rebecca Williams and Commissioners Sergio Granados, and Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded. They also thanked County Manager Ed Oatman, and gave special thanks to Finance Director Bibi Taylor, and her staff for their effort in bringing the budget all together from start to finish.  

Finally, both Mirabella and Hudak thanked Union County’s family of directors and employees for their tremendous effort in responding to the pandemic this past year.

BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

• The 2021 budget provides for the County’s COVID-19 testing and vaccination efforts. More than 140,000 residents have been tested since the start. It will also continue to fund the County’s vaccination centers at Kean University, Plainfield, FEMA clinic in Elizabeth and mobile efforts.
• This budget also funds the County’s online vaccination appointment portal system, and call-in center.
• To date, the County has administered over 78,000 doses of vaccinations.
• The budget also helps fund a revolutionary partnership with Kean University, where the county and Kean established a laboratory that is capable of testing residents, processing their samples, gene sequencing for variant strain research–all in coordination with the County’s contact tracing program. This effort is the first of its kind in the entire nation and will also act as a source of revenue for decades to come.
• The budget provides for weekly food distributions (the County has served over 3.6 million meals), and the distribution of more than 100,000 masks throughout Union County to all 21 municipalities.    
• This budget also funds the Chairman’s “Union County Rising” initiatives for 2021, which include public safety improvements, support for businesses, the LGBTQ community, upgrades to parks and recreation facilities, and support for recreational programming.

Memorandum of agreement with Essex County ensures continued care of Union County prisoners; County jail will remain open as hub to temporarily detain and transport prisoners to Essex.

In a measure that will save Union County more than $103 million over five years while ensuring the continued care of its prisoners, the County of Union today announced it is closing major operations at its jail in Elizabeth, and sending its prisoners to the Essex County Correctional facility in Newark.

The jail will cease the long-term housing of prisoners effective July 1^st, and will begin operating as a hub to intake, process, temporarily detain and transport prisoners to the Essex County Correctional facility. Shuttle buses will also be available to transport those wishing to visit prisoners in Essex County.

County officials decided to pursue the agreement as the number of prisoners housed at the jail have fallen nearly 67 percent the past ten years, from more than 1,000 prisoners to currently 345. The five-year memorandum of agreement the County of Union has approved with Essex County to provide jail services has an option for renewal. Also, the Union County Department of Corrections will be changed to a division of the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

“This agreement provides proper facilities for our prisoners, and we have worked to minimize the impact on many of our employees at the jail,” said County Manager Edward T. Oatman. “The number of inmates at the jail have continued to dramatically decline. As a result of this and other factors, detention costs per inmate have more than doubled during the same time. Our savings will be substantial.”

Oatman also thanked the County of Essex for reaching this historic agreement.

There are a total of 243 employees at the jail including Corrections Officers and civilian personnel. Most jail employees have found employment at various institutions, and the County has also conducted a jobs fair. Approximately 53 Corrections Officers and civilians will remain employed at the Union County Jail for its hub operations, which will operate 365 days a year.

The County’s Workforce Development Board services was made available to all jail employees, who if they wished, were able to take advantage of job training, resume assistance, education, and other employment programs. The County held a jobs fair for jail employees.

“Ultimately, this was a tough decision, but one that had to be made,” said Union County Board of Commissioners’ Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “This agreement will save the County tens of millions in taxpayers’ dollars, and provide responsible detention for our inmates.”

Opened in 2004, the Essex County Correctional facility has been accredited by the American Correctional Association, which sets the standards for correctional facilities and detention centers in the United States, American territories and some foreign countries, since 2013. It also has received 100 percent compliance with the New Jersey State Department of Corrections every year since 2006 and has been accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities since 2007.

Overall the declining numbers in Union County’s jail reflect national trends and the impact of New Jersey’s Criminal Justice reform laws. Crime rates have declined sharply in recent decades, and the arrest rate has followed, falling as well.

In 2019, Union County also closed its Juvenile Detention Center, saving $24.6 million a year, sending its detainees to the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center in Newark.

                                                                      –30–

Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce that box-lunch meals will be available to seniors beginning in May, through the “Grab and Go” program. The program is run through the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, in the Department of Human Services.

“This alternative dining option will provide seniors with access to nutritious lunches, while reducing the risk of contracting or spreading the COVID-19 virus,” said County Commission Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

The Grab and Go program is offered for those seniors age 60 and up who reside in Union County, and who are not receiving home delivered meals from Meals-On-Wheels.

It will be available at 19 senior centers and senior housing sites throughout the county every Tuesday and Thursday, beginning on May 4.

Reservations are required, and are available by calling the Division on Aging by 9:00 a.m. on the previous Thursday for Tuesday pick-up, and by 9:00 a.m. the previous Monday for Thursday pick-up.

To make a reservation or to register for the program, please call the Union County Division on Aging at (908) 527-4870 or (908) 527-4877.

A voluntary donation of $1.75 is suggested for each meal. Participants will receive guidance on masks, social distance, and any other COVID-19 prevention measures when picking up meals.

Any eligible senior can use the Grab and Go program at any of the following senior centers:

• Ann Ferguson Towers, 1601 Dill Ave., Linden
• Casano Community Center, 314 Chestnut St., Roselle Park
• Cranford Lincoln Apartments, 800 Lincoln Ave., Cranford
• Ehrhart Gardens, 100 Francis St., Union
• Farley Towers, 33 Cherry St., Elizabeth
• Gregorio Recreation Center—330 Helen St., Linden
• Hillside Senior Center—265 Hollywood Ave., Hillside
• JFK Senior Apartments, 250 W. Grand Ave., Rahway
• Kenilworth Senior Center—526 Boulevard, Kenilworth
• Liberty Square Senior Center—204 Elizabeth Ave., Elizabeth
• O’Donnell Dempsey Senior Center—622 Salem Ave., Elizabeth
• Plainfield Senior Center—400 E. Front St., Plainfield
• Roselle Community Center—1268 Shafer Ave., Roselle
• Schaefer Gardens, 35 Summer Ave., Union
• Shady Rest Golf and Country Club, 820 Jerusalem Rd., Scotch Plains
• Stephen Sampson Center, 800 Anna St., Elizabeth
• Union Senior Center—968 Bonnel Ct., Union
• Westfield Community Center—558 W. Broad St., Westfield
• Winfield Community Center—25 Roosevelt Dr., Winfield Park

The Grab and Go program allows for safe social distancing to protect against transmission of COVID-19, while continuing to provide healthy meals for Union County’s aging population. Each meal meets one-third of the daily nutritional requirements of an adult aged 60 or older.

The Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection is part of the Union County Department of Human Services, and is federally recognized as the Area Agency on Aging for Union County. The nationwide Area Agency on Aging “on-the-ground” model was established under the 1973 Older Americans Act, with the goal of helping seniors live independently, and with dignity, in their communities.

As an Area Agency on Aging, the Division on Aging is authorized to issue contracts for senior service providers including health aide/homemakers, nurse visits, social work visits, hospice, home delivered meals, kosher home delivered meals, congregate nutrition, caregiver services, legal services, information & assistance, social/medical adult day services, residential maintenance, emergency energy assistance, telephone reassurance, grocery shopping, transportation, grandparents raising grandchildren, and much more.

For more information on all ADRC programs call the Union County Division on Aging at 908-527-4870 or 908-527-4877, or visit ucnj.org/aging and use the online contact form.

#  #

For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.

COVID-19 precautions will be observed at this event.

Union County, NJ – In recognition of Autism Acceptance Month, Union County residents of all ages are invited to participate in Paint in the Park, on Tuesday, April 27, at Mattano Park, located at 360-484 5^th Avenue in Elizabeth. This event is completely free and is sponsored by The Union County Board of County Commissioners, through the Office for Persons with Disabilities & Special Needs in the Department of Human Services.

“Paint in the Park is an enriching outdoor event that brings awareness to Autism, while giving our residents the opportunity the express themselves creatively,” said Commissioner Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

Paint in the Park encourages participants to express what Autism means to them by painting on a t-shirt. Participants will also be able to take the shirt home to wear all year long.

Paint in the Park will begin at 5:30pm and end at 7:30pm.

Pre-registration is required. To register, visit www.ucnj.org/opdsn-reg.

Masks are required and must be worn by all participants, and social distancing guidelines must be observed.

This event is partnered by the Elizabeth Education Association, Elizabeth Parent Support Group, Elizabeth Strong, and Union County Spectrum All Stars.

For more information, please contact the Union County Office for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs by phone at (908) 527-4781.

For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University, the Mobile Test Unit walk-up sites, vaccination information, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

##

For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.