Author: Web Site Administrator

The Union County Freeholder Board on Thursday night approved its final 2020 budget with a zero percent tax increase that will maintain all essential services, with no layoffs.

It continues the County’s trend of fiscally responsible budgets, and maintains the County’s bond rating which is the highest attainable.

“As I said before, knowing the impact the COVID-19 epidemic is having on our residents and business owners, I instructed Fiscal Chairman Granados and our County Manager to tighten the budget as much as possible and deliver a zero percent tax increase,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “This was not an easy task given the pressures that all governing agencies are under, but it was absolutely necessary.”

Freeholder Fiscal Committee Chairman Sergio Granados stated: “We know our residents and businesses have been hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we worked hard to find a middle ground that allowed us to fund the response, avoid layoffs and hold the bottom line.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created a Catch-22 situation for our residents and all governing agencies. Unemployment has surged, revenue sources have been greatly diminished, while funding is needed to respond to the pandemic and assist our residents and business owners,” Granados said. “Through our collaborative efforts, we’ve been able to achieve our goals.”

Both Mirabella and Granados thanked the other Freeholder Fiscal Committee members, Christopher Hudak, Rebecca Williams, Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded, County Manager Edward T. Oatman, Deputy County Manager Amy Wagner and Finance Director Bibi Taylor and her staff for leading the effort.  Both Freeholders also thanked all the County Directors who were asked to adjust their budgets accordingly.

Gardening enthusiasts can now reap the many benefits of growing their own plants with the help of a new home, lawn, and garden resource website from Rutgers University, through the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES).

“The new NJAES website is a valuable resource for residents of all experience levels,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “Gardening is a healthful, relaxing activity that we encourage throughout Union County.”

The Freeholder Board supports home gardening through the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, as part of a statewide community learning initiative run by NJAES.

The new NJAES website features themes such as what to plant, garden design, gardening with youth, nutrition and wellness, and more.

In addition to providing delicious, healthy food, gardening can offer an opportunity for family-friendly outdoor activities.

For a complete listing of all outreach events and webinars, visit the NJAES Calendar.

Residents with yard and garden questions can contact the Master Gardeners of Union County free Garden Helpline at (908) 654-9852 or mastergardeners@ucnj.org.

The Master Gardeners program is run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County. It is supported by the Freeholder Board as part of a national county-based community agriculture program under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Extension offices are located in the County’s Colleen Fraser Building in Westfield.

For more Extension online programs, including environmental topics, yard and garden care, and 4-H clubs for youth, visit the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County online at ucnj.org/rce.

For quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities, visit The Green Connection online at ucnj.org/green-connection.

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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.

Update for hours of operation: 9:00am to 4:00pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Beginning on Monday, May 18^th, the Union County Freeholders are announcing the Union County Covid-19 Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University will be available to all Union County residents who wish to be tested, whether or not they are experiencing symptoms.

The Test Center, which offers free testing, is also available to all first responders and frontline health workers who are asymptomatic and that work in Union County, regardless of their residence.  The testing site will remain committed to testing all first responders and frontline health workers who have symptoms and a prescription from a doctor as long as they live or work in New Jersey.

“This expansion of the Test Center will mirror the states goal to increase testing capacity within our communities, building data that will capture virus rates to be used to help get our economy restarted responsibly in our County,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

Asymptomatic Union County residents, first responders and frontline health workers who work in Union County who wish to be tested can make an appointment by logging onto the  Union County website at www.ucnj.org  and clicking on the COVID-19 Scheduling link.

The hotline will still be available to residents without internet, first responders and front-line health workers who are experiencing symptoms of the virus.  Please call  908-214-7107 to be triaged and scheduled for a test.

For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including guidance for the Test Center, visit ucnj.org/coronavirus-update

For general information about COVID-19 and phone contacts for 24/7, assistance with questions, visit the New Jersey Department of Health at http://nj.gov/health

As gardening season comes into full swing, Union County residents can get remote assistance improving their yards and raising backyard vegetable gardens while protecting the environment, too. Residents with yard and garden questions can contact the free Garden Helpline at (908) 654-9852 or mastergardeners@ucnj.org.

The Garden Helpline is a service of the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County, run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County and supported in part by the Freeholder Board.

“The Freeholder Board is proud to support the  Rutgers Extension and the Master Gardeners. During the COVID-19 outbreak the Helpline continues to be available to provide remote assistance to Union County residents,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

Other Rutgers Cooperative Extension remote learning services are also available to gardeners during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Earth Day at Home is a new interactive webinar series about eco-friendly yard and garden care, and related topics, continuing through May and into June.

New gardeners can learn how to start vegetable seeds indoors, and how to find an appropriate location to start a backyard garden.

The Plant This, Not That guide assists residents in selecting native plants for the garden. Plant This, Not That was created by a local Girl Scout with assistance from the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation, to show how to use colorful native plants instead of invasive species.

The Master Gardeners program is run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County. It is supported by the Freeholder Board as part of a national county-based community agriculture program under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Extension offices are located in the County’s Colleen Fraser Building in Westfield, and the Demonstration Garden is located in the County’s Watchung Reservation near the Trailside Nature and Science Center.

For quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities, visit The Green Connection online at ucnj.org/green-connection.

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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.