Author: Web Site Administrator

Citing the County’s continued economic strength and manageable debt levels,  Moody’s has assigned Aaa bond rating to Union County—the highest attainable.

This rating affirms the County’s strong financial standing, with Moody’s citing Union County as having “a very strong management team that has pushed hard to turn around the County’s finances.”

“The bond rating is an affirmation of our sound fiscal management,” Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen said. “The County Manager, the Freeholder’s Fiscal Committee and the Department of Finance have worked hard to keep the County’s fiscal house in top condition during a challenging economic period in our history.”

The achievements are all the more significant as they have occurred during a period of fiscal instability in the State of New Jersey, which has experienced a record ten credit downgrades since 2009.

“This is good news for the County and our taxpayers as a whole,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella, who is also the Fiscal Committee Chairman. “We will continue our progress this year in building upon this foundation of fiscal responsibility.”

Moody’s noted that “the upgrade to Aaa rating reflects the county’s large, diverse tax base with above-average wealth levels and it’s strong and improved financial position reflecting sound management and budgeting practices.”

Among the benefits, the ratings increase means the County could borrow money at lower interest rates, saving tax dollars.

The ratings agency also noted the County’s “tax base has actually grown in each of the past two years, indicating a potential turnaround. There are ongoing development projects throughout the county including new hotels, residential units, warehousing, luxury, senior living communities, mall expansions, and pharmaceutical expansions,” throughout Union County.

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholders Alexander Mirabella and Bette Jane Kowalski present a resolution to Laura O’Brien and Kathleen Laczynski of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America supporting and recognizing the group’s BeSmart Campaign to take action to promote responsible gun ownership and reduce child gun deaths and responsible children gun storage. There are joined by Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholder Alexander Mirabella present a resolution to Union County Vocational-Technical Schools Superintendent Peter Capodice, National Future Farmers of America (FFA) advisor and horticulture instructor Bonnie Baldasare and FFA members Aaron Etienne and Colleen Clark designating the week of February 18, 2017 through February 25, 2017 as National Future Farmers of America Week in Union County. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholder Alexander Mirabella present a resolution to Union County Vocational-Technical Schools Superintendent Peter Capodice and UCVTS students and faculty designating February 2017 as National Career and Technical Education Month in Union County. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Angel G. Estrada present resolutions to the 2017 Union County St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal Joe Nolan, General Chairman Harry Capko and Parade Adjutant Debbie Sully congratulating them on the 21^stannual parade. The 2017 Union County St. Patrick’s Day Parade steps off at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 11 on Morris Avenue in Union.

For more information please visit www.unioncountystpatricksdayparade.com.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholders Christopher Hudak, Angel G. Estrada, Bette Jane Kowalski and Vernell Wright present Springfield Mayor Diane Stampoulos, Committeewoman Geri Ann Bujnowski and Township Administrator Ziad Andrew Shehady with a new 12-passenger van that will provide free transport for senior citizens. The vans are being awarded to a total of 18 municipalities this year through Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen’s “Seniors in Motion” initiative to assist seniors with free, local transport. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholders Christopher Hudak, Angel G. Estrada, Bette Jane Kowalski and Vernell Wright present Cranford Mayor Thomas H. Hannen with a new 12-passenger van that will provide free transport for senior citizens. The vans are being awarded to a total of 18 municipalities this year through Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen’s “Seniors in Motion” initiative to assist seniors with free, local transport. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Route 1&9 northbound ramp to Port Street to be closed Friday night

New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced the start of a project to replace bridge decks on three I-78 ramps over Routes 1&9 in Newark, Essex County.

The ramps are part of I-78 interchange 58 located just north of Newark Liberty International Airport and connect to Port Street, which is the major entrance to Port Newark from the north.  The project primarily effects traffic heading to or from airport cargo facilities and Economy Parking Lot P6 on Brewster Avenue, and traffic going to or from Port Newark.

The $26.6 million federally-funded project will replace three structurally-deficient bridge decks over Routes 1&9 with new pre-cast bridge deck panels, parapets, guiderail and lighting. The project will be completed in stages with the majority of work being done overnight or on weekends to minimize impacts on motorists and marine terminal traffic. A series of weekend closures are scheduled to begin in March and continue most weekends through the fall, and restart again the spring of 2018. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

Beginning on Friday, February 24 from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the next morning, NJDOT’s contractor Union Paving and Construction, Inc., is scheduled to close the exit ramp from Routes 1&9 northbound to Port Street/Port Newark to install construction signs and traffic barriers in preparation for the upcoming bridge deck replacement work. The following signed detour will be in place to direct motorists to Port Street/Port Newark during the overnight closure:

Routes 1&9 northbound local to Port Street/Port Newark Detour

• Immediately after the exit, motorists should bear right at the fork
• Continue on the road to a right hand exit loop onto Brewster Road
• On Brewster Road, make the first left and follow around to a traffic light
• Make a right onto Port Street

Variable message signs and lane closure signs will be utilized throughout the project limits to provide advance notification to motorists of all traffic pattern changes associated with the deck replacement project. Throughout the project, NJDOT will provide information before upcoming road closures.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info.

UCPO, UCSO, UCPD, Linden police investigating circumstances behind object left in parking lot An object left in a Linden parking lot Tuesday was found not to pose any danger to the public, but it appeared to be designed to resemble an explosive device, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park, Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan, Union County Police Chief Christopher Debbie, and Linden Police Chief Jonathan Parham jointly announced Wednesday.

Linden Police Department patrol units responding to a report of a suspicious object traveled to the 1100 block of West St. Georges Avenue (Route 27) at approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday, located the object, and immediately began clearing the area. West St. Georges was closed between North Stiles and Ross streets, and residents of two nearby apartment buildings were evacuated.

Police, fire, and emergency management personnel from Linden, the Union County Police Department Bomb Squad, and members of the Prosecutor’s Office, Union County Sheriff’s Office K-9 and Crime Scene units, New Jersey State Police, and the FBI responded to the scene, and at approximately 8:30 p.m. an assessment was made that the object did not contain explosive materials. The scene was cleared a little more than an hour later, when evacuated residents were permitted to return to their homes. Police units also swept the area for additional devices, but did not locate any.

This remains an active investigation, and anyone with information about this matter is being urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Detective Dennis Donovan at 732-232-2049 or Linden Police Detective Joseph Kaulfers at 908-474-8537.  The Union County Crime Stoppers  are also offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest  and indictment; tips can be given anonymously by phone at 908-654-TIPS (8477), via text message by texting “UCTIP” and a message to 274637 (CRIMES), or online at www.uctip.org.

“Thank you to the concerned citizen who first made us aware of this suspicious device,” Chief Parham said. “This event, like so many others we have seen, truly highlights the significance of the police-community relationship, and how important it is for our friends and neighbors to remain vigilant. We cannot do our jobs without you.”

Charlotte DeFilippo was a visionary, an innovator, and a trailblazer throughout an extraordinary governmental and civic career that spanned six decades. 

A titan of County and local government, Charlotte also served in various elected, and governmental capacities in her hometown of Hillside. At the County, she served as a Freeholder early on in her life. She later served for more than a decade as the Director of the Union County Improvement Authority where she created a legacy of public projects that transformed County Government and are providing long lasting benefits to all citizens at every level of society.

On a personal level, Charlotte had a brilliant mind, was a great strategist and incredibly engaging in conversation on so many topics. Her influence on her friends, as well as local and County government, and the residents of our community will be long felt. She will be sorely missed. Flags in Union County will be flown at half-staff.