Category: Public Info

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of graphic design creations by Suree Minnatee in the gallery space at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, located in the historic St. John’s Parsonage at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. A selection of her work entitled “Amalgamation” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery through October 23. The public is invited to enjoy the exhibit during regular gallery hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

“Suree has been an active volunteer in all things artistic in Union County for many years,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board. “It’s a great pleasure to display her beautiful and skillfully done artwork.”

Suree Minnatee was born and raised in Elizabeth. She was drawn to creative and artistic activities while growing up. This led her to pursue a career in the arts. After graduating high school, Minnatee attended Union County College in Cranford. She transferred to The Art Institute of Pittsburgh-Online Division and graduated in 2013 with a degree in Graphic Design. Even though her focus is graphic design, she likes to experiment and learn about other art forms and mediums.

Minnatee has been a volunteer assistant to the art coordinators at The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs for three years. She helps setup art exhibitions and has created flyers for exhibits on display at the Freeholders Gallery. She is also a member of The Elizabeth Arts Council that holds art and music receptions with local artists in the City of Elizabeth.

Suree actively exhibits in many local Elizabeth venues: the 2015 Elizabeth Public Library Elizabeth Art Council’s “Cool Art in June” exhibit; the 2014 Women’s History Month Celebration at City Tavern; and the 2011 Black History Month Art Exhibit at the Union County Freeholders Gallery.

Suree Minnatee is skilled in many Adobe programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Acrobat 9 as well as Microsoft Office Suite. To see more of her work, visit http://sminnatee.wix.com/sminnatee.

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

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to bring the sensory-friendly puppet adventures of ‘Monster Intelligence’ – a musical journey for the entire family – to the stage at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway this weekend on Sunday, September 13 at 2:00 p.m.

All tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased through the Union County Performing Arts Center at ucpac.org or by calling the Box Office at 732-499-8226.

“The sensory-friendly performance series is designed to offer a relaxed and safe theatre environment for children and adults with sensory sensitivity, developmental and learning disabilities,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “The Freeholder Board is proud to offer a performance series that helps make the performing arts accessible to everyone.”

Don’t miss this sweet, funny, and educational puppet musical – a rockin’ good time for the entire family! Up in Arms puppet theatre brings Melvin’s adventures to the stage with a cast of friendly, colorful monster characters and original songs (Green Day-style rock, classical, jazz, pop, and Broadway standards) – this is a journey never to forget.

For each of the performances in the Sensory Friendly Theatre series the theatre environment at the Union County PAC will be adjusted to provide a sensory-friendly, comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming for all families. Autism Friendly Spaces implements the supportive atmosphere at each of the Sensory-friendly performances. For more information on what to expect at a Sensory Friendly Theatre performance visit ucpac.org.

Save the dates – mark your calendar for upcoming Sensory-Friendly Theatre series performances sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders: Sundays – November 22, 2015, January 10, 2016, March 20, 2016, May 1, 2016 and July 31, 2016. Specific show titles will be announced soon.

For more information or to purchase tickets call the Union County Performing Arts Center, 732-499-8226 or visit ucpac.org. The UCPAC Box Office, located at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM and is also open late on Thursdays until 8:00 PM.

For information on additional Union County recreational programs for people with disabilities age five and up, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4806 or visit ucnj.org.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders along with the Department of Parks and Recreation recently recognized the outstanding contributions made to the Union County Archery Range at Oak Ridge Park by Eagle Scout Nicolas Makosiej, a member of Boy Scout Troop 145, located in Clark, New Jersey, who earned his Eagle Rank in April, 2014. His Court of Honor was held in May, 2014.

For his Eagle Scout project, Nicholas traveled to various archery ranges in 2012, working through several concepts and prototypes while consulting with archery experts. In the summer and fall he worked with members of his troop to construct targets to be used at the Oak Ridge Archery Range. They were set in place in November, 2013. After nearly two years, the targets are being repurposed and will be moved to Wa-Xo-Be Archery Club. They will remain in use at Oak Ridge until September 16.

“On behalf of the Freeholder Board I’d like to thank Nicholas for putting together this project and sharing it with the participants at the Union County Archery Range at Oak Ridge,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh.

Users of the Union County Archery Range at Oak Ridge Park are reminded that they are responsible for supplying their own targets when using the facility. A complete list of Archery Range rules can be viewed on the Union County Website at www.ucnj.org/archery. Or you can call the Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900 or 908-654-9805.

Union County – Art selections from Union County’s first-ever Art Outside the Box program have gone live for a week-long community vote. Participants can vote online at www.ucnj.org/artoutsidethebox/vote.

The selections available for this round of voting will be placed in Linden at the intersections of Wood Avenue and Knopf Street, St. George Avenue and Garfield Street, and St. George Avenue and Stiles Street.

Art Outside the Box is a new county-wide creative placemaking project funded by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, created to support Union County visual artists by offering a nontraditional exhibition opportunity that broadens and diversifies public exposure to art murals.

“We are proud to see this project gain traction and involve the community in an organic selection process,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “We recognize that the best way to engage our residents is by involving them in choosing the aesthetic that will symbolize and represent their neighborhoods.”

The theme for the 2015 Art Outside The Box  program is diversity. Open to all artists, the program seeks to represented the community at-large and provide an engaging experience that is uplifting, colorful, and appropriate for people of all ages. 

Offered as part of Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh’s Building A Community of the Arts initiative, a total of thirteen original artworks will be selected to cover traffic control boxes in Elizabeth, Linden, Rahway, and Plainfield, NJ. Each artwork will be reproduced on a special vinyl adhesive film and professionally applied to the exterior of the pre-selected traffic control boxes. 

Details about the project, are available online at www.ucnj.org/artoutsidethebox.

For additional information please contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 908-558-2550.

Union County, NJ  –  Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi has received a Certificate of Public Leadership (CPL) from the George Washington University Center for Excellence in Public Leadership, marking the successful completion of CPL coursework. As President of the International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials and Treasurers (IACREOT), Rajoppi was the driving force in fostering the CPL program with George Washington University.  

The CPL program is a partnership between IACREOT and George Washington University, one of the nation’s leading academic institutions. It is designed to provide public officials in recording and related fields with a rigorous professional development experience. The hallmarks of the CPL program are timely subject matter, top quality instruction and an opportunity to share knowledge with peers in the field.

“Public service is a commitment to leadership in the face of new challenges and constant change, and to be effective there must also be a commitment to learning,” said Rajoppi. “The CPL program at George Washington University provides an excellent opportunity for officials to exchange information and to stay up to date with emerging developments.”

The CPL program provides a professional development curriculum tailored to membership in IACREOT. Of the 10 required classes, five can be taken in-person at IACREOT annual and semi-annual meetings. The other five may be taken online. All classes are conducted by George Washington University instructors.

“Particularly regarding election and fiscal issues, our field is growing increasingly complex,” said Rajoppi. “Through this partnership with George Washington University, IACREOT members can learn from each other, as well as from experts in the field. Many of my constituent services in Union County have emerged from discussions with fellow IACREOT members.”

Rajoppi has been a member of IACREOT since 1984 and served as president from 2012 to 2013. The experience of leading the international organization enabled her to work with other governments nationally and internationally, and to share experiences and exchange information on pending federal legislation, improved systems, and emerging issues.

Rajoppi was first elected to the Office of County Clerk in 1995, after serving as the Union County Register of Deeds and Mortgages for 12 years.  As required by the New Jersey state constitution, she is responsible for administering elections and recording property documents.

Technology has been a driving force behind some of Rajoppi’s initiatives, including the imaging of property documents for 24/7 online access, and the new UCVotes app, which provides voters with critical election information on their mobile devices.

In 2008, Rajoppi was instrumental in calling attention to serious discrepancies in voting machines, leading to court-ordered improvements in voting machine security. She has also worked to ensure that public documents cannot be used by identity thieves.

Her office also provides free services for veterans, including free honorable discharge ID cards that help veterans access services more easily. The County Clerk’s office also keeps an online directory of local retailers and other businesses that provide discounts to veterans.

Rajoppi is a six-time recipient of the National Association of Counties Award for innovative government and computerization. She also is a recipient of the prestigious Gill C. Job Award from the Constitutional Officers Association of NJ (COANJ), former President of COANJ and former President of New Jersey Association of Counties. She served as an adjunct professor at Rutgers University for almost 20 years teaching Public Administration.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Department of Human Services is looking for volunteers to provide guidance and advocacy for victims of sexual assault. No previous experience in crisis counseling is necessary. All volunteers receive training and are provided with experienced mentors.

Volunteers who complete the training are certified as Advocates. They answer calls and provide guidance to victims over the phone through the Union County Rape Crisis Center, a program of the Union County Department of Human Services. On request, Volunteer Advocates also accompany victims to hospitals, police stations and courtrooms.

The Union County Rape Crisis Center was established in 1984, to help victims of sexual assault reclaim their lives in the aftermath of a crisis. Additional information and personal Volunteer Advocate stories are available at unioncountyrapecrisiscenter.blogspot.com.

The next training course for new volunteers will consist of two evenings a week for a total of 13 sessions. Most sessions will take place on Tuesday and Thursday, and two will take place on Wednesday. All sessions will be held at the Ralph J. Froehlich Public Safety Building in Westfield, starting at 5:30 p.m. and ending at or before 9:30 p.m. A pre-training interview will be scheduled before the course begins on October 1.

To schedule an interview or for more information, call the Union County Rape Crisis Center hotline at 908-233-7273.

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Image via NSVRC.

Rahway, NJ – Tickets are still available for Fearless Hearts and Fearless Productions presentation of Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party at Union County Performing Arts Center’s (UCPAC) Hamilton Stage in Rahway. The fifth Production in the first-ever Union County Advancing Community Theater (UCACT) Series- sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the show will run September 11^th-27^th.

A steamy prohibition tale steamrolling and roaring its way across the stage, Andrew Lippa’s Wild Party was an off-Broadway gem that garnered an array of industry accolades, including Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Obie awards. Based on Joseph Moncure March’s 1928 narrative poem of the same name, the darkly brilliant show features one of the most exciting, pulse-racing scores ever written.

A take on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the show paints a vivid picture of a decadent and deadly all-night party in late 1920s Manhattan, just a year before the Crash of 1929, when nearly everything in America would collapse.

It’s the story of a desperately damaged relationship between vaudeville dancer Queenie and vaudeville clown Burrs, two vicious, reckless people, whose lives are spiraling downward fast, filled to the brim with meaningless sex, drugs, drinking, jealousies, and casual betrayals.

The show runs at the UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage September 11th-12th, 18th-19th at 8:00 p.m., September 20^th at 3:00 p.m., September 26^th at 8:00 p.m. and September 27^th at 3:00 p.m.

The show features Direction by Brian Remo, with Choreography by Patrick Starega, and Musical Direction by Bruce De La Cruz.

Tickets can be purchased online at ucpac.org or through the UCPAC Box Office at 732-499-8226; prices are $20 general admission.

FEARLESS PRODUCTIONS strives to create entertaining theatrical productions that walk on the very edge of the edge, leap enthusiastically with their hearts on our sleeves, and dare to be daring. They recognize that the responsibility of true art is to firmly grasp the attention of their audience for as long as they are asking for it. They accept this challenge with the courage that only comes with doing exactly what they feel they were born to do.

The UCACT program grants funding to cover the hard costs associated with putting up at production at the Union County Performing Arts Center. Through creative partnership and a holistic approach, the program creates a successful business model for Community Theater, allowing them to provide quality performances while also thriving financially.

For more information on UCACT, please contact Victoria Durbin Drake, Chief of Staff, Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, at 908-558-2278 or visit ucnj.org/ucact.

Union County, NJ – With the impact of Superstorm Sandy still lingering almost three years later, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds residents to prepare ahead as the next winter storm season approaches.

“Sandy was the largest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded, and we are still feeling the effects of its devastating force,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “It was a powerful reminder that taking a few simple steps to prepare ahead can make all the difference when disaster strikes.”

Widespread power outages, blocked roads and fuel shortages complicated recovery efforts in the immediate aftermath of Sandy, which made landfall in New Jersey on October 29, 2012.

Emergency experts recommend that every household and business be prepared to spend at least three days without power or access to local grocery stores and other services.

That includes keeping a first aid kit and a supply of non-perishable food and bottled water on hand. Flashlights and other emergency equipment should also be stored in an easily accessible area, and should be checked regularly to make sure they are working properly.

For vehicle owners, preparedness also includes responding to emergency guidance such as topping off gas tanks ahead of a storm and avoiding non-essential travel during recovery.

This September marks the 11^th annual National Preparedness Month, part of the Ready public service announcement campaign. The Ready campaign aims to involve individuals and entire communities in emergency preparedness and resiliency efforts.

“By taking a few simple steps ahead of time, you can help ensure the safety of your household or business, and you help your community, too,” said Jalloh. “When more citizens are prepared, our emergency responders can focus their efforts on helping those who need an extra hand such as persons with disabilities or medical complications.”

The Freeholder Board is participating in National Preparedness Month by relaying information and messages from the Ready campaign. Basic steps include:

1. Identify helpful sources of information before, during and after an emergency. In addition to tuning in to radio, television and online media, sign up online for free emergency alerts in Union County at ucfirstalert.org. Union County’s website (ucnj.org) and social media are also updated on an emergency basis.
2. Make a plan for what to do in an emergency, including contact information for family and emergency services.
3. Build an emergency supply kit. For households with pets, carriers and other equipment should be kept handy in addition to a supply of pet food and water.
4. Get involved — the volunteer Union County Medical Reserve Corps includes residents from all walks of life who want to pitch in during and after a disaster. A wide variety of skills are welcome. For more information contact the Union County Coordinator, Ella Shaykevich, 908-518-5620 or mrc@ucnj.org.

For more details about National Preparedness Month and the Ready Campaign, visit ready.gov/september or call the Union County Office of Health Management at 908-518-5620.

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The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation are happy to announce that tickets are now on sale for this year’s Autumn Hayrides and Family Fun Around the Campfire.

The first event will take place on Friday, September 18, at Warinanco Park in the Boat House area. Hayrides beginning at 6:30 pm and run until 9:30 p.m.  Hayrides will include folks songs around the campfire, hot chocolate and marshmallows toasted over the fire.  Tickets must be purchased in advanced. There will be no tickets available at the event.

“The hayrides and campfire events are always among the most popular events in our parks, so those interesting in participating should get their tickets early and plan for a fun filled evening to begin the fall,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh.

Hayride tickets are available at three locations: Weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Union County Administration Building, Department of Parks and Recreation, 2^nd Floor, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday; and at Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence road, in Mountainside every day from noon to 5 p.m.

No tickets will be sold at the hayrides. So, please purchase your tickets in advance so you don’t get shutout. Seating for the hay rides is limited, and group sales are limited to 15 tickets.  The cost is $6 for Union County resident and $12 for out-of-county participants.

Hayrides and Campfires will also be held at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside on three Fridays in October, the 2^nd, 9^th, and 16^th, also running from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. And on Sunday, October 4 at 3:30 p.m.

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

Union County, NJ  –  The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the Union County Emergency Medical Service is on track to experience its fourth straight year of growth by a wide margin. The Freeholder Board established the service permanently in January 2012, in response to increased calls for emergency assistance throughout the County.

“Since its inception, Countywide EMS has demonstrated its worth time and again,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “This additional county-based crew of highly qualified emergency responders has proved to be an invaluable resource for local public safety departments and volunteer squads.”

The Union County Emergency Medical Service (Countywide EMS) has responded to 3,681 calls so far in 2015, from January to August 2015. The average of 460 calls per month puts the yearly total on track for approximately 5,500 calls. The total for 2014 was 4,223 calls or just under 352 calls monthly.

The Freeholder Board launched Countywide EMS in June 2011 as a pilot project, after discussions with the 21 municipalities highlighted the need to increase emergency services in Union County.

The pilot project began with two ambulances donated by the Rahway Emergency Squad. On its first day, Countywide EMS answered four requests for service, close to the anticipated startup number of up to five calls daily on average. All but one of the 21 municipalities in Union County used the service during the pilot phase.

The first full year of service for Countywide EMS was 2012, during which it answered a total of 1,449 calls. In 2013 it answered 1,887 calls.

“Budget constraints, hospital emergency room closings, changes in medical practices, difficulties in recruiting volunteers – these are all sources of pressure on local responders,” said Jalloh. “Countywide EMS enables us to address those issues in a coordinated way without additional costs for taxpayers, and that has become all the more important in recent years as our population has increased.”

Countywide EMS makes additional ambulance service available 24/7. It can be called into service when local officials are handling multiple calls at once, or calls involving multiple victims, to ensure that emergency services are delivered as quickly as possible. It can also be used as backup when local ambulances are out of commission for unexpected maintenance or repairs, and it can serve as a standby precaution at public events.

“The pilot was a success on both the need and financial sides,” said Andrew Moran, Union County Director of Public Safety. “As expected, local dispatchers began using it immediately, and insurance reimbursements have covered the full cost of the service.”

In 2014, Countywide EMS added a third ambulance and was given the annual award for Outstanding Public EMS Agency from the New Jersey Department of Health.

The Public Agency category recognizes outstanding leadership in a number of areas including patient care, access to EMS, disaster preparedness, education, training, and professionalism.

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