Category: Public Info

Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski, Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella and Freeholders Sergio Granados and Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded joined Union County Baseball Association President Jim Iozzi and NY Yankees/Mets player Willie Randolph in congratulating the new members inducted into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame during the 83rd Annual Union County Baseball Association Hot Stove Awards Dinner in Clark. Willie Randolph was the guest speaker.

The four new inductees into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame include: Rich Biddulph of Roselle, Walter Podgurski (not pictured) of Union, Chris Roof of Berkeley Heights and Scotch Plains, and Tom Urban of Elizabeth.

The awards dinner is sponsored by the Union County Baseball Association, in cooperation with the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation. Since 1937, the Hot Stove League Baseball Dinner has been the primary fund-raiser for the UCBA’s summer and fall programs for young ballplayers. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski and Freeholders Angela R. Garretson, Rebecca Williams, Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded and Andrea Staten joined New Jersey State Senator Nicholas Scutari in presenting lifelong Linden resident Monty Brooks with the seventh annual Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award during the County’s Black History Month celebration at the historic Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway.

The Humanitarian Award was created by the Freeholder Board in honor of the late former Freeholder Chester Holmes, who was known for his lifelong dedication to community service. Mr. Brooks is the first resident of Linden to receive the award.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholders Angela R. Garretson, Andrea Staten and Rebecca Williams present resolutions to representatives from the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, Iris House and PROCEED Inc. recognizing February 7, 2019 as “National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.” The day is an important opportunity to increase awareness about HIV among people of color and to empower everyone in the community to play a role in stopping HIV stigma, and support members of the community to seek HIV testing, prevention and treatment option. The Freeholder Board further commends the efforts of these organizations in supporting National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders through the Union County Office on Women is presenting a free yoga, meditation class and emotional wellness event: “International Women’s Day – The Time is Now,” which will take place on Friday, March 8th, at 6 p.m., at Maskers Barn in the historic Deserted Village of Feltville. The event is open to all, from beginners to experienced practitioners.

“The Union County Office on Women’s main priority is to make sure that all women have the resources to become the best they can be,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “We would like to ensure that residents are able to engage in activities that may spark new interest as well as encourage a positive life style.”

The evening includes:

• A short talk and introduction as well as time to network.
• Yoga session by Nicole DeAugustine, certified yoga instructor.
• Guided meditation by Betsy Sanders, certified yoga instructor

Attendees should wear comfortable clothing appropriate for yoga, and bring their own yoga mats. “Union County Women’s Empowerment, Yoga and Meditation” is open to ages 16 and older. The event is free but space is limited. Pre-registration is required online at ucnj.org/women.

The Deserted Village is located in the Berkeley Heights section of Union County’s Watchung Reservation. Masker’s Barn is a fully renovated 19th century building located at 9 Cataract Hollow Road in the Deserted Village, off Glenside Avenue.

The Office on Women was created in 2016. As the first county-based office of its kind in New Jersey, the Office on Women aims to help ensure that women connect with services and programs that enable them to reach their full potential at every stage of their lives, in education, in employment and business, health and in the social fabric of Union County, and to raise awareness of the many contributions that women make to life in Union County.

For additional details contact Jennifer Erdos, Union County Office on Women at jerdos@ucnj.org.

Nicole L. DiRado, Administrator, Union County Board of Elections
908-527-4121

Elizabeth, New Jersey – The Union County Board of Elections announces that the new ExpressVote XL Voting Machines will be implemented in the following towns for the 2019 Primary Election:  Berkeley Heights, Elizabeth, Fanwood, Garwood, Kenilworth, Mountainside, Union and Winfield.

Clark, Cranford, Hillside, Linden, New Providence, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle, Roselle Park, Scotch Plains, Springfield and Summit will be implemented in the 2019 General Election.  Westfield will continue to use the new voting machines, following the successful pilot program in the 2018 General Election.

In October 2018, the County of Union awarded a contract to Election Systems & Software, LLC (ES&S) of Omaha, Nebraska to provide a new voting tabulation system for the County.   The new voting machine, ExpressVote XL, marries a touch screen ballot marking device with a voter verified paper audit trail, allowing the voter to review their voting choices to ensure their vote is accurately recorded.  The voter verified audit trail also provides a paper record of the election which can be used for recounts and will be used for audits.  The initial award was for $1.9 million, and the total award will be $4.8 million, which includes new voting machines for the entire county, vote by mail / audit trail tabulators, software, hardware and software maintenance and training.

During the 2018 General Election, the Election Board piloted the ExpressVote XL in Westfield.  The reception from the voters was very positive, citing the simplicity of the touch screen, and the satisfaction of seeing their vote recorded on paper. 

“For the first time in twenty years, the County has taken steps to make a significant investment in its election infrastructure.  I am certain the voters of Union County will embrace the change and appreciate the ease of the touch screen as well as the benefit of knowing their vote is properly recorded, provided by the voter verified paper audit trail,” explained Nicole DiRado, Administrator at the Union County Board of Elections.

The Election Board will be embarking on an aggressive outreach campaign to train voters and poll workers on the new machine prior to Election Day.  The Election Board will be conducting weekly demonstrations starting immediately through the weekend prior to the General Election at the following locations, excluding holiday closures:

Colleen Fraser Building
300 North Avenue East, Westfield
Saturdays 9:00am – 1:00pm

Union County Courthouse
2 Broad Street, 1st Floor, Elizabeth
Tuesdays, 11:00am – 3:00pm

Please contact the Union County Election Board to schedule a demonstration for your community group by calling 908-527-4123 or emailing ndirado@ucnj.org

Total of $1.5 million in grants awarded second annual time for various road and municipal improvements

Union County, NJ—The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders today announced the second annual infrastructure awards to 21 municipalities to help fund projects aimed at spurring economic development growth and street improvements throughout the County.

As part of his Chairman’s initiatives for 2016, Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen had asked that municipalities focus on street improvements, given the toll on local roads over the past several winters. As a result, 20 of 21 municipalities responding will use their award to make road improvements, many of which are repaving.

The program was conceived by Freeholder Christopher Hudak in 2015, developed through the County Freeholder Fiscal Committee the past two years, and administered by the Department of Economic Development. This year’s Fiscal Committee is chaired by Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, and includes Freeholders Hudak, Bette Jane Kowalski, and Vernell Wright.

“The end result of several bad winters and tough budgets during a time of shrinking state and federal funding have placed a strain on local roads,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “With this in mind, our goal is to prioritize road projects, and our municipal partners responded with great interest in making these improvements.”

The matching grant initiative makes available approximately $1.5 million to Union County’s 21 municipalities, assisting them to accomplish tasks undertaken in calendar year 2016. The funding for the grant is provided through the proceeds from the sale of Runnells Specialized Hospital in 2014.

“Union County is a commuter County, and transportation—including our local roadways—is at the heart of this

network,” said Freeholder Kowalski. “Better roads not only ensure the safer flow of traffic with less stress on vehicles, but also the smoother flow of commerce, which is essential to the economic well-being of the County.”

Some examples of work funded include:  roadway improvements to three local roads in Berkeley Heights, Westfield

Avenue streetscape project in Clark,  MacLennan Place Roadway improvements in Fanwood, Center Street milling project in Garwood, West Henry Street improvements in Linden, resurfacing on East Second Street in Plainfield, East Second Avenue improvements in Roselle, improvements to Larch Street in Roselle Park, and the 2016 Union Township Road Rehab project. 

Photos of Each Town

Town-By-Town Amounts Awarded 

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that summer lifeguard positions are available at Union County’s public swimming pool, the Walter Ulrich Memorial Pool at Rahway River Park in Rahway.

“Those who learn how to lifeguard not only obtain emergency management abilities, but also build confidence and sharpen their leadership skills during the summer months,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski. “This is invaluable work experience for any job or career moving forward.”

Union County residents age 16 and up who are interested in applying can contact the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation for details about hours, salary, certification and other eligibility requirements by calling 908-527-4900.

Training is available for applicants without certification.  Anyone interested in a lifeguard position can call the Parks Department and find out more.

For more information about Ulrich Pool, Rahway River Park and all Union County recreation facilities visit online at ucnj.org/parks.

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Union County, NJ — Student members of Union County 4-H Archery Club I and Club II spent the day on Sunday, February 3 at the St. Joseph Social Service Center in Elizabeth, where they made 230 sandwiches for people in need.

“Our 4-H clubs help students develop important life skills and engage with civic service,” said Freeholder Chair Betty Jane Kowalski. “On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would like to thank the members of the Archery clubs for lending a hand to help ensure that healthy food is available for everyone in the community.”

Union County 4-H clubs are organized around contemporary topics like Anime, Lego Robotics, S.T.E.M. and Fashion Design, as well as more traditional favorites including horticulture, cooking and archery.

Students can also join a Variety Club and explore topics of their own creation. For older students, 4-H offers membership in the Community Service Club, which plans and conducts community service programs throughout Union County.

Union County 4-H is run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County and supported in part by the Freeholder Board with offices at the County complex in Westfield, at 300 North Avenue East. It is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s national 4-H youth development program.

4-H clubs first began forming in 1902. Today they make up the largest youth program in the country, with nearly 6 million student participants and 540,000 adult volunteers nationwide.

According to a recent national study, 4-H participants are more likely to get better grades in school, seek out science classes, see themselves going to college, avoid risky behavior, and make positive contributions to their communities.

For more information about joining a Union County 4-H club or volunteering as an adult club leader, contact Union County 4-H Agent James Nichnadowicz at jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org or 908-654-9854, or visit online at ucnj.org/rce.

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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.

Union County Human Relations Commission
Our mission is to actively encourage, develop, promote, and strengthen respect for human rights and cultural diversity among the people of Union County.
Contact : Karen E. Positan, 908-889-9028; kpositan@ucnj.org

Parents, guardians, and adult mentors of elementary and middle school-aged children who are interested in learning how they can “Help Your Child Succeed In School” are invited to attend a free educational presentation, 6:30-8:15 p.m. on Monday, March 18 at Plainfield High School, 950 Park Avenue in Plainfield.

Parents can decide when they pre-register whether to take part in the highly interactive presentation in English or Spanish. Union County Division of Youth Services instructor Jennifer Scott will conduct the English presentation, while Tonya Mustipher will present in Spanish. Both workshops will be presented in the school cafeteria.

“There are so many aspects that need to be considered for a student to succeed in school,” said Jo Ann Hamilton, Co-Chair of the Union County Human Relations Commission (UCHRC), the program sponsor, who recently retired from a long career in education. “Relationships with peers, study habits, homework, and communication with teachers and their school, as well as between parents and their children, are important, but there are so many other facets as well.”

“Parents who have attended previous iterations of this presentation have said they have greatly benefitted from the interactive dialogue created within an open forum in which they can speak honestly, ask questions, and get answers about dealing with specific issues,” added UCHRC co-chair Mark Spivey, Director of Communications for the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.

The presenters will identify issues, strategies, and resources to help parents improve their children’s well-being and academic performance. The program, sponsored by the Union County Human Relations Commission, will be kicked off by UCHRC Commissioners Alfred Brown, a Plainfield resident and Reverend of Cranford Baptist Church, and Esmeralda Vargas. 

The program is being co-sponsored by the Office of the Union County Superintendent of Schools, the Union County Division of Youth Services, and Plainfield Public Schools.

Light refreshments will be served. Free parking is available, and the facility is wheelchair-accessible.

Pre-registration for this free program is required. Register online at www.ucnj.org/uchrc.  

For more information, please call 908-889-9028 or email uchrc@ucnj.org.