Author: Web Site Administrator

Union County, NJ – Union County Freeholder Daniel P. Sullivan, who is the longest tenured member of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, announced last night that he will resign his seat on the Freeholder Board effective today, Friday August 23, in order to assume new duties as the interim Executive Director of the Union County Improvement Authority (UCIA).

Freeholder Sullivan is currently the Executive Director of the Union County Utilities Authority. He will continue in that position while taking up leadership of UCIA under a new shared services agreement between the two agencies.

“Dan has been a driving force in Union County’s transition to a diversified, globally competitive economy with a top quality education infrastructure, a thriving cultural scene, and ample resources for healthy outdoor recreation,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “His dedication to serving the common good is an inspiration to us all.”

“The shared services agreement between UCUA and UCIA has presented a new opportunity to move forward with civic projects that benefit the Union County community, and I am looking forward to guiding both agencies through this important transitional period,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan began his first term on the Freeholder Board in 1995. He has served continuously since then and was appointed Executive Director of the Utilities Authority in 2011.

Serving as Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Freeholder Board at various times, Sullivan has specialized in development and transportation issues. He made his mark as a policy guru and enjoyed planning, crafting and shaping major governmental initiatives covering a wide spectrum.

During his tenure, the Freeholder Board supported or was instrumental in creating key economic development initiatives including the new Union County College building in Elizabeth, the Park Madison project in Plainfield, the J. Christian Bollwage parking garage and office development in Elizabeth, the Froehlich and Colleen Fraser buildings in Westfield, various transportation improvements including the expansion of Liberty International Airport and shuttle services, and the expansion of one of the county’s largest employers, the supermarket cooperative Wakefern, in Elizabeth.

Sullivan was also a staunch defender of the county’s Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund, which since its inception in 2000 has added more than 300 acres of green space for public recreation and nature conservation in the most densely populated county in New Jersey, including major new parks in Scotch Plains, Clark and Berkeley Heights. The Trust Fund also supports scores of local recreation and historic preservation initiatives annually and was instrumental in preserving the historic Rahway Theater, home of the Union County Performing Arts Center.

Among many other improvements supported or initiated by Sullivan are the expansion of the Union County Vo-Tech Schools campus with new nationally recognized programs, free courses for seniors at Union County College, new transportation services for seniors, and the HEART grant program in support of history and arts programming.

The Union County Improvement Authority enables the creation of civic projects while saving taxpayer dollars through low financing rates. Among the Improvement Authority’s recent projects are a new public library, fire stations, juvenile detention center, and public promenade in Linden, the expansion of the Union County College campus in Elizabeth, and the award-winning Renewable Energy Program which brought solar power to local Boards of Education and other public entities in Union County without up-front costs to taxpayers.

The Union County Utilities Authority is responsible for enforcing the New Jersey Solid Waste Management Act and the Union County District Solid Waste Plan. Under a contract with the company Covanta, the Authority’s Union County Resource Recovery Facility in Rahway converts approximately 1,500 tons of solid municipal waste daily into enough electricity to power 30,000 homes and businesses, as well as to provide electricity for running the facility.

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of photography and oil-painted black & white photographs by Neal Korn of Union in the gallery space at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, located at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. A selection of his work entitled “Visual Music: Then & Now” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery until October 24.Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

“We are pleased to have Mr. Korn’s beautiful works on display,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “The exhibit demonstrates his mastery of both photography and design.”

Neal Korn was born in Haverstraw, NY, and studied art and education at Brooklyn College and Kean University. He has taught photography, foundations in studio art, drawing/painting, open studio/advanced art and AP studio art at Elizabeth High School and Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights.

“Recently, I had the good fortune to have a memory card corrupted in my camera (as a result of superstorm Sandy),” said Mr. Korn. “It caused my images to look cut up and put back together. The slices, colors, shapes, lines and textures become visual sounds that I compose to make my own visual music.”

The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation awarded Mr. Korn a 1999 Arts Initiative Grant and in more recent years, four mini-grants to support his art-in-the-schools programs. He was awarded H.E.A.R.T. (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grants in 1998 and 2002 from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Neal Korn has exhibited extensively and earned many Best in Show awards. His paintings, drawings and photographs have shown in 84 exhibitions since 1990 in New York and New Jersey. Some local venues include: The Arts Council of the Morris Area; Studio Montclair; Morris Museum; Alijira, Newark; Newark Arts Council; Jersey City Museum; Arts Guild New Jersey, Rahway; NJ Center for Visual Art, Summit; and the Watchung Arts Center. To see a variety of images from his work in painting, drawing and photography, visitwww.nealkorn.com.

Union County artists (whose works can be hung on a wall) interested in exhibiting in the gallery are welcome to apply. For more information about the Pearl Street Gallery or other programs, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl St., Elizabeth, NJ 07202. Telephone 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users can dial 711. E-mail to: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

– END –

LINDEN, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for personal documents will be available on Thursday, September 12, at the Recycling Center in Linden.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft and eliminate clutter in their homes,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Solid Waste Advisory Council. “It is a cost-effective way to assist our recycling efforts and it ties in with Union County’s other Go Green Initiatives.”

The Sept. 12th shredding event will take place at the Linden Recycling Center, located at 2 Donaldson Place in Linden. NEXCUT Shredding of Teaneck will be shredding documents at the site from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The shredding event will end before 1 p.m. if the shredding truck reaches capacity.

All Union County residents are eligible to use the paper-shredding service. In an effort to accommodate everyone, there is a limit of four, 10-pound bags or boxes per person. Documents should not be bound. Please remove plastic binders and paperclips. Paper that is wet/damp will not be accepted. Residents should continue to recycle non-confidential papers and magazines with their municipal recycling program.

Documents are put into 96-gallon containers provided by the shredding company. The items are then dumped onto a conveyor belt and shredded on site. Participants are welcome to view the shredding process via a closed-circuit television. The shredded documents are then recycled, shipped to paper mills and used as pulp. The next shredding event will take place Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Westfield Memorial Pool.

The mobile shredding program is paid for through New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Recycling Enhancement Act Grant Funds. For more information about future events or directions please call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/recycle .

– end –

Enjoy a sing-along as marshmallows are toasted by the fire

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – Tickets go on sale beginning September 3 for autumn hay rides and fun around the campfire at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside. Sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, these fun-filled autumn activities include hay rides, folk songs around a campfire, hot chocolate and marshmallows toasted over the fire.

Hay ride tickets are available at three locations: every day from noon to 5 p.m. at Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road, in Mountainside; weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Union County Administration Building, Department of Parks & Community Renewal, 2nd Floor, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza at Rahway Avenue in Elizabeth; or at the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; 12:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday; and 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday.

No tickets will be sold at the hay rides. Tickets for these popular outings must be purchased in advance – so don’t wait until it’s too late! Seating for the hay rides is limited. The cost is $5 for Union County residents and $10 for out-of-county participants. Rides begin at 6:30 p.m. on the Friday evenings of Sept. 20; Oct. 4, 11, 18; and at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 13.

For further information, call Trailside Nature and Science Center at 908-789-3670; or the Union County Department of Parks & Community Renewal at 908-527-4900; or visit the Union County website atwww.ucnj.org.

– end –

This summer’s 4-H Science Week at Rutgers University featured a wide variety of projects, including a sustainability-themed experiment in dividing reclaimed concrete to make landscaping blocks. Science Week is a statewide program designed to encourage young people to pursue careers in science, under scholarships provided by Samsung. Three students from Union County received Science Week scholarships this year: Osaze Morris, Sean Penaranda and Christopher Morris, who all attend Rahway High School.

In Union County, 4-H also offers a wide variety of clubs for students in grades 1-12, which meet once a month during the school year. 4-H clubs enable students to develop important life skills while exploring popular activities including Lego robotics, archery, cooking and much more.

Union County 4-H is a program of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, supported in part by the Board of Chosen Freeholders. For more information about 4-H clubs in Union County contact 4-H agent James Nichnadowicz at the Extension offices, 908-654-9854 or Nichnadowicz@njaes.rutgers.edu, or visitucnj.org/rce.

##

Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich and Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright congratulate Dean Hogan (2nd L) of Basking Ridge and Isaiah Bahrenburg of Linden on graduating as the class leaders of the 2013 Class of the Union County Sheriff’s Youth Academy. More than 70 teens who completed the program took part in the graduation ceremony at Union County College in Cranford on August 15. The Sheriff’s Youth Academy is a two week program designed to familiarize young people with the role of a Sheriff’s Officer. Also, it operates similar to an actual police academy for teens interested in law enforcement. Participants in the Youth Academy receive hands-on experience in a wide variety of emergency services and law enforcement functions and training.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – Autumn will be here in a few weeks and Union County’s Watchung Stable is busy preparing for a new season of Watchung Mounted Troop riding lessons.

“Horseback riding in the Watchung Reservation is a real treat and our lesson program at the Watchung Stable is a great way to learn how to ride,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Watchung Stable has been in existence since 1935, and I am proud to say that more than 40,000 girls and boys have participated in this wonderful program.”

All applicants for riding lessons must be nine years of age or older. Class and troop assignments are based upon riding ability as determined by the Stable management. Applicants with previous experience may be asked to demonstrate their riding ability in order to be placed in the appropriate class.

Riding classes are held Tuesdays through Saturdays. Fall Troop lessons will last for ten weeks beginning Sept. 3 and will culminate with the Fall Troop Horse Show. The cost to participate begins at $255 for ten classes, and varies with Union County residency status and troop assignment. Uniforms and helmets are required and must be provided at the rider’s expense

Watchung Stable also features adult lessons, for people 18 years of age and older, also beginning the week of Sept. 3. Adult lessons are an eight-week program available on Sundays at 12:45 p.m. or Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. Beginner through advanced lessons are available on both days.

Registration forms and fees must be submitted in-person at the Watchung Stable, which is located at 1160 Summit Lane in Mountainside. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For further information, and to obtain registration materials, call (908) 789-3665 or emailstablequestions@ucnj.org.

Union County, NJ –The Union County 4-H Pet Clubs are seeking adult volunteers to lead their programs for the upcoming school year. Club leaders will work with small groups of children, helping them to learn the basics of animal care while developing important life skills including teamwork, leadership, organization and public speaking.

Union County 4-H is part of the national 4-H youth development program. It is run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County and supported in part by the Freeholder Board.

“The Freeholder Board is very proud of our 4-H volunteers, who perform a wonderful community outreach service,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Taking care of the family pet is a big responsibility and the Union County 4-H Pet Clubs are here to help children learn how to pitch in.”

The clubs seeking adult leaders are the 3rd Grade 4-H Pet Club, which meets from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month during the school year, and the 4th/5th Grade 4-H Pet Club, which meets from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on the second Saturday.

Both clubs meet at the Extension offices in the Colleen Fraser Building in Westfield, at 300 North Avenue East.

No previous experience in working with children is needed. 4-H provides club leaders with training, guidance and support, including ideas for hands-on activities, games, and crafts. 4-H also recruits members for the clubs, and arranges for parents to provide additional help during meetings.

To apply to lead a 4-H Pet Club, or to find out more about Union County 4-H, contact Union County 4-H Agent James Nichnadowicz at 908-654-9854 or Nichnadowicz@njaes.rutgers.edu, or visit ucnj.org/rce.

##

Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension educational programs are offered to all without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, military service, veteran status, and any other category protected by law. Rutgers Cooperative Extension encourages individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you need special accommodations, have questions about physical access, or require alternate means for program information, please contact your local Extension Office. Contact the State Extension Director’s Office if you have concerns related to discrimination, 848-932-3584.

Photo caption (photo attached): Forty students and guests from Shiyan High School in Liaoning Province, China, visited the Barack Obama Green Charter High School in Plainfield earlier this week. The cultural and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) mingling program highlights the educational programs and global connections that the school provides to students in the Plainfield district. On hand to greet the group were (l-r) Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter, Principal Kate Reilly, Freeholder Vernell Wright and Steven King, founder and Executive Director of the school. (credit: County of Union, NJ).

##

Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

CLARK, NJ – The Union County Summer Arts Festival concert series concludes its 53rd annual summer of music on Wednesday, August 28, with a performance of popular rock hits from the 1960s by The British Invasion Tribute. The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, led by Chairman Linda Carter, invites the public to attend this free concert at Oak Ridge Park in Clark. A special Veterans Appreciation Program at 7:00 p.m. will precede the outdoor concert.

The British Invasion Tribute has opened for the Beach Boys, Ringo Starr, the Rascals and other top acts. Their show is a musical tour that spans the 1960s and really is three shows in one. First, they play songs by iconic British groups such as The Zombies, Dave Clark Five, the Rolling Stones, Manfred Mann, and the Hollies. Next comes the American Response, with smash hits by the Beach Boys, the Monkees, Simon & Garfunkel, the Mamas and the Papas, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and others. The concert concludes with an extraordinary tribute to the lads from Liverpool: The Beatles!

“Bring the entire family for a night of popular hits from the ‘60s at Oak Ridge Park,” said Freeholder Chairman Carter. “And be sure to get to the park early with your picnic basket, lawn chairs or blankets so you can show your appreciation for the brave men and women who have served our county in the military.”

The Union County information van will be at the concert site with personnel from the Union County Department of Public Safety, including the Union County Police, the Division of Emergency Management, the Division of Health, the Office of Consumer Affairs and other knowledgeable staff to answer questions and offer information about programs and activities that are available to Union County residents. Public Safety staff also will be collecting your expired or unwanted medications for safe disposal.

The Veterans Appreciation Program will begin at 7 p.m. on Aug. 28, followed by the concert at 7:30 p.m. in Oak Ridge Park. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets are encouraged. Refreshments will be available from vendors, including ice cream, cotton candy and snacks from “The Ice Cream Man.” Pulled pork, hamburgers and specialty hot dogs will be available from “Marci’s Dog House,” winner of Best Topping and Best Truck categories on the 2012 Munchmobile tour of New Jersey.

For rain information call the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal at (908) 558-4079 after 3 p.m. on the day of the concert, or visit the Union County web site: www.ucnj.org