Category: Public Info

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders would like to remind you of several free recycling events coming up in May.

On Sunday, May 7th, there will be a Household Hazardous Waste Program at the Springfield Pool, located at 44 Morrison Road in Springfield. The event will be held from 9 am to 2pm. Items for drop off include old pesticides & herbicides, pool chemicals, gasoline, oil-based paints, deck stain, fluorescent bulbs and propane tanks.

Union County will host a Mobile Paper Shredding Event on Saturday, May 20th at Nokia located at 600 Mountain Avenue in New Providence. The event will run from 9 am to 1 pm or until the truck(s) get filled. Residents can bring up to four bags of confidential documents for shredding.

Union County’s Scrap Metal Recycling program also continues in May. The events are the first Thursday and Third Saturday of each month so Thursday, May 4th and Saturday, May 20th.

There are two (2) locations in Union County for residents to drop off their metal for recycling, one in Cranford and Rahway. All locations will be open from 9 am to 12 pm. Residents can drop off old appliances, microwaves, air conditioners, and metal lawn furniture to name a few.

Please visit www.ucnj.org/recycling for more information or directions.

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Union County, NJ — Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi is pleased to announce that Vote-By-Mail ballots will be available beginning on Monday, May 1 for the 2017 Primary Election.

This year’s Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, June 6.

“New Jersey will select its first new governor in eight years this November, and the June 6 Primary Election is a critical step in that process,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “Vote-By-Mail helps to ensure that every Union County voter can participate in this important decision.”

To receive a Vote-by-Mail ballot, voters must fill out an application form. They are not required to provide a reason for using the ballot.

“There are three ways to obtain an application form, and you can choose the option that is most convenient for you,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “If you choose to apply by mail, please be aware that the application must be received by my office by Tuesday, May 30. That will provide enough time for you to receive your ballot, vote it and return it to the Board of Elections by the deadline.”

The options to receive an application for a Vote-By-Mail ballot in Union County are:

• Have an application form mailed to you. Call the County Clerk’s Election Division at 908-527-4996 in order to have a form mailed to you, or request one through the County Clerk’s free Union County Votes mobile app.
• Download a form and print it out. Applications for Vote-By-Mail ballots are available for download from the County Clerk’s website at org/Vote-By-Mail, and from the Union County Votes app. The application must be received in the office by May 30 to be valid for the Primary Election.
• Pick up a form in person at the County Clerk’s Elizabeth or Westfield offices. Voters picking up their application form in person may do so until 3:00 p.m. on Monday, June 5.

In-person applicants can use the County Clerk’s convenient One-Stop service to fill out their application, submit it, receive their ballot and cast it in a secure box in one visit. The One-Stop service is available at both the Elizabeth and Westfield offices.

Voters choosing the One-Stop option must present a current driver’s license or state-issued identification card with their full address and signature, as required by a new state law which took effect in 2015.

“As a reminder, all Vote-By-Mail ballots are counted in every election,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “It doesn’t matter if the Election Day margins are wide or close, every vote is added to the numbers for each candidate.”

Voters who choose to cast their Vote-By-Mail ballot by mail are advised to allow at least 3-5 days for delivery, to ensure that it is received by the close of the polls on Election Day.

The County Clerk’s Westfield Annex is located in the Colleen Fraser Building at 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

The Main Office of the County Clerk is located at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth at 2 Broad Street, Room 113. Regular office hours in Elizabeth are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

As an added convenience for voters, the Elizabeth office has added an extra day of service before Primary Day. It will be open on Saturday, June 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Westfield office will also be open for its regular Saturday hours on June 3, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

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Connect with Union County on social media.

 

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholders Angel G. Estrada and Bette Jane Kowalski joined Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, Union County Manager Alfred Faella, Union County Sheriff Joe Cryan, Assemblyman Jamel Holley and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano at a press conference regarding possible harmful cuts to Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) by the federal government.

Also in attendance were Elizabeth Council President Carlos Torres, Councilman Kevin Kiniery, Kaitlin McGuinness from US Senator Cory Booker’s office, Zachary Rynar from US Senator Robert Menendez’s office, Elizabeth Director of Planning and Community Development Eduardo Rodriguez and Linda Flores-Tober, Executive Director of the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless.

The Community Development Block Grant, one of the longest-running programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, funds local community development activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs, and infrastructure development.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

 

The following information is provided by Union County College:

CRANFORD – This summer the Office of Continuing Education at Union County College is offering the 2017 College for Teens program sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

The program is offered for two sessions. Each session will be held for two weeks and will meet from Monday through Thursday. During the session students have the chance to explore and research careers in criminal justice, healthcare or supply chain management, while experiencing life on a college campus. Students will learn about relevant career opportunities from prominent guest speakers. The morning session will be held from July 10 to 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The afternoon session will be held from July 17 to 27, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

To apply for the College for Teens program, students must be enrolled in a Union County high school by September 2017 and possess a grade point average of C or better. In addition to the application, students will need to submit a copy of their recent report card along with a recommendation letter from a teacher or guidance counselor.  The completed application package can be faxed to (908) 709-7070, emailed to youthprograms@ucc.edu or delivered to the Office of Continuing Education at 1033 Springfield Avenue in Cranford.  The application deadline for the College for Teens program is Friday, May 26, 2017.

For additional information about the College for Teens Program and the application form, visit http://www.ucc.edu/nonCredit/ForDown.aspx or call (908) 709-7600.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that sixteen Union County organizations will receive a total of $22,000 from the 2017 Union County History Grants Program, made possible from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State. These grants will be used to support special projects or general operating expenses for the county based non-profit history organizations and units of local government, including libraries and schools.

“This grant program gives us the opportunity to help local non-profit groups develop and present important history programs or projects to a wide-ranging audience,’’ said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

A variety of programs and projects are being developed and presented by the 2017 grant recipients:

• The Clark Library will receive $1,400.00 for digitization of historic newspapers.
• Fanwood-Scotch Plains will use $1,000.00 for the development and design of print marketing materials for the Frazee House.
• The Garwood Historical Committee will use $250.00 for digitization of a World War II newsletter “Gar-words.”
• The Hillside Public Library will use $1,000.00 to transfer Hillside Times microfilm to web portal access.
• The Historical Society of Elizabeth will use $2,000.00 for research and media production staffed by students from Kean University and NJIT.
• The Historical Society of Plainfield will use $2,000.00 for administrative assistance and grounds upkeep.
• Merchants and Drovers Tavern in Rahway will use $1,600.00 for staffing cost and to keep the facility up and running four days a week.
• The Mountainside Historical Preservation Committee will use $1,000.00 for monthly costs, including phone, insurance, and cleaning artifacts.
• The New Providence Historical Society will use $1,000.00 for a Community Lecture Series and workshops.
• The Old First Historic Trust will use $2,000.00 to develop public tour programs.
• The Reeves-Reed Arboretum of Summit will use $2,000.00 for operating costs, marketing and public outreach for programming.
• The African-American Heritage and Learning Center in Rahway will use $1,250.00 for office furniture, a computer and a scanner.
• The Fortnightly Club of Summit will use $500.00 for operating sevices.
• The Union County Historical Society will use $1,000.00 for conservation and preservation of Military and Wedding clothing as well as Quilts.
• The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, located in Summit will use $2,000.00 to produce a walking guild of the Watchung Reservation.
• And the Westfield Historical Society will use $2,000.00 for administrative and operational costs.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to offer the Union County History Grant Program through the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation, Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs. 

Organizations interested in learning more about the History Grant Program or other programs and services should contact the Division of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl St., Elizabeth, NJ 07202. Telephone: 908-558-2550.  Relay users dial 711. Or E-mail: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

Union County Freeholders Christopher Hudak and Angel G. Estrada present a resolution to Michele Dabal, Sue Quiroga and Elizabeth Stamler of NJ Sharing Network recognizing April as National Donate Life Month in Union County. NJ Sharing Network, based in New Providence, is the non-profit organization responsible for the recovery and placement of donated organs and tissue for those in need of a life-saving transplant. For more information, visit www.njsharingnetwork.org. 

New Open Space Grant program to fund gardens at 32 schools at Pre K to 12^th grade schools throughout Union County

UNION COUNTY, NJ—For the first time ever, The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders today announced it has awarded “Union County Kids Dig In!” grants to 32 schools in 12 County municipalities. The grant assistance covers establishing/building of gardens, garden boxes and/or tools and equipment. It is aimed at educating students about gardening and fostering the growth and creation of community gardens at the schools.

“Our goal is to teach children how food is grown, to educate them about nutrition, and to make them think about the environment and the world around them, including their own communities,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, who thought of the program and worked to create it this year as the Chairman of the Union County Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund. “This is a great way to get everyone involved in community gardening—not only the children, but also their parents, the teachers and local residents.”

Granados noted that the grant requires the donation of a portion of what is grown for community donation, teaching children about charity.

“Studies also show that when children are engaged in gardening programs, their school performances improve and health outcomes improve,” Granados noted.

Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen agreed.

“New Jersey is the Garden State and we have a rich tradition and history of horticulture in the state even with all the changes in density over the years,” Bergen said. “This is a great way to instill the benefits of gardening in our future citizens at a young age.”

The County presented the Union County Kids Dig In! grant program to each school district through its Open Space Trust Fund, offering a total of just under $40,000 in grant assistance through revenues from golf fees administered through the fund.

The grant program covers produce gardens including vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, herbs and spices, pollinator-attracting plants and plants for pest management. It does not cover ornamental plants or non-producing gardens.

Gardens must agree to set aside 30% of their harvest for community donation and enroll in Come Grow With Us!, a free countywide information and resource sharing network for community gardens.

Those applying for grants were given four options, 1.) to apply for tools and equipment; 2.) to apply for establishing a garden with four raised beds with soil, irrigation, soil amendments, seedlings and provisions for educational programs; 3.)  to apply directly for ten (10) Earthboxes with soil, tools, soil amendments, seedlings and provisions for educational programs; and 4.) To apply for funding covering other garden types including rooftop, hydroponic and any others.

The following is a list of schools that applied and will receive assistance through the Kids Dig In! program:

 

Clark

• Frank K. Hehnly School

Cranford

• Walnut Avenue School
• Lincoln School
• Hillside Avenue School
• Calvary Nursery School & Child Care        

                  

Elizabeth

• Mabel G. Holmes Annex No. 5
• Jerome Dunn Academy School No. 9                                            
• John Marshall School # 20
• Abraham Lincoln School 14
• Albert Einstein Academy School #29
• Thomas A. Edison Career & Technical Academy
• Winfield Scott School #2
• Victor Mravlag School #21
• Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy
• Juan Pablo Duarte- Jose Julian Marti School No. 28
• Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Kenilworth

• Saint Theresa School

Linden

• Myles J. Mcmanus Middle School

New Providence

• Morris-Union Jointure Commission
• New Providence High School

Plainfield

• College Achieve Central Charter School                 

Rahway

• Madison School
• Rahway High School

Roselle

• Harrison Elementary School
• Washington Elementary School      

Scotch Plains

1. Ackerman Coles Elementary School
2. William J. Mcginn Elementary School
3. JCC of Central NJ- Brody Family Early Learning Center

Union

• The Deron School Of New Jersey, Inc.

Westfield

• Wesley Hall Preschool & Kindergarten
• Mckinley Elementary School
• Tamaques Elementary School

The program is the second community gardening initiative the County has initiated in the past two years. Last year, Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen announced the Union County Means Green Community Gardening grant program to community gardening organizations. The program will also be renewed this year.

 Photo credit: Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County.

Assemblyman Jamel Holley led the groundbreaking and was joined by Union County Freeholders Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, Freeholders Alexander Mirabella and Vernell Wright and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano at the site of Roselle’s “Mind and Body Complex,” a multi-use facility that will house a new public library, a pre-K and Kindergarten and a recreation center. Also in attendance were Borough Council and Board of Education members, library officials and representatives of the Union County Improvement Authority.

The $56 million project, located between Harrison and Chandler Avenues, has undergone nearly three years of careful planning and community vetting and has been lauded for its cross-agency planning and financing that includes Roselle, Roselle Public Schools, the Union County Improvement Authority and the County of Union.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)