County of Union, New Jersey

Union County, NJ – Union County residents seeking reliable information about services for adults age 60 and older can come to convenient locations throughout the County and speak in person with experienced staff from the Division on Aging, an office of the Union County Department of Human Services.

The community visits are scheduled every month through Union County’s ASK (Aging Services Kiosk) program.

In January, the ASK program will visit public libraries in Clark, Cranford, Kenilworth, Garwood, Mountainside, Summit and Union, and the Rahway Senior Center in Rahway

“Our goal is to help senior residents access the resources they need to stay connected with their communities,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “The ASK program helps seniors, their families, and their caregivers get expert guidance in person, in a comfortable setting close to home.”

Guidance offered through the ASK program includes home delivered meals, respite care, home care, adult day care, and support services for caregivers.

Assistance with completing applications and forms is also provided.

All Union County residents are welcome to attend any ASK event. Please note that on January 16, locations in Garwood and Kenilworth will both be available.

In case of snow, residents may call 908-572-4870 on the day of the event to confirm.

Wednesday, January 8

Cranford Public Library

224 Walnut Avenue

Cranford, 07016

10:00 am to 12 noon

 

Thursday, January 9

Rahway Senior Center

1306 Esterbrook Avenue

Rahway, NJ  07065

10:00 am – 12:00 noon

 

Monday, January 13

Clark Public Library

303 Westfield Avenue

Clark, NJ 07066

10:00 am – 12:00 noon

 

Thursday, January 16

Garwood Public Library

411 Third Avenue

Garwood, NJ 07027

10:00 am – 12:00 noon

 

Thursday, January 16

Kenilworth Public Library

548 Boulevard

Kenilworth, 07033

10:00 am to 12 noon

 

Friday, January 17

Mountainside Public Library

Constitution Plaza

Mountainside, 07092

10:00 am to 12 noon

 

Monday, January 27

Summit Public Library

75 Maple Street

Summit, 07901

10:30 am to 12:30 pm

 

Tuesday, January 28

Union Public Library

1980 Morris Avenue

Union, NJ 07083

11:30 am to 1:30 pm

The Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection is modeled on a national initiative aimed at promoting wellness, independence, dignity and choice. In addition to ASK and other outreach events, printed information is available in English and Spanish.

For more information about the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, visit the Department of Human Services online at ucnj.org/departments/human-services or call 888-280-8226 (toll free), 908-527-4870, or 908-527-4858. Spanish speakers may call 908-527-4863. 

 

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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.

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Union County –Union County Government will hold its annual reorganization at the County Courthouse on Sunday, January 5, beginning at 12:00 p.m.

Freeholder Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella, a resident of Fanwood, is expected to become Chairman of the Board, and Freeholder Angel Estrada, a resident of Elizabeth, is expected to be Vice Chairman.

Mirabella will announce a series of initiatives for 2020 focusing on inclusion, safety, and outreach.

Those scheduled to be sworn into new terms include: Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski, Sergio Granados and Rebecca Williams, and Union County Surrogate James S. LaCorte.

Freeholders will also vote to fill numerous positions on county standing committees, advisory boards and to adopt the board’s 2020 schedule and more.

TIME: Sunday, January 5, 12:00 p.m.

PLACE: Union County Courthouse,

2 Broad Street, Elizabeth NJ

Judge Cassidy’s Chambers

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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.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the Union County Regional Dispatch Center will now manage police, fire, and emergency medical service calls for the Township of Berkeley Heights, under a contract approved by the Freeholder Board during the regular meeting on December 19.

“This shared services program improves the efficiency of dispatch services while providing substantial savings for municipal governments,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “The Union County Dispatch Center is a perfect example of municipal and county government coming together for the benefit of residents.”

The Union County Regional Dispatch Center is a state-of-the-art emergency dispatch facility located in the County’s Ralph Froehlich Public Safety Building, at 400 North Avenue East in Westfield.

“We are confident that Union County can provide these services to our residents at the quality and efficiency they deserve,” said Berkeley Heights Mayor Angie Devanney. “The technology at the County dispatch center is top notch, and the rapid response offers us the assurance that this is the right move for Berkeley Heights.”

The $1.2 million facility opened in 2012 and replaced a previous operation located at the same site, which handled calls only for Union County’s emergency services. The Dispatch Center enables local governments and other entities to upgrade their emergency response as a shared service with Union County. 

In addition to providing emergency dispatch services for the Union County Police and other countywide first responders, the Dispatch Center serves a growing number of municipalities and other entities in the county including 911 calls for police, fire, and EMS.

With the addition of Berkeley Heights, the Dispatch Center now serves 14 of Union County’s 21 municipalities and handles a total list of 27 first responder agencies.

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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.

All residents invited to participate in online voting for 2020 Census outreach campaign created by local students

Union County, NJ – With the all-important 2020 Census around the corner, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites residents to help choose a student-run outreach campaign aimed at encouraging everyone to be counted. High school students have created three different campaigns through Union County’s UC STEP youth leadership program, and a public online vote will determine the winner.

Residents can go online to see descriptions of the three campaigns and vote for their favorite at ucnj.org/uc-step. Voting is open until January 1, 2020. The winning project will become part of Union County’s 2020 Census outreach efforts.

“The Freeholder Board is proud to support the UC STEP program, and this year’s focus on the 2020 Census is especially significant,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.

Now in its seventh year, UC STEP begins with a daylong youth summit each December. As a highlight of the summit, the students break into teams and create ideas for community service campaigns that involve the entire County. Selected campaigns are then presented to the public to choose the “best-of-the-best” through online voting each January, and the winning campaign is conducted by students during the winter-spring school calendar with assistance from the Freeholder Board.

This year’s UC STEP theme focused on raising awareness of the 2020 Census and the importance of counting every resident.

This year’s finalist teams are Red, Light Pink and Blue. Residents can find more information, view videos about each service campaign concept and cast their vote by visiting ucnj.org/uc-step.

In working to count every resident in the 2020 Census, the Freeholder Board will also partner with community and municipal “complete count” committees, as well as Union County College, Kean University, and many others.

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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.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders this evening thanked Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski for an outstanding year at the helm of County Government with a plaque in honor of her “Empowering Union County” initiatives for 2019.

Union County, NJ – Local bird watchers have been pleasantly surprised while exploring Union County parks in recent weeks. One intrepid birder even caught sight of an ash throated flycatcher flitting through the woods at Lenape Park in Cranford. The bird usually ranges far into the western U.S. and Mexico, and it is rarely seen in New Jersey.

A young peregrine falcon was also recorded in Lenape Park this season, and a group of birders who call themselves the Lenape Night Hawks recorded several other birds of interest while participating in the annual Christmas Bird Count, a nationwide project initiated by the Audubon Society more than 100 years ago.

“On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would like to thank the Night Hawks and all of the volunteers who are contributing to the Christmas Bird Count,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “These citizen-scientists make a real difference in Union County and beyond.”

The Christmas Bird Count takes place from December 14 to January 5 each year, involving tens of thousands of volunteers around the country.

The Night Hawks conducted their count on December 14, at Lenape Park and along the Rahway River Parkway in Winfield and Clark.

Despite the rain, the Night Hawks recorded some unusual birds including a snow goose and a gadwall. They also took note of many common denizens of Union County parks such as cardinals, mocking birds, white-throated sparrows, song sparrows, blue jays and American crows.

In addition, the group recorded a great horned owl, which was heard but not seen.

Peregrine falcons are an endangered species in New Jersey, and local birders have been able to report a band around the leg of the young peregrine spotted in Lenape Park. Their report will help scientists learn more about bird populations, population fluctuations, habits and territories.

Union County residents – and people the world over – can learn more about peregrine falcons by tuning into Union County’s free online livestream of a peregrine falcon nest on the roof of the Union County Courthouse Tower in midtown Elizabeth, at ucnj.org/falcon.

Union County residents can also help protect and improve environmental health in Union County by joining the Rutgers Environmental Stewards program. Visit envirostewards.rutgers.edu for more information or contact Michele Bakacs, County Agent and Associate Professor for the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County at bakacs@njaes.rutgers.edu or 732-398-5274.

Everyone can also help preserve local nature habitats by recycling or properly disposing plastic bags, bottles and other items. To participate in organized habitat improvement projects in Union County parks, visit the Adopt-a-Park/Adopt-a-Trail program online at ucnj.org/parks or call 908-789-3683.

Quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities are available at The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connect.

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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.

 

 

 

 

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the County Manager invite you to the 64th annual “Holiday Sing-Along” on Tuesday, December 24^th, at 11:00 a.m.

The event will be held outside of Assignment Judge Karen Cassidy’s Chambers at the Union County Courthouse building, located at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth. 

Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski will be the master of ceremonies, and County Manager Edward Oatman will deliver opening remarks. The event includes caroling, musical entertainment, and a visit from Santa.  County employees Annie McNair will sing, and John O’Connell will play the keyboard. Grupo Belen will lead the sing-along.

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 Freeholder Angela Garretson, Freeholder Sergio Granados, Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli, Union County Manager Ed Oatman, Deputy County Manager Amy Wagner and county employees joined Rabbi Mordechai Kanelsky and representatives from Bris Avrohom of Hillside to light the menorahs in Phil Rizzuto Park, the Union County Courthouse and the County Administration Building in Elizabeth in celebration of Chanukah. (Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders today hosted the 7th annual UCSTEP Summit at Kean University in Union. The Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program (UCSTEP) is a day-long summit that invites high school sophomores and juniors from throughout Union County to participate in hands-on activities focused on leadership, personal growth, and civic engagement.