County of Union, New Jersey

The Raritan Valley Rail Coalition (RVRC) launched a video and petition regarding the ‘One Seat’ direct ride into NYC in an effort to get local legislators to encourage NJ TRANSIT to make it a priority to lay out a plan of action.

In March of 2014 NJ TRANSIT established direct service (no change in Newark) for midday trains on weekdays and in January of 2015 direct trains after 8 pm on weekdays.  However, there has been no more plans for expanding the direct service.

 “We’re only halfway toward our goal of full mid-town direct service,” said Peter Palmer, RVRC Chairman and Somerset County Freeholder.  “This is not just about convenience for commuters.  Direct service in all time slots would have a major impact in terms of economic development, improved property values and the productivity of our commuting workforce.”

The ultimate goal of the RVRC, which has championed the one-seat direct train service to NYC since 1998, is complete direct service from the Raritan Line into NYC.  Currently, riders on peak hour trains still have to transfer in Newark.

Members of the RVRC continue to meet regularly with NJ Transit officials to accomplish this goal. “We understand the complex nature of implementing these changes,” said Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr, who heads the RVRC Mayor’s Coalition. “However, our first responsibility is to the residents of every town on the RVL and making sure they are treated fairly in the transit system.”

To view the video and sign the petition or for more information and articles about the efforts to get one-seat service go to www.raritanvalleyrail.com or contact info@raritanvalleyrail.com

To Whom It May Concern:

Under the terms of the “Open Public Meetings Act” P.L. 1975, C. 231 and N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq., please be advised that the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will be hosting a Special Meeting on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 7:30pm at the Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Official action will be taken relative to the introduction for approval on the following Union County Ordinance:

AN AMENDMENT TO THE UNION COUNTY DISTRICT SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN TO INCORPORATE MODIFICATIONS TO THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THE FACILITY LEASE AGREEMENT AND THE AMENDED AND RESTATED WASTE DISPOSAL AGREEMENT WITH COVANTA UNION, INC. FOR THE OPERATION OF THE UNION COUNTY RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITY TO EXTEND THE LEASE TERM AND REDUCE THE AUTHORITY’S WASTE DELIVERY OBLIGATIONS.

Union County Freeholders Linda Carter and Bette Jane Kowalski joined Union County College President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin in welcoming the Linden High School Madrigals to the presentation of “Music in the Life of Langston Hughes” at Union County College in Cranford.

Sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Recreation, the performance celebrated the birth of James Mercer Langston Hughes on Feb. 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. Host Terrance McKnight presented a live adaptation of his radio documentary, “I, Too, Sing America: Music in the Life of Langston Hughes,” which was produced for WQXR, New York Public Radio.

Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was a poet, novelist, playwright and social activist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form known as jazz poetry. Hughes loved music. He wrote songs, opera librettos and gospel plays, and traveled with his record collection. A longtime resident of Harlem in New York City, Langston Hughes also lived in Westfield, New Jersey in the early 1930’s.

The Linden High School Madrigals performed during event.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Jobs in warehousing industry, Veterans given preference

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that major warehouse and calling center companies in Union County are holding information sessions for 100 full time and part time job openings for packers, truck loaders and customer service call representatives.

The information sessions will be held at the Union County Workforce Innovation Business Center, at The Mills at Jersey Gardens, 651 Kapkowski Road in Elizabeth on February 9 and 10, at 10:00 and 2:00 p.m. Attendance at one of the sessions is mandatory for job seekers to be eligible to apply for a position. Veterans will be given hiring preference.

“The Workforce Innovation Center continues to be an economic engine for Union County, helping to match high quality local employers with qualified job seekers,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “If you are an employer, I encourage you to get in touch with us, and let our experienced staff help you find the right people for the right jobs.”

The Workforce Innovation Business Center was established by the Freeholder Board with Union County College through a $2.4 million investment in 2014, leveraging the employment services and education experience of both partners.

“The Center has outperformed our expectations, as we created more than a thousand job opportunities in little over a year for Union County residents,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, who is in his third year as the Freeholder liaison to the Union County Workforce Advisory Board. “As Liaison, I have asked the Workforce Development Board as a goal to prioritize the creation of more public-private partnerships to exceed the number of opportunities created last year.”

Granados also requested the Center prioritize the hiring of Veterans in support of Chairman Bergen’s 2016 “UC HERO” initiative, which encourages local employers to offer hiring preferences to military veterans. 

Previous Workforce Innovation Center hiring rounds have matched Union County job seekers with top employers including Whole Foods, Doctor Martens and AirServ, among others.

For more details about the new round of hiring and other information about the WIB center visit online at ucnj.org, call 908-355-4473 or email Isaias Rivera, isaias.rivera@ucc.edu.

Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi is pleased to announce that the latest in a series of special training sessions for Notaries Public will be held on Friday, March 18, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the John H. Stamler Police Academy, 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains.

Attendance is by pre-registration only, with a nominal registration fee of $5.00. Attendance is limited to the first 50 persons to register by Friday, March 11.

“As impartial offices of the State of New Jersey, Notaries Public play a vital role in the affairs of our community,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “All are welcome to attend the training session, which will include all aspects of the functioning of Notaries Public, including the application process for new notaries.”

The new session is open to persons interested in becoming a Notary Public, as well as current Notaries who would like to refresh and update their skills.

The session will begin with opening remarks and a review of the application process by Ms. Rajoppi. Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, who is a partner at the law firm of Krevsky, Silber & Bergen, will present the legal aspects of the functions of Notaries Public.

Registration forms are available online at ucnj.org/county-clerk/new-jersey-notary-training. To register, send the form and a check of $5.00 payable to “Union County Clerk” to:

Office of the Union County Clerk

2 Broad Street, Room 115

Elizabeth, New Jersey 07207

For more information, or to obtain a registration form by mail, contact Donna Connell at the County Clerk’s office by Friday, March 11, at 908-527-4999 or dconnell@ucnj.org. Inquiries are also accepted by fax at 908-558-2589.

Details on all Union County Clerk programs and services are available online at ucnj.org/county-clerk.

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Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados (far r.) watched the installation of a web camera at the peregrine falcon nest site atop the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth this morning. The same falcon pair – one of only nesting 26 couples in New Jersey — has been raising chicks at the Courthouse since 2006, making their home in a round doghouse that provides stability in the windy environment. The in-nest “pinhole” camera will be online at the County website, ucnj.org, once the final adjustments are completed. An audio feed and a controllable outer camera will also be installed this summer, enabling bird fans and researchers to follow the action in and around the nest.  (Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

On Dec. 2, 2015, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced that federal disaster loans are again available as a result of Hurricane Sandy.  These low-interest loans are available to small businesses, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters located in New Jersey, regardless if they applied during the initial Hurricane Sandy disaster declaration or not.  To date, SBA has approved 131 loans totaling $5,099,500.

“We are seeing an increase in the number of applications, which tells us there are still  businesses and residents that have Hurricane Sandy related needs and who could use our disaster loan program,” said SBA’s Region II Regional Administrator Kellie LeDet.

LeDet, who oversees SBA’s programs and services for New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, added “The reopening of the SBA disaster declaration for Sandy provides a great opportunity for victims of Superstorm Sandy to get much needed funding at a low interest rate.”

According to LeDet, SBA’s customer service representatives are at Disaster Loan Outreach Centers to provide one-on-one assistance and answer questions. There is no cost to apply and no appointment is necessary. The Union County Center is open until further notice, with location and hours of operation below:

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders today renewed its support for the efforts of Union County College to award a Bachelor of Nursing degree. As a two-year community college, Union County College requires approval from the State Department of Education to offer the four-year degree.

“This new four-year program would provide more Union County residents with the opportunity to advance professionally in a high demand field, and it would benefit to the community at large by helping to relieve the ongoing nursing shortage,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “Union County College has established a solid record of success with an outstanding two-year Associate’s degree, and the Freeholder Board strongly supports extending this experience to four-year degrees.”

The new degree program would enable Union County College to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing for students who have completed an Associate Degree or who hold a qualifying diploma in an accredited nursing program, and who have passed the examination to be a Registered Nurse.

The course work would include physical assessment, community health, global and population based health, nursing research and evidence-based practices, advanced pathophysiology, informatics and technology, ethical issues and leadership and management courses.

Approval for the new four-year program is contingent upon the determination of the New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education, which takes into account the recommendations of the New Jersey President’s Council.

Earlier in January, Bergen announced support for the four-year degree as part of his 2016 Chairman’s Initiatives. The Freeholder Board also adopted a formal Resolution in support of a positive outcome from the President’s Council. However, last week the President’s Council voted in favor of negative recommendations by a slim 19-18 margin, with several abstentions.

“We are hoping that this narrow decision provides the Secretary of Higher Education with an indication that the issue deserves a more thorough investigation before a final decision is made,” said Bergen.

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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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