Category: Public Info

By Alexander Mirabella

Chairman, Union County Board of Commissioners

The country is gradually re-opening and COVID-19 restrictions are lifting, however, our residents are still suffering from the economic fallout of the pandemic.

In support of our residents in need, Union County is launching an Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to provide financial relief for Union County residents unable to meet their rental obligation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program allows eligible applicants to receive up to 12 months of assistance for unpaid back rent, as well as gas and electric utility expenses.

To make sure that every eligible tenant has an opportunity to apply for a grant, we are creating an online information portal in both English and Spanish. The portal will open for landlords to pre-register on Monday, July 26, and it will open for tenant applications on Monday, August 2.

To qualify for Union County ERAP funding, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Union County resident primarily responsible for paying rent;
• Make less than 80% of the average median income of Union County (e.g., less than $78,500 for a family of four);
• Experienced a loss of income since March 13, 2020 related to the Covid-19 pandemic;
• Provide required supporting documentation (copies of identification, tax returns, lease or other proof of income/residence may be acceptable, etc.).

Once the application is submitted, applicants will be notified of the funding decision. If approved, the funds will be provided to the landlord or utility provider on their behalf.

More information on the Emergency Rental Assistance Program will be available soon. Please check the County website, ucnj.org, or follow us on social media for updates.

Additionally, we will continue to hold our emergency food distribution events in July. The upcoming food distribution events are open to all Union County residents.

The food distribution schedule for July is:

• July 13 at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Elizabeth
• July 17 at Kean University in Union
• July 27 at Gerald B. Green Plaza in Plainfield
• July 31 at Kean University in Union

Although no registration is required, food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and take place rain or shine. For more information including hours and locations, please visit ucnj.org/covid19.

The Union County Commissioner Board created the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and the food distribution events with funding from the Federal CARES Act for COVID-19 emergency relief. Additional CARES Act programs created by the Commissioner Board include child care assistance for low-income families and respite assistance for those caring for children with special needs and disabilities, and as well as grants for libraries, schools, restaurants and other small businesses, and non-profit organizations. For more details, please visit ucnj.org/covid19/cares-act-grants.

We are also continuing to intensify our efforts to ensure that every Union County resident can get a free COVID-19 vaccine at a convenient, easily accessible location. In addition to three permanent vaccine centers, our mobile unit visits local communities. We also bring vaccines to home bound residents, and we are extending our outreach to ensure that everyone has access to reliable, fact-based information about the vaccines. For hours and locations, and to book an appointment, visit ucnj.org/vax 24/7 or call 908-613-7829 during weekdays.

The fight is not over and the Commissioner Board will continue to seek every opportunity to provide assistance, services, and support during the pandemic. We are all in this together.

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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.

New operation is expected to save Union County more than $103 million over five years while ensuring continued care of incarcerated persons.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce the completion of an agreement with Essex County, under which incarcerated persons from Union County will be housed at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark. The transition of operations was completed at 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2021. Union County expects to save more than $103 million over five years as a result of the transition.

The Union County Correctional Facility in Elizabeth will continue to operate as an intake hub and temporary detention facility. Shuttle buses are available to transport those wishing to visit persons incarcerated at the Essex County facility.

“The agreement with Essex County will result in a significant savings to Union County, and it reflects trends in criminal justice that support fairness and social stability,” said Union County Board of Commissioners Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “I would like to thank all those involved for ensuring that the transition progressed smoothly and on schedule.”

“Because the number of persons incarcerated at the Union County jail has decreased dramatically in recent years, the new operation will result in a substantially more efficient use of public funds,” said Union County Manager Edward T. Oatman. “We have also worked diligently to minimize disruption to staff as they transition to new employment.”

Due to social trends and public policies that have reduced the number of incarcerated persons in Union County and New Jersey, the number of individuals housed at the Union County jail fell nearly 67 percent over the past ten years, from a population of more than 1,000 down to 345 at the beginning of 2021. In combination with other factors, the result has been a sharp increase in the cost-per-inmate of housing prisoners at the facility.

Prior to the transition, a total of 243 persons were employed at the jail including Corrections Officers and civilian personnel. Approximately 53 Corrections Officers and civilians remain employed at the Union County Jail for its hub operations, which will operate 365 days a year.

The five-year memorandum of agreement the County of Union has approved with Essex County to provide jail services has an option for renewal. In addition, the Union County Department of Corrections will become a division of the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

The agreement with Essex County is part of the Commissioner Board’s ongoing efforts to respond to significant changes in the criminal justice system, resulting in a more effective use of public funds.

In 2019, Union County also closed its Juvenile Detention Center, saving $24.6 million a year, sending its detainees to the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center in Newark.

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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.

Students from 10 school districts in Union County participated in a four-week interactive financial literacy course this spring, called the “2021 Stock Market Challenge.” The course was hosted by the Zeta Nu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in Plainfield, with support from Union County Commissioner, Dr. Angela Garretson. The organization sought to empower local youth with insights and experience on investing in the stock market.

“Financial literacy is extremely important, and this partnership between school districts and the Zeta Nu Lambda Chapter demonstrates the impact that local organizations can have when they bring their skills, experience, and networks to engage with school-age youth,” said Union County Commissioner Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

“I hope this program leads to additional school district partnerships in our community, to help provide the up-and-coming generation of students with the tools they need in understanding the ever increasing complexity of the financial world, including the role mathematics and economics play in this space,” said Commissioner Garretson, who engaged a total of 19 school districts to participate in the Stock Market Challenge.

The Stock Market Challenge was presented by Zeta Nu Lambda chapter president, Sherlock Dow, along with guest speakers on various topics including ETFs and cryptocurrency as well as real estate, futures, options, stocks and bonds.

The interactive course provided the students with the opportunity to assume the virtual role of professional money managers as they operated their own diversified investment portfolios, working in teams.

A total of 110 students in grades 7-12 participated in the course, which met once a week from April 22 to May 13.

Union County school districts participating in the program were Plainfield, Springfield, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, New Providence, Westfield, Berkeley Heights, Union Township, Summit, Roselle, and the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools.

At the conclusion of the course, students Jasmin Person of Plainfield and Kyley Johnson of Roselle school districts were named two of three winners in the “Team Winner” category.

In addition, students Justin Bugarin of Plainfield and Leah Brogden of Berkeley Heights were named two of three winners in the “Individual Winner” category.

The additional participating districts outside of Union County were Cherry Hill, New Brunswick, Edison, Franklin, South Orange-Maplewood, Monroe Township, Piscataway, West Orange, and Hillsborough.

The award-winning Union County Vocational-Technical School District is located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. For more information visit ucvts.tec.nj.us.

For additional information about the Stock Market Challenge contact Sherlock Dow, znlcp.sherlock@gmail.com.

For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Union County COVID-19 Test Center at Kean University, the Mobile Test Unit, vaccination information, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

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.

Alexander Mirabella, Chairman, Union County Board of County Commissioners
Union County Commissioner and Shade Tree Advisory Board Liaison Bette Jane Kowalski
 
To the writers: Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 Union County Arbor Day Poetry Contest! We are all very proud to host this special display of your work on the County website. Please know that your work in raising awareness about the importance of trees is very much appreciated by the whole Union County family. Through your ability to create and communicate, you have each made a significant contribution to encouraging environmental stewardship throughout our community.
 
To the readers: Please enjoy this unique window into the world of our community treescape, as seen through the eyes of local students in grades 4 – 8. Our 2021 contest winners invite us all to reconnect with the environment that sustains and surrounds us, each in their own very personal and thoughtful way.
 
We hope this exhibit inspires residents and visitors alike to appreciate, plant, and care for trees throughout Union County, and beyond.

Memorandum of agreement with Essex County ensures continued care of Union County prisoners; County jail will remain open as hub to temporarily detain and transport prisoners to Essex.

In a measure that will save Union County more than $103 million over five years while ensuring the continued care of its prisoners, the County of Union today announced it is closing major operations at its jail in Elizabeth, and sending its prisoners to the Essex County Correctional facility in Newark.

The jail will cease the long-term housing of prisoners effective July 1^st, and will begin operating as a hub to intake, process, temporarily detain and transport prisoners to the Essex County Correctional facility. Shuttle buses will also be available to transport those wishing to visit prisoners in Essex County.

County officials decided to pursue the agreement as the number of prisoners housed at the jail have fallen nearly 67 percent the past ten years, from more than 1,000 prisoners to currently 345. The five-year memorandum of agreement the County of Union has approved with Essex County to provide jail services has an option for renewal. Also, the Union County Department of Corrections will be changed to a division of the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

“This agreement provides proper facilities for our prisoners, and we have worked to minimize the impact on many of our employees at the jail,” said County Manager Edward T. Oatman. “The number of inmates at the jail have continued to dramatically decline. As a result of this and other factors, detention costs per inmate have more than doubled during the same time. Our savings will be substantial.”

Oatman also thanked the County of Essex for reaching this historic agreement.

There are a total of 243 employees at the jail including Corrections Officers and civilian personnel. Most jail employees have found employment at various institutions, and the County has also conducted a jobs fair. Approximately 53 Corrections Officers and civilians will remain employed at the Union County Jail for its hub operations, which will operate 365 days a year.

The County’s Workforce Development Board services was made available to all jail employees, who if they wished, were able to take advantage of job training, resume assistance, education, and other employment programs. The County held a jobs fair for jail employees.

“Ultimately, this was a tough decision, but one that had to be made,” said Union County Board of Commissioners’ Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “This agreement will save the County tens of millions in taxpayers’ dollars, and provide responsible detention for our inmates.”

Opened in 2004, the Essex County Correctional facility has been accredited by the American Correctional Association, which sets the standards for correctional facilities and detention centers in the United States, American territories and some foreign countries, since 2013. It also has received 100 percent compliance with the New Jersey State Department of Corrections every year since 2006 and has been accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities since 2007.

Overall the declining numbers in Union County’s jail reflect national trends and the impact of New Jersey’s Criminal Justice reform laws. Crime rates have declined sharply in recent decades, and the arrest rate has followed, falling as well.

In 2019, Union County also closed its Juvenile Detention Center, saving $24.6 million a year, sending its detainees to the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center in Newark.

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For the second year in a row, the Union County Board of Commissioners has passed a budget with a zero percent tax increase.

The 2021 budget was passed at tonight’s meeting and will maintain all essential services. It continues the County’s trend of fiscally responsible budgets, and maintains the County’s bond rating which is the highest attainable.

“I am pleased to announce that we have again adopted a budget with a zero percent tax increase for the second year in a row,” said Commissioner Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “Despite the pandemic that is persisting this year, our fiscal outlook remains strong. We continue to offer our high quality governmental services, and our commitment to assisting our constituents.”

Commissioner Fiscal Committee Chairman Christopher Hudak said: “As we continue to face the COVID-19 Pandemic, we are mindful of its profound impact on all residents. We worked hard with our County Manager and our Finance Director to build a budget that would fund the response to COVID-19, our safety net and normal services.”

Both Mirabella and Hudak thanked their colleagues on the Fiscal Committee for their work in crafting the budget, including Vice Chair Rebecca Williams and Commissioners Sergio Granados, and Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded. They also thanked County Manager Ed Oatman, and gave special thanks to Finance Director Bibi Taylor, and her staff for their effort in bringing the budget all together from start to finish.  

Finally, both Mirabella and Hudak thanked Union County’s family of directors and employees for their tremendous effort in responding to the pandemic this past year.

BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

• The 2021 budget provides for the County’s COVID-19 testing and vaccination efforts. More than 140,000 residents have been tested since the start. It will also continue to fund the County’s vaccination centers at Kean University, Plainfield, FEMA clinic in Elizabeth and mobile efforts.
• This budget also funds the County’s online vaccination appointment portal system, and call-in center.
• To date, the County has administered over 78,000 doses of vaccinations.
• The budget also helps fund a revolutionary partnership with Kean University, where the county and Kean established a laboratory that is capable of testing residents, processing their samples, gene sequencing for variant strain research–all in coordination with the County’s contact tracing program. This effort is the first of its kind in the entire nation and will also act as a source of revenue for decades to come.
• The budget provides for weekly food distributions (the County has served over 3.6 million meals), and the distribution of more than 100,000 masks throughout Union County to all 21 municipalities.    
• This budget also funds the Chairman’s “Union County Rising” initiatives for 2021, which include public safety improvements, support for businesses, the LGBTQ community, upgrades to parks and recreation facilities, and support for recreational programming.

Mobile Vaccine Operation At Warinanco Park in Roselle Will Run From 1-8 p.m.

The Union County Board of Commissioners today announced the County will hold a mobile clinic to vaccinate educators and school personnel on Tuesday, April 6^th from 1-8 p.m. at Warinanco Park in Roselle.

Any educator or school personnel wishing to receive a vaccination must pre-register now   at www.ucnjvaccine.org Teachers, all staff and school administration officials who work in Union County are eligible. All must bring employment identification. Please note that walkups will not be accepted. The County will be offering the Johnson and Johnson (Jansen) one-shot vaccination at this mobile clinic.

“With this announcement, we mark the beginning of a significant step toward our overall goal of herd immunity,” said Alexander Mirabella, Chairman of the Union County Board of County Commissioners. “Educators and school personnel deserve the protection they need to conduct their essential work, and the vaccination will protect them and all those they come in to contact with during the performance of their duties.”

Commissioner Sergio Granados, who is the Chairman of the County’s Public Safety Committee added:  “The health and safety of our educators as well as support staff should be one of our top priorities. When Governor Murphy expanded eligibility in allowing teachers to get vaccinated, I knew we had to move quick to get this done. Our educators throughout Union County are among the best the State of New Jersey has to offer, so bringing them back in person to continue to help shape the mind of our students is vital.”  

To date, more than 229,000 vaccinations in all have been administered to Union County residents. More than 149,000 residents have one vaccination does, and 85,707 are fully vaccinated.

For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University, the Mobile Test Unit walk-up sites, vaccination information, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of County Commissioners announces “a weekend of shredding” to kick off the first mobile paper shredding programs of 2021.   Free shredding of personal and confidential documents will be available on Saturday, March 27th and Sunday, March 28th.

“Union County’s mobile document shredding service helps residents fight identity theft by providing a convenient way to shred your confidential documents,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Al Mirabella “It promotes our County recycling efforts and ties in with other Green Initiatives in Union County.”

The March shredding events will take place at the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools campus, located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. Both events will run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. rain or shine. The events will close prior to 1:00 p.m. if the trucks reach capacity.

For everyone’s safety, residents must wear face coverings, keep their windows closed and remain in their vehicles at all times.  Materials should be placed in trunk, cargo area or truck bed, easily accessible to staff, for safe no-contact removal from vehicle.

All Union County residents are eligible to use the free paper-shredding service. In an effort to accommodate everyone, there is a limit of four, 10-pound bags or boxes per vehicle.  It is preferred that you bring your material in paper bags. Documents should not be bound. Please remove plastic binders and paperclips. Paper that is wet/damp will not be accepted.  PLEASE do not bring paper that is already shredded; it 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 placed onto a conveyor belt and shredded on site. The shredded documents are then recycled via local paper mills. 

All of Union County’s recycling events are posted on our website, www.ucnj.org/recycle. The Board of County Commissioners also encourages residents to download the free Recycle Coach app for recycling event reminders and local curbside collection info.

The mobile shredding program is paid for through County Recycling Enhancement Act Grant Funds. For more information about future events or directions please call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.

For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University, the Mobile Test Unit walk-up sites, vaccination information, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

Due to snow this morning, today’s event has been rescheduled to 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 11. The event was originally scheduled for 10:00 a.m.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Commissioners will hold a walk-up food distribution event for Union County residents to aid those affected by COVID-19 on Thursday, February 11, at 1:00 p.m. at the Immaculate Conception Church, 417 Union Avenue in Elizabeth. This is a rain or shine event.

The food distribution is being coordinated by the County of Union with support from Village Supermarket and Gargiulo Produce.

“Food distributions have become a lifeline for our residents during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said County Commissioner Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “We are proud to be able to continue providing this valuable resource in 2021 to our residents.”

“Residents continue to face unprecedented levels of unemployment, housing issues and food insecurity and we are working hard to help everyone put food on their table,” said Commissioner Sergio Granados who also serves as Liaison to the Human Services Advisory Council. “We thank Village Supermarket and Gargiulo Produce for their partnership in this effort.”

No pre-registration is required. The food distribution is open to all Union County residents. Food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Recipients are advised to bring a cart or wagon to convey their food by hand, and proof of New Jersey residence such as a driver’s license, utility bill, or ID card.

Each recipient will receive an emergency allotment of produce, dairy, and shelf stable food to sustain a family for several days. Please note that only one allotment will be provided per recipient.

This event will run in compliance with state COVID-19 orders, regarding social distancing and other protocols.

For questions and more information, residents may call the UCDHS Director’s Action Line at 888-845-3434 or 908-558-2288.

To learn more about the Village Super Market, visit: https://www.myvillagesupermarket.com.  

To learn more about Gargiulo Produce, visit: http://www.gargiuloproduce.com.

For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University, the Mobile Test Unit walk-up sites, vaccination information, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

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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.