Category: Public Info

Five year agreement ensures continued care of Union County Juvenile detainees with Essex County;  Union County Detention Center to close on February 28^th, 2019

UNION COUNTY, NJ—In a cost-savings measure that will save millions, while ensuring the continued care of its youth offenders, the County of Union today announced it has finalized a five-year agreement with Essex County to provide juvenile detention services. The agreement has an option for renewal.

County officials decided to seek a shared services agreement as the number of County juvenile detainees at the facility have continued to show a long-term dramatic decline. The average daily population of County juveniles has declined from a high of more than 43 residents in January, 2012 to an average of just about ten this past year—a decline of more than 77 percent.

“While it is no longer feasible to continue to maintain a facility due to the declining numbers, we sought a solution that is aimed at preserving the rights, safety and dignity of incarcerated youth while minimizing the impact on any affected employees,” said Union County Manager Edward T. Oatman. “We believe this is the best possible course, and one that will realize  substantial savings for the County.”

The Union County Juvenile Detention Facility in Linden will close effective Feb. 28th, 2019, and Union County detainees will be transferred to the Essex County Juvenile Detention facility in Newark.

“We have been carefully reviewing the possibility of the juvenile detention center closure for months, and this decision has not been made lightly,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “This is a financially responsible agreement that provides benefits to our County’s taxpayers, realizes efficiencies and provides proper facilities for our juveniles with comparable services. This closure will bring a 24.6 million dollar savings to the County of Union within the first three years alone.”

Chairman Granados added the County had considered other facilities during the process: “The Essex County facility is nationally accredited, offers an all-day school, recreation programs including a swimming pool, and we will provide transportation for the youth and their families.”

In all, 82 County employees are impacted by the measure including: 56 juvenile detention officers, 12 senior juvenile detention officers, seven supervisors, and seven civilian employees. 

The civilian employees may be eligible to be rehired by Union County. Additionally, Essex County has agreed to interview qualified Union County Juvenile Center employees in good standing, including Juvenile Detention Officers and Supervisors for any openings that may occur in their facility. To the extent possible, the Essex County Juvenile Detention facility will hire these employees to fill any vacancies they have available.

Additional resources will be provided to remaining laid-off workers. The County’s Workforce Development Board will be made available and separated workers can take advantage of job training, resume assistance, and other employment programs.  Finally, the County of Union will contact other counties throughout New Jersey to attempt to place separated workers.

Overall, officials attribute the decline in detainees at the Union County facility in large part to the effectiveness of the state’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. This is a comprehensive approach that provides mechanisms to detain fewer youth and relies on proven, family-focused interventions, education, mental health treatment and opportunities for positive youth development.

In order to provide convenience to affected families of the detainees, the County of Union is planning to offer transportation to the Essex County facility. It should be noted that the Essex County facility is in close proximity, only an additional five (5.8) miles from the Union County Courthouse.

While no immediate determination has been made for the re-use of the Union County Detention Center once it is closed, the County will explore the most effective and efficient repurposing of the facility, added County Manager Oatman.

ELIZABETH, NJ—The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation invite youngsters 4 years old to 12 years old to participate in “Paint in the Pond” on Saturday, October 6 at the pond in Warinanco Park. This interactive art project will run from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

“The pond at Warinanco Park is a perfect setting for young artists to gather with family members to create beautiful projects while learning the importance of recycling,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

This will be the third year “Paint by the Pond” will be presented to allow children to paint cardboard model houses and create art on poster board. There will also be miniature houses made with the cardboard boxes floating in the pond during the event.

In case of rain, “Paint by the Pond” will be held on Sunday, October 7. For more information on this exciting event, please call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at (908) 527-4900.

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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.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders encourages teachers in grades k-12 and local community group organizers to register for a free presentation that introduces watershed and environmental concepts in a fun and meaningful way.

The 30-45 minute, interactive program is conducted by a Watershed Ambassador from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and is co-hosted by the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Rahway River Watershed Association.

“Union County is part of a major watershed that ultimately drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and it is our duty as citizens to protect and preserve our water resources,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The watershed educational program is a great way to ensure that our community is informed about the importance of watersheds and their role in the environmental health of the Earth itself.”

A watershed is a specific land area that drains into a river system or other body of water. Some watersheds are fairly small. Others sprawl out to include rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.

A large portion of Union County is located in New Jersey’s Watershed Management Area 7, the Elizabeth and Rahway watersheds. Area 7 also includes parts of Essex and Middlesex counties. It covers the 11-mile Elizabeth River, the 24-mile Rahway River, major tributaries including the East Branch Rahway River, Woodbridge River and Robinson’s Branch tributaries, and major impoundments including the Middlesex Reservoir, Orange Reservoir, Lower and Upper Echo Lakes, and Diamond Mill Pond.

Now in its 18^th year, the Watershed Ambassador program sends trained presenters to classrooms and civic groups, to help teachers, students, and community members discover how human behavior can impact the land and water around them.

The free program also offers easy, practical solutions that everyone can implement to reduce pollution and improve water quality, such as eliminating or minimizing the use of pesticides on lawns, picking up pet waste, and not feeding geese.

The Water Ambassador Program is a federally funded position that is administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador Program.  There are 20 such positions throughout the state of NJ.

In addition to educational presentations, the program offers stream assessment training for individuals and groups.

To schedule a free presentation or stream assessment training, contact Jennifer Helminski, Watershed Ambassador for Watershed Management Area 7. Her Union County office is located at the County’s Engineering Building in Scotch Plains, and she may be reached at 908-789-3209 watershed7@ucnj.org.

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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.