County of Union, New Jersey

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, Union County Sheriff Joe Cryan, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi and Union County Surrogate James LaCorte met with Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Commander Robert Jeans before they spoke about county services available to veterans at the VFW NJ District 5 meeting at the Kenilworth Veterans Center. The Town Hall Meeting with veterans is part of Chairman Bergen’s UC HERO initiative for continued outreach to veterans about services offered through various county agencies. For more information about Union County services for veterans visit www.ucnj.org/uc-hero/. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Event Scheduled for 1 p.m. features speakers from Ciao Amici Italian Language and Cultural Center, the County of Union, UNICO District X, and Italian American ONE VOICE Coalition

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announced that Union County’s eighth annual Columbus Day Flag Raising event is set for Friday, Oct. 7th, at 1 p.m., on the steps of the historic Union County Courthouse.

The keynote speaker is State Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, who represents the 22^nd District in Union County. Senator Scutari is the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Scutari, who is an attorney and a former Union County Freeholder, has a tradition—dating back to Italy—of civic involvement in his family.

Filomena Coccaro, the owner of Ciao Amici, the Italian Language and Cultural Center in Cranford, will also speak. Coccaro was born and raised in Potenza, Italy, and graduated from the University of Rome “La Sapienza.” She moved to the United States in 1996 and has been teaching the Italian language and culture ever since.

Other scheduled speakers at the flag raising include: Members of the Union County Freeholder Board including Al Mirabella, who is emceeing the event this year,  Plainfields’ UNICO Founder Renato Biribin, Italian American ONE VOICE Coalition President Manny Alfano; and UNICO District X Governor Bill Hearon.  Additionally, resolutions will be presented to all Chapters of UNICO in District X.

UNICO is the nation’s largest Italian American service organization whose chapters and members engage in promoting and defending Italian culture and heritage, as well as providing scholarships, engaging in community service and other philanthropic endeavors.

The courthouse is located at 2 Broad St. in Elizabeth at the corner of Rahway Avenue. In the event of rain, the program will be moved indoors to the County Courthouse Rotunda.

UNICO District X and Plainfields’ UNICO work to organize and co-sponsor the event.

Italian-style refreshments will be served after the program in the historic Union County Courthouse. Parking (pay) is available in the Midtown area at the J. Christian Bollwage Parking deck at Elizabethtown Plaza and Caldwell Place. A second deck is Elizabeth’s Parking Deck No. 6 on Jefferson Avenue and Dickinson Street—the entrance is on Dickinson Street. 

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to present Family Fun Day this Saturday, September 24 to celebrate the opening of Union County’s first inclusive public playground. Family Fun Day will begin at 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., with an official opening ceremony and ribbon cutting at 1:00 p.m, at Mattano Park in Union County, NJ.

“The Freeholder Board is committed to providing children of all abilities and their families access to recreational opportunities,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, who is also the Freeholder liaison to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. “The new inclusive playground at Mattano Park, the first of its kind in a public park in Union County, will allow children to play and learn side by side with friends and family.”

Fun for all ages and abilities, the new inclusive playground at Mattano Park, located in Elizabeth, features a variety of accessible play equipment including a Merry-Go-All, Roller Slide, Roller Table, Swing Seats, and more.

Presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders in partnership with Elizabeth Port Parent Support Group, and sponsored by PepsiCo, the Family Fun Day free event will include a BBQ, Family Field Day, and other kids’ activities.

Family Fun Day will also feature interactive workshops with the Eastwyck Saints football team, Elizabeth Youth Soccer, as well as Citizens Going Forward hosting a basketball workshop, giving parents and children the opportunity to learn more about these sports activities.

For more information about the new inclusive playground at Mattano Park or the Family Fun Day event, contact the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900 or visit ucnj.org.

Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announced that Vote-by-Mail ballots will be available in the County Clerk’s Offices in Elizabeth and Westfield on Monday,  September 26, 2016 to registered voters who wish to cast their vote by mail ballot for the 2016 Presidential General Election.

Election Day 2016 is Tuesday, November 8. The deadline to apply for a Vote-By-Mail ballot through the mail is November 1, 2016. The application must be received by the County Clerk’s Office before or on this date by mail.

The deadline to apply in person is Monday, November 7, 2016 by 3:00 p.m.

“Vote-by-Mail is an important service that is available to every voter. It is especially useful for those who find it difficult to get to their polling place because of obligations at work or home, or because of physical impediments,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “It is not necessary to provide a reason for using Vote-by-Mail.”

Voters can obtain a Vote-by-Mail application in person at their local municipal building, from the County Clerk’s Main Office in Elizabeth, or from the Annex Office in Westfied.

Voters can also download and print an application from the County Clerk’s website, ucnj.org/vote-by-mail, or request that one be mailed through the free Union County Votes mobile app.

To receive an application through the mail, voters can call the County Clerk at 908-527-4996. There is no fee for this service.

“In addition to the critical Presidential election,” Ms. Rajoppi said, “Voters will be given an opportunity to vote on important county, local and school board candidates as well as three public questions.”

“If you’d like to use Vote-by-Mail, please allow ample time to get your application and return it to my office, so you can receive your ballot in time to cast your vote,” said Ms. Rajoppi.

To help streamline the Vote-by-Mail process, Ms. Rajoppi offers a “One-Stop” service. Voters using One-Stop can come to the Elizabeth or Westfield office, obtain an application, receive their ballot, and cast it all in the same visit.  Recent legislation requires that voters wishing to leave their ballot in the Clerk’s lock box must provide a driver’s license or state identification card.

Ms. Rajoppi also reminded voters that the Vote-By-Mail Ballot was re-designed last year, so that it more closely resembles the Sample Ballot and Official Ballot in the voting machines.

“This change was made to help ensure that voters remember to fill out their entire ballot, including school board positions,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “The School Board Election now has a blue heading, helping to draw the voter’s attention to that part of the ballot.”

Voters can familiarize themselves with the Vote-by-Mail process by viewing the County Clerk’s “Vote By Mail” step-by-step video, available on YouTube and the Union County Votes app.

The Main Office of the County Clerk is located at the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, Room 113, Elizabeth, NJ 07207. Regular office hours in Elizabeth are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The County Clerk’s Election Office in Elizabeth will be open on Saturday, November 5, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  to assist voters wishing to Vote-By-Mail.

The County Clerk’s Westfield Annex is located in the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, Westfield 07090. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays. 

For more details about on the One-Stop Vote-by-Mail service, and all County Clerk programs and services including passports and deed recording, visit online at ucnj.org/county-clerk or call 908-527-4787

Union Country Freeholders Christopher Hudak, Vernell Wright and Alexander Mirabella joined Store Manager Dominic Romeo and Shopper Advocates Lisa Housel and Christine Wolfe of the Shoprite in Clark for the store’s annual “Help Bag Hunger” event.

Cashiers collected donations for the Shoprite Partners in Caring Fund to help fill the shelves of local community food banks. For more information about the Shoprite Partners in Caring visit shopritepartnersincaring.org/news/.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski, Vernell Wright and Linda Carter spoke with Greater Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Gordon Haas and Joe Steiner of the Suburban Chamber of Commerce at the first annual Union County Means Business Expo at the Clubhouse at Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth. They were joined by Union County Department of Economic Development Director Amy Wagner.

The event offered local businesses an opportunity to showcase their products or services, network with other business leaders, expand their customer base and generate market awareness.

The Business Expo is the first business to business trade show networking event presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders in conjunction with Union County Means Business (UCMB) through the Union County Workforce Development Board and partnering organizations.

For more information about economic development in Union County, visit www.ucnj.org/business.

Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi hosted an educational seminar open to all Notaries Public featuring Union County Surrogate James S. LaCorte, Esq. as the main speaker at the John H. Stamler Police Academy in Scotch Plains.

The Notary Public course is a service being offered by the Office of the Union County Clerk. It is designed to instruct Notaries Public on how to perform their duties with confidence and diligence. Notaries will learn about the new online application process and the legal aspects of performing the duties of a Notary Public in an effort to avoid liability issues.

If you know of an individual, organization, or business that stands out for helping others, the Union County Human Relations Commission would like to know about them.

The Commission is seeking nominations for its prestigious 2017 Unity Achievement Awards, which honor volunteerism and public service in all of its forms. Award nominees must live, work, or attend school in Union County.

“We want to hear about the people you know who dedicate their time and effort to do wonderful things that not only enhance others’ experiences and quality of life, but raise and honor the human spirit,” Commission Co-Chair Nora Mislan said. “Those who are nominated for these Awards are regular people who do extraordinary things. Their efforts improve the lives of others, and by doing so, they truly make a difference in our world.”

“These Awards recognize programs, services, activities, and efforts being put forth by local role models who promote cultural diversity, strong community relations, and human rights,” Mislan added. 

Past Unity Achievement Award recipients have included corporations, business organizations, community organizations, nonprofit organizations, individuals, law-enforcement representatives, public servants, clergy, faith-based organizations, members of the media, students, educators, and veterans. The 2017 Awards will mark the 16th annual year in which honorees have been named.

 The commissioners who volunteer their time and energy to serve on the Union County Human Relations Commission unequivocally agree that the best way to strive to accomplish their mission — to actively encourage, develop, promote, and strengthen respect for human rights and cultural diversity among the people of Union County — is to publicly honor those who already do it well. 

Nominations for the 2017 Awards are being accepted now, and they must be received no later than Wednesday, December 28, 2016.

The nomination form is available online at www.ucnj.org/uchrc. You can also request the form by calling Commissioner Karen Positan at 908-889-9028 or emailing her at kpositan@ucnj.org.

A listing of all of the previous Unity Achievement Award recipients in all categories can be found on the county website.