Category: Public Info

 Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that a free workshop on Thursday evening, May 17, will explain the application process for the 2018 Union County HEART (History, Education, Arts, Reaching Thousands) Grant Program and the Union County 2019 Local Arts Grant Program.

The workshop will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Liberty Hall Museum, Wagon Shed Building, 1003 Morris Avenue in Union Township. The workshop is free of charge, but pre-registration is suggested.

“The response to our grant programs has been enthusiastic and inspiring in past years, and we are very excited about the upcoming season,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Our grant recipients represent a full spectrum of creative endeavor, and these programs enable them to provide the benefits of enrichment through the arts to thousands of Union County residents each year.”

“This workshop helps individuals, non-profit groups and arts organizations craft grant proposals that include all of the necessary elements, including project descriptions and budgets,” said Freeholder Bruce H. Bergen, liaison to the Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board.  

The workshop will explain the application process for both programs. The 2018 HEART grant is for projects related to local history, the arts or humanities undertaken by non-profit organizations, individual artists and scholars and is funded through the Freeholder Board. The Union County 2019 Local Arts Grant Program is for arts organizations or arts projects produced by non-arts organizations.

Funds for the Local Arts Program are made available through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Projects eligible for consideration for 2018 HEART grants must take place between September 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019. Organizations eligible for consideration for 2019 Local Arts Program grants must conduct arts activities taking place between January 1 and December 31, 2019.

The application deadline for both grant programs is June 22, 2018.

To pre-register or obtain additional information about the workshop, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202. Telephone: 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users dial 711, or E-mail: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

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.

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Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi is pleased to announce that Vote-By-Mail ballots will be available in Westfield and Elizabeth beginning on Tuesday, May 1 for the 2018 Primary Election.

The US Senate and House of Representatives will top this year’s Primary election to be held on Tuesday, June 5. County Freeholders and local municipal elections also will be on the ballot.

“I strongly encourage voters to use a Vote-By-Mail ballot, in order to ensure that their voice is heard on Election Day,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “This year is especially important because voters will decide on candidates for US Congress, and the Vote-By-Mail ballot eliminates any uncertainty or difficulty in getting to the polls.”

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 unioncountyvotes.com. The application must be received in the office by May 29 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 4.

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.

Under new state law, voters who use the One-Stop service must present a current New Jersey driver’s license or New Jersey State issued identification card that provides their name, address and photo.

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 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  The Westfield office will also be open for its regular Saturday hours on June 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

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.

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Union County, NJ — A long winter is setting the stage for a promising summer growing season, and gardening enthusiasts can stock up on plants, seedlings and other supplies at the 29th annual Master Gardeners of Union County Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale.

The Spring Garden Fair takes place this year on Sunday May 20, 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. on the grounds of the Union County Demonstration Garden, located by the Trailside Nature and Science Center in the Watchung Reservation at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside.

“The Spring Garden Fair is a fun, inspiring and educational way to kick off the growing season,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Come and stock up on plants and other supplies for a healthy, beautiful yard or garden, and get expert guidance from the Master Gardeners of Union County.”

As always, admission to the Garden Fair is free, and parking is also free. Visitors are advised that all sales are cash only. All proceeds go to civic activities of the Master Gardeners, including raising and donating fresh produce, community beautification and education, and a scholarship fund.

“The Master Gardeners volunteers make outstanding contributions to life in Union County, and I encourage everyone interested in community service to come to the Garden Fair, speak with our volunteers and find out how you can participate in this worthwhile program,” said Chairman Granados.

Among the hundreds of plants and seedlings offered for sale, the Spring Garden Fair features deer resistant, drought tolerant and fragrant plants that thrive in Union County, including many easy-to-grow plants for beginner gardeners.

The Spring Garden Fair is also known for a large selection of herbs and tomatoes including the popular Ramapo and the Rutgers 250.

Along with plants, baked goods, books, crafts, and garden supplies for sale, the Spring Garden Fair offers free activities for gardeners of all ages including:

• Guided tours of the Demonstration Garden including the vegetable and herb gardens.
• Displays and information for Square Foot Gardening, Invasive Plants and Mosquito Control.
• Information on joining the Master Gardeners and the 4-H Master Tree Stewards.
• Children’s activities (children must be accompanied by adult during activities).
• Garden clinic and Rutgers information fact sheets for troubleshooting garden problems.

Attendees can bring plant and insect samples for diagnosis, and Rutgers soil test kits are available for sale.

Free parking is located nearby at the Trailside Nature and Science Center parking lot and the Scout Camping Area in the Watchung Reservation. Additional free parking is available in the Loop playground area, located a short walk away on the other side of the Trailside Center.

Visitors are advised to bring a small wagon to convey their purchases. Pets are not permitted at the Garden Fair.

The Spring Garden Fair is organized each year by the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County, an all-volunteer organization run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County and supported in part by the Freeholder Board. Anyone with an interest in gardening and volunteer service can become a Master Gardener. No previous education or training in horticulture is required. 

Among the Master Gardeners many volunteer services are the free Garden Helpline (908-654-9852) where residents can receive gardening advice, horticulture programs for people with special needs, and a community gardening speakers’ bureau.

The group’s work in the Union County Demonstration Garden has yielded thousands of pounds of fresh produce for local food pantries and many donations of cut flowers to cancer centers along with other projects and programs.

For more information on the Master Gardeners program contact Tamisha Hopkins at the Extension, 908-654-9854 (ext. 2), or visit online at ucnj.org/rce.

The Extension offices are located in the Colleen Frasier county services building, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.

More information on the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County is available at mastergardeners-uc.org.

For quick links to all Union County programs related to gardening, sustainability and nature conservation visit The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.

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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.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce a special free event, Good Plants and Bad Plants: How to Tell the Difference and Support Healthy Ecosystems, on Wednesday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Trailside Nature & Science Center, 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside.

The event is free but pre-registration is required by emailing watershed7@ucnj.org.

Landscapers and property managers are encouraged to attend, as well as homeowners, gardeners, civic and environmental organizations, and members of the public who are interested in conserving native species.

“Conserving our natural heritage is something that practically anyone in Union County can support, whether it’s eliminating invasive species from your own property, helping to preserve native plants in our public parks, or educating yourself and sharing your knowledge with others,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

Attendees will learn why native plants are important, how to select beneficial native plants for their property or business, and how to help foster a healthy, diverse ecosystem in the Union County community.

Good Plants and Bad Plants is presented by Mike Van Clef, an expert on rare and invasive species and co-founder of the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team. Mr. Van Clef has 25 years of experience in the field of ecological health monitoring and natural resource policy.

This event is a special presentation by the Department of Parks and Recreation Environmental Services office through the New Jersey Watershed Ambassador Program and is part of Chairman Grandados’s 2018 Plant A Seed initiative, designed to empower Union County residents of all ages through environmental engagement and education.

For additional information or to find more about nature conservation in Union County parks visit the Adopt-a-Park program online at ucnj.org/parks or call 908-789-3683.

For quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities visit The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connect.

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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.

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Please note: due to inclement weather, the May 12 event at Green Brook Park has been postponed until further notice.

Union County, NJ – If you are looking for a chance to pitch in for the environment, come to a special volunteer event with the Union County Adopt-a-Park program and members of the North Plainfield Shade Tree Advisory Board on Saturday, May 12, 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and help clean up a section of Green Brook Park.

Green Brook is part of the Union County Parks system. It is located in Plainfield and extends into North Plainfield.

Members of the public can meet up with the cleanup team at 9:30 a.m. at the intersection of Parkview Avenue and Clinton Avenue in North Plainfield, next to the Green Brook Park sign.

This area is tended to regularly by members of the Shade Tree Advisory Board, and extra hands are needed on May 12 to help pick up litter and debris, and clear away invasive species so that native plants have room to grow next spring.

Gloves, bags and tools will be provided and participants should bring an empty bucket if they have one. The cleanup event will be over by noon.

Volunteers should dress to get muddy and/or dirty!

Any individual or group can join Adopt-A-Park and help preserve Union County’s 36 public parks. For more information visit Adopt-A-Park online at ucnj.org/parks or call 908-789-3683.

For quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities visit The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.

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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.

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Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Christopher Hudak joined Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli, Union County Police Chief Chris Debbie, Union County Prosecutor’s Office Acting Chief of Investigations Vincent Gagliardi, Union County Public Safety Director Andrew Moran, Linden Fire Chief Joseph Dooley and Bayonne Battalion Chief Robert Seeburger at a cross-state joint training exercise in Linden aimed at enhancing intelligence- and information-sharing between New Jersey and New York.

The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP), in conjunction with the Jersey City/Newark Urban Areas Security Initiative (USAI), worked with an array of municipal, county and state agencies in a series of drills and exercises to test operational coordination and response to terrorist/mass casualty simulated incidents. 

This exercise is the first of its kind between the two states and will test each state’s information-sharing ability to deliver a coordinated response during a complex attack that impacts both states.

The drill ran for two days and involved the Union County Police Department, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Union County SWAT and Union County OEM resources, including our County Fire Academy Training Facility in Linden. First responder agencies from several municipalities also participated. The drills involved active shooter, bomb and hazmat situations.

Free app connects residents with recycling information in handy mobile format.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the launch of Recycle Coach, a free app designed to help make recycling and solid waste information more accessible to County residents and engage the public in the principles of “Reduce, Re-use and Recycle.”

Recycle Coach provides accurate, up-to-date information on Union County’s recycling events as well as local recycling schedules in a handy, user-friendly mobile format.

“Recycle Coach is an excellent opportunity for Union County residents to obtain accurate, up-to-date information on both county recycling events and local recycling schedules with the touch of a button,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “We look forward to partnering with all 21 Union County municipalities on this exciting new initiative, and pitching in together to boost participation and improve recycling rates countywide.”

The app provides personalized collection schedules based on place of residence. Once a resident downloads Recycle Coach, their calendar will list Union County recycling events along with local curbside garbage and recycling schedules.

The app will advise if there are changes in local collection due to holidays or weather.

Recycle Coach users can also set up recycling reminders and improve their recycling rates through a “What Goes Where?” search tool.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is the first state to purchase the Recycle Coach app and make it available to all New Jersey residents free of charge.

“By improving recycling rates here in Union County, we will also be contributing to our state’s ongoing commitment as a national leader in recycling,” said Chairman Granados.

The Recycle Coach app download is available free of charge on the Google Play and Apple Store Residents can also access the download through the County website at ucnj.org/recycle-coach.

Recycle Coach is part of Chairman Granados’s 2018 Plant A Seed initiative, designed to enable residents to take action to improve community health and well-being, including recycling and educational programs as well as the Union County Kids Dig In and Union County Means Green school and community garden grant programs.

For quick links to all Union County recycling events visit ucnj.org/recycling.

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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.

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The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Office of LGBTQ Services, in collaboration with the Union County Performing Arts Center and with support from WellCare Health Plans, is proud to host the first Union County LIGHT UP THE NIGHT – TEEN PRIDE (the alternative prom) event for LGBTQ and ally high school youth (ages 16-19) on Friday, June 15 from 8:00 p.m. – 11 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.) at UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage located at 360 Hamilton Street, Rahway. Tickets are $25 each and are available online at ucpac.org.

“As prom season is fast approaching, the Freeholder Board is proud to offer LGBTQ and ally teens from throughout Union County an opportunity to experience this high school milestone in a space where all teens are welcome regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, how they dress, or any other reason,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “According to Human Rights Campaign, four out of ten LGBTQ youth say they live in a community that doesn’t accept their sexual orientation. As an elected official, I support all of our residents including our LGBTQ youth – we are proud to host Union County’s first teen Pride alternative prom event for them.”

Light up the Night – wear neon or white to shine all night, glam it up, or come as you are. Union County’s LIGHT UP THE NIGHT – TEEN PRIDE (the alternative prom) event is an affirming space where every young person can unapologetically be themselves and make memories that last a lifetime. Come on your own, with a date, or with a group of friends to enjoy an inclusive evening of fun, light refreshments, DJ, drag queen emcee, and the crowning of the Rainbow Court!

“Union County’s TEEN PRIDE (the alternative prom) provides an opportunity for diverse groups of LGBTQ students from different schools throughout Union County to celebrate their individuality together in an environment that affirms who they are,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella. “We are proud to lead New Jersey’s County government in supporting the LGBTQ community with programs and services that directly impact quality of life.”

We aim to ensure a safe experience for everyone. Security will uphold a strict no tolerance for drugs and alcohol policy. Bags will be checked upon arrival. High School Student ID, with parental consent and photo release is required to be admitted with each ticket.

This year’s Union County PRIDE events are organized by the Union County Office of LGBTQ Services. Established as part of Chairman Granados’ 2018 Moving Union County Forward initiatives, the Office of LGBTQ Services, under the Division of Outreach and Advocacy in the Department of Human Services, is the first County government office of its kind in the State of New Jersey. It provides a platform for leadership and collaboration to support equality, serving as a catalyst for advocacy, awareness and action.

For more information about the Office of LGBTQ Services, contact Danni Newbury, coordinator, at 908-527-4742 or dnewbury@ucnj.org.

ELIZABETH, NJ–The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation invite youngsters ages 4 to 12 years old to participate in “Paint by the Pond.” This will be the third year for this interactive art project which will take place on Saturday, May 12 from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. at the pond in Warinanco Park. The pond is located near the snack bar and basketball courts. This event will allow children to paint cardboard model houses and create art on poster board.

The “Paint by the Pond” project will teach families about the importance of recycling while encouraging children to paint on cardboard, creating art from materials usually thrown away.

There will also be miniature houses made with the cardboard boxes floating in the pond at Warinanco Park during the event.

“This year we will be back at the pond at Warinanco Park where young artists will be able to capture the glorious colors of spring,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

For more information on this exciting event, please call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at (908) 527-4900.

Union County, NJ – Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski (center) thanked students from George Washington School in Hillside who participated in the Union County’s annual Arbor Day Tree Planting event. Along with their teacher Daniel Jamieson (left), the students visited Williams Nursery in Westfield last week and received instruction on successful tree planting and care from nursery owner Dave Williams (right). Every year the Freeholder Board distributes free trees for schools, in cooperation with the Union County Shade Tree Advisory Board and the 4-H youth development program of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County. The Arbor Day program includes tree planting guidance hosted by Williams Nursery. For more information about 4-H clubs and activities in Union County visit online at ucnj.org/rce.

Photo credit: Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County.

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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.