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Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski and Freeholders Christopher Hudak and Andrea Staten present a resolution to Union County Vocational-Technical School District Interim Superintendent Gwendolyn S. Ryan, FFA Advisor and UCVTS Instructor Bonnie Baldasare and FFA student members Beatriz Cruz and David Tohon designating the week of February 16, 2019 through February 23, 2019 as FFA Week in Union County. The National FFA Organization is an American 501 youth organization, specifically a career and technical student organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski and Freeholders Christopher Hudak and Andrea Staten present a resolution to Union County Vocational-Technical School District Interim Superintendent Gwendolyn S. Ryan and UCVTS students and faculty designating February 2019 as National Career and Technical Education Month in Union County.

The 21st-century career and technical education programs at the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools link rigorous academics, technical knowledge and real-world experiences to help students develop workplace skills to better prepare them for college and challenging careers.

For more information about Union County Vocational-Technical Schools, visit www.ucvts.tec.nj.us.

Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski, Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella and Freeholder Rebecca Williams present resolutions to the 2019 Union County St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal Sister Percylee Hart, RSM, General Chairwoman Jessica Cunningham and Parade Adjutant Kerry Ricci congratulating them on the 23^rd annual parade. The 2019 Union County St. Patrick’s Day Parade steps off at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 16 on Morris Avenue in Union.

For more information please visit www.unioncountystpatricksdayparade.com.

The Fiscal Committee of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders today announced a set of open public hearings in March for the review of the 2019 Executive Budget.

The first two hearings—Monday, March 11^th in Kenilworth, and Tuesday, March 12^th in Elizabeth—will begin at 5 p.m. The third—and final hearing on Monday March 18^th in Westfield—will begin at 5:30 p.m. The departments and constitutional offices are listed below that will be appearing before the Freeholder’s Fiscal Committee.

While there are no public comments at these meetings, the public is welcome to attend and listen to the discussion. The Freeholder Board’s Fiscal Committee will conduct their review before the Freeholder Board as a whole votes to introduce the budget later this year.

Five year agreement ensures continued care of Union County Juvenile detainees with Essex County; County to explore future usage of vacant Linden facility

In a cost-savings measure that will save millions, while ensuring the continued care of its youth offenders, the County of Union today announced it has officially closed its Juvenile Detention Center in Linden.

The closure marks the beginning of a five-year agreement with Essex County to provide ongoing juvenile detention services. The agreement has an option for renewal.

County officials decided to seek a shared services agreement as the number of County juvenile detainees at the facility have continued to show a long-term dramatic decline. The average daily population of County juveniles has declined from a high of more than 43 residents in January, 2012 to an average of just about ten this past year—a decline of more than 77 percent.

“The agreement with Essex preserves the rights, safety and dignity of incarcerated youth and minimizes the impact on effected employees of the former Linden facility,” said Union County Manager Edward T. Oatman. “Ultimately this is a prudent decision that had to be made, and one that will realize substantial savings for the County.”

Any remaining Union County detainees have been safely transferred to the Essex County Juvenile Detention facility in Newark, and all future offenders will be detained there.

The closure is expected to save $24.6 million over the first three years alone, according to Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.

“This agreement not only realizes savings but also provides responsible and proper detention services,” said Freeholder Chair Kowalski. 

The County had considered other facilities, but the Essex County facility was picked because it is nationally accredited, offers an all-day school, and recreation programs including a swimming pool. The County of Union will continue to provide transportation for the youth and their families to the Essex County facility—which is a short distance away (5.8 miles).

In all, 82 County employees are impacted by the measure including: 56 juvenile detention officers, 12 senior juvenile detention officers, seven supervisors, and seven civilian employees. 

The County’s Workforce Development Board was made available to all employees, and separated workers were, if they wished, able to take advantage of job training, resume assistance, and other employment programs.  A number of employees were rehired for similar positions at Essex County and a number of others found employment with the County of Union.

Overall, officials attribute the decline in detainees at the Union County facility in large part to the effectiveness of the state’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. This is a comprehensive approach that provides mechanisms to detain fewer youth and relies on proven, family-focused interventions, education, mental health treatment and opportunities for positive youth development.

While no immediate determination has been made for the re-use of the Union County Detention Center once it is closed, the County will explore the most effective and efficient repurposing of the facility, added County Manager Oatman.

Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski joined U.S. Congressman Tom Malinowski in presenting flags to members of the Model Railroad Club in Union. Rep. Malinowski presented an American flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. while Freeholder Chair Kowalski gave the club a Union County flag.

The Model Railroad Club, founded in 1949, is one of the largest model railroad clubs in North America and features HO scale and N scale layouts, as well as other model railroad and industrial exhibits.

Located in a mixed-use section of Union County’s Lenape Park in Union, the club is an activity of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation with a mission to educate the general public and the club’s members about the railroads, and the industries they served, in the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania area.

For more information about the Model Railroad Club visit www.themodelrailroadclub.org. 

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski presents a resolution to Mary Leonard, President of the Crane’s Ford Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, past President Barbara Krause and chapter member Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi congratulating the chapter on its 75th anniversary.

The Daughters of the American Revolution is a volunteer women’s service organization. Membership is open to any women 18 years and older who can prove lineal bloodline descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence.

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution was formed in 1896 by an Act of Congress to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism.

The Crane’s Ford Chapter was chartered by the National Society on March 7, 1944 in Cranford, NJ. The Chapter took its name from a ford in the Rahway River where light horseman stood guard while General Washington’s army encamped at Morristown.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)