Author: Web Site Administrator

Residents invited to view hearing live on County Website

Please note: an earlier version of this press release referred to a YouTube broadcast. The broadcast will be available on Facebook Live instead, with a link on the County website. 

In light of the public health emergency caused by the spread of Covid-19, the County of Union has moved this Wednesday’s Fiscal Committee’s budget hearing—originally scheduled for Rahway—to the County Administration Building in Elizabeth, where it will start as planned at 6 p.m,  and will be broadcast through Facebook Live on the County’s website at ucnj.org.

The public is invited to view the hearing online, as the County Administration Building will be closed to visitors, due to concerns over the spread of the virus.  

 “We’re taking this action to safeguard the health of our residents and public employees,” said Freeholder Sergio Granados, who is the Fiscal Committee Chairman. “Measures like this serve to slow the spread, and can also potentially save lives by allowing the hospitals time and space to treat those who may have contracted Covid-19.”

Wednesday’s hearing is the last of three held by the Freeholder Board’s Fiscal Committee of the County’s budget. The Freeholder Board as a whole will vote to introduce the budget later this year. The County has worked diligently to stay below the 2% increase for the third year in a row, maintaining a stable tax rate, Granados noted.  

The County Counsel’s Office; the Department of Engineering and Public Works; the Department of Public Safety; and the Prosecutor’s Office will appear before the Fiscal Committee.

In the interest of public health and safety during the current Covid-19 pandemic,  Union County’s Division on Aging, in the Department of Human Services, has cancelled the remaining  March ASK dates:

Thursday, March 19
Garwood Public Library
411 Third Avenue
Garwood, NJ 07027
10:00 am – 12:00 noon

Friday, March 20
Mountainside Public Library
Constitution Plaza
Mountainside, NJ 07092
10:00 am – 12 noon

Friday, March 27
Plainfield Public Library
800 Park Avenue
Plainfield, NJ 07060
10:00 am – 12 noon

Monday, March 30
Summit Public Library
75 Maple Street
Summit, NJ 07901
10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Tuesday, March 31
Union Public Library
1980 Morris Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
11:30 am – 1:30 pm

“The ASK program helps senior adults, their families and caregivers obtain government programs and services that they may be eligible to receive”, said Alexander Mirabella, Chairman of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.  “Until the ASK events are resumed, residents may call the Division on Aging toll free at 888-280-8226 or (908) 527-4870”.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella, Freeholder Chris Hudak and Freeholder Rebecca L. Williams present resolutions to the 2020 Union County St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal Michael McNany and General Chairwoman Jessica Cunningham congratulating them on the 24th annual parade. The 2020 Union County St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 14 on Morris Avenue in Union.

For more information please visit www.unioncountystpatricksdayparade.com.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

In fulfillment of his 2020 Freeholder Chairman initiative, Union County Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella today joined with Public Safety Director Andrew Moran, and Fire Chiefs and representatives of seven municipal fire departments as the County distributed 62 new fire radios, a shared service enabling municipal fire departments to communicate more effectively with County responders during emergencies. Chiefs and representatives who received the radios were from Clark, Fanwood, Garwood, Hillside, Kenilworth, Mountainside and Plainfield. The event was held at the Froehlich Public Safety Building in Westfield.

Please note: Due to concern over the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, this event has been cancelled.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites the public to celebrate Women’s History Month with a free screening of the documentary Girl Connected on Thursday, March 19 from noon until 1:00 p.m. The film will be shown in the Freeholder Meeting Room, located on the sixth floor of the County Administration Building at 10 Elizabethtown Plaza in midtown Elizabeth.

The free screening is coordinated by the Union County Office on Women and the Office of Community Engagement and Diversity.

“Girl Connected is an inspiring experience for audiences of all ages, and the Freeholder Board is proud to offer this opportunity for Union County residents to see how the women of the next generation are already meeting the challenges of today and shaping the world of the future,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella.

Attendees are welcome to bring lunch or a snack, and are advised to arrive several minutes early to allow for sign-in time.

Girl Connected which tells the story of five teenage girls from Bangladesh, Peru, Jordan, India and Kenya. Each of them uses their individual strengths and their talents in different fields to tackle gender discrimination and violence in their communities. Their stories portray hope for a brighter future for all young adults.

The documentary is part of the Girl Connected Campaign, a project of the organization Women and Girls Lead Global working to empower girls.

For more information about this event contact Nathalie Hernandez Coordinator of the Office of Community Engagement & Diversity at 908-527-4880 or Jennifer Erdos Coordinator of the Office on Women at 908-527-4216.

#  #

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.

Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli and Sheriff’s Officer Nelson Agurto thank Sue Romano, the owner of Lightbridge Academy in Westfield, for the donation of a training “bite suit” to the Sheriff’s The K-9 Search & Rescue Unit. Romano, a Scotch Plains resident, and Lightbridge Academy regularly give back to the community through donations to local organizations such as food pantries, school groups and animal shelters with monthly fundraising. For more information about the child care center, visit www.lightbridgeacademy.com. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Angel G. Estrada, Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, Freeholder Sergio Granados, Freeholder Angela Garretson and Freeholder Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded joined Union County Manager Ed Oatman, Deputy Union County Manager Amy Wagner, Union County Department of Human Services Director Debbie-Ann Anderson and Human Services staff in welcoming the panel participants to the Union County Needs Assessment Community Forum at Kean University in Union. The panelists are Christine Beyer, Commissioner of Department of Children and Families for the State of NJ, Peggy McDonald, Assistant Commissioner of Division of Student Services for the NJ Department of Education, Elisa Neira, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Human Services for the State of NJ, and Rebecca Rhoades, Director for the Office of Homelessness Prevention for the NJ Department of Community Affairs.

The newly released Union County Needs Assessment report is based on public surveys and focus groups as well as analyses conducted by public, nonprofit and private sector stakeholders. It covers the full range of Union County services, from parks, recreation, education and cultural events to social services, emergency response and more.

For more information about the Union County Department of Human Services visit www.ucnj.org/departments/human-services/.

The Fiscal Committee of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders today announced a set of 3 open public hearings in March for the review of the 2020 Executive Budget.

“The Freeholder Board continues to provide the opportunity for engagement from our residents across the county, and bringing these budget hearings to different locations is a way to make sure as many people as possible can participate,” said Freeholder Sergio Granados, who is also Chair of the Fiscal Committee. “The County has worked diligently to stay below the 2% increase for the third year in a row, maintaining a stable tax rate.”

All three hearings will begin at 6 p.m. and are as follows:

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.

Bird watchers and nature fans are invited to join Pete Axelrod of Wild Birds Unlimited and Friends of The Great Swamp for the annual Woodcock Talk and Walk events. The first will be held in Lenape Park in Cranford on Wednesday, March 18 at 6:15 p.m. and the other will be held at the Watchung Stables off of Summit Avenue in the Watchung Reservation on Wednesday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m.

 “The American Woodcock requires very specific habitats, so it’s a great source of pride that Union County’s preserved open spaces can be a home for this unusual bird,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “The annual Talk and Walk events help our residents and visitors see and hear the value of local nature conservation.”

Hosted by the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation, the annual Woodcock Talk & Walk provides seasoned birders and beginners alike with the chance to catch a glimpse of the American Woodcock and learn more about this unusual and elusive bird.

The American Woodcock is known by a variety of colorful names including Timberdoodle, Labrador twister, Night partridge, Mudbat, and Bog sucker.

The species is most commonly referred to as the woodcock due to its preference for wooded areas. American Woodcocks are drawn to moist forests and require dense woodland, providing ample cover and food.

In the spring, the bird seeks out forest clearings, abandoned fields spotted with low brush or open fields next to forest edges to serve as courtship sites.

In preparation for mating, male Woodcocks establish individual territories known as singing grounds.

Perhaps the most fascinating attribute of the American Woodcock is the acrobatic courtship displays performed by the males.

As part of their mating ritual, a displaying male on the ground will emit a nasal, buzzing call referred to as a peent, to attract females. He then takes flight and ascends 200 or 300 feet. All the while, musical twittering sounds are made by the male’s wings. Afterwards, he will spiral or zigzag back to the ground while producing a liquid chirp.

The March 18 event at Lenape Park will meet at the old Trap and Skeet field house near the main entrance off Kenilworth Boulevard/County Road 509 in Cranford (the park entrance is between Dorset Drive and Nomahegan Road).

The March 25 Woodcock Walk & Talk in the Watchung Reservation will take place at the Deserted Village. The group will meet at Masker’s Barn, which is located at the far end of Cataract Hollow Road in Berkeley Heights (GPS users: plug in 13 Cataract Hollow Road and follow road to the end).

Participants are advised to dress warm and bring a flashlight.  Both events are free and open to adults and children age 10 and up with an adult. Pre-registration is required by emailing the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at bkelly@ucnj.org.

For more information on activities and programs in Union County parks, and to find out about volunteering with Union County Adopt-a-Park, call 908-527-4900 or visit ucnj.org/parks.

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

# #

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.