Category: Public Info

PLAINFIELD, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for personal, confidential documents will be available on Friday, April 26, at Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft and eliminate clutter in their homes,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Solid Waste Advisory Council. “It is a cost-effective way to assist our recycling efforts and it ties in with Union County’s other Go Green Initiatives.”

The April 26th shredding event will take place at Cedar Brook Park, located off Park Avenue in Plainfield, near the border with South Plainfield. NEXCUT Shredding of Teaneck will be shredding documents at the site from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The shredding event will end before 1 p.m. if the shredding truck reaches capacity.

All Union County residents are eligible to use the paper-shredding service. In an effort to accommodate everyone, there is a limit of four, 10-pound bags or boxes per person. Documents should not be bound. Please remove plastic binders and paperclips. Paper that is wet/damp 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 dumped onto a conveyor belt and shredded on site. Participants are welcome to view the shredding process via a closed-circuit television. The shredded documents are then recycled, shipped to paper mills and used as pulp. The next shredding event will take place Saturday, May 4, at Union County College in Cranford.

The mobile shredding program is paid for through New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Recycling Enhancement Act Grant Funds. For more information about future events or directions please call the Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/recycle .

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

Union County Freeholders Mohamed Jalloh and Bette Jane Kowalski attend the opening day ceremony of the Elmora Youth League at Hanratty Field in Elizabeth marking the start of the 2013 season.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Residents of Union County who are 60 years of age or older are invited to participate and exhibit an original work of art – completed within the last three years – in the annual Union County Senior Citizens Art Exhibit. Sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, the exhibit is open to entrants who are either amateur/non-professional or professional in status.

“While the exhibit itself begins in June, this invitation to participate gives artists time to prepare their artwork to be included in the exhibit,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “The artwork will be displayed in the Atrium of the Elizabethtown Gas Company, Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Avenue, Union, from June 1 to July 14, with an artists’ reception scheduled for Wednesday, June 12.”

Any person who meets at least two of the following criteria is considered professional: a) sold the type of art entered in the exhibition through commercial channels; b) exhibited in a professional gallery; c) held professional membership in a guild or association.

Following are the 11 categories of eligible work: oil, acrylic, watercolor (includes gouache), pastel(including chalk, charcoal and oil pastel), print (such as etching, engraving, lithograph, woodcut, monoprint, monotype, silkscreen), drawing (including pencil, pen, ink, graphite, and markers), mixed media (combines two or more media, not one of which clearly predominates; includes collage and assemblage), sculpture(designed in three dimensions, carved or constructed in any medium, abstract or figurative, painted or unpainted), craft (one-of-a-kind creations only, no craft kits or molds), computer imagery (artwork created by computer only, using a pixel-based painting or graphics program, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator or Corel Painter), and photography. Please note: photos taken with a digital camera, digitally-altered photos, and images made using a scanner must be entered in the Photography category.

Three professional artists will judge the entries. Awards will go to first, second, third place and honorable mention winners in each category. First place winners in all categories go on to compete in September at the New Jersey State Senior Citizens Art Show which will take place at the Meadow Lakes retirement community (www.meadowlakesonline.org) in East Windsor.

Guidelines require that hanging artwork, crafts and photos must be no more than 36 inches and no less than 11 inches in height and width, including matting, from outer edges of the frame. Standing sculptures or 3-D crafts may not exceed 18 inches in height, width or depth, including the base.

All works must be properly labeled and delivered “show-ready” with screw eyes and wiring ready for hanging. Where necessary, pictures must be protected with glass, Plexiglas, Mylar or other clear material. Plexiglas is strongly recommended on pieces over 24 inches.

To obtain an application, call Teya David, Senior Art Coordinator, at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 908-558-2550, or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org. Relay users dial 711.  Mail completed applications to the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202; or fax your application to 908-352-3513 on or before Wednesday, May 22, to be eligible for the exhibit.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (L) presents resolutions to Diane Johnson (C), Field Director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Newark Office, and Sharron Brown, Director of the Plainfield Senior Citizens Service Center during the Union County National Community Development Week Celebration at the Plainfield Senior Citizens Service Center. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announced that Vote-By-Mail ballots for the Berkeley Heights Special May 7 Election will be available beginning on Monday, April 8, through the County Clerk’s Westfield or Elizabeth offices.

The Special Election in Berkeley Heights, scheduled for Tuesday, May 7, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., involves a proposed amendment to the Sewer Use Agreement between the Warren Township Sewerage Authority and the Township of Berkeley Heights.

“Registered voters in Berkeley Heights may obtain a Vote-By-Mail ballot for the Special May 7 Township Election by visiting my website or my offices in Westfield or Elizabeth,” Ms. Rajoppi said. “The service at the Westfield office, with its convenient Saturday office hours and evening hours during the week, makes voting more accessible for voters unable to go to the polls in person on May 7.”

The opportunity to Vote-By-Mail in Westfield and Elizabeth is another service available at the County Clerk’s two offices, along with passport application and renewal services, registration of Trade Names, and the application and swearing in of Notaries Public.

The Westfield Annex of the County Clerk is located at 300 North Avenue East, Westfield 07090. 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, 2 Broad Street, Room 113, Elizabeth, NJ 07207. Regular office hours in Elizabeth are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Vote-By-Mail is an easy, secure process that has replaced the Absentee Ballot. Voters do not need to give a reason why they wish to Vote-By-Mail. To obtain an application form, voters can download the form at the Union County Clerk’s website: www.ucnj.org/vote-by-mail or they can contact the Union County Clerk at 908-527-4996. The Clerk’s website also includes a video that explains how to fill out the Vote-By-Mail application form.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (3rd L) and Union County Manager Alfred Faella (2nd L) joined Diane Johnson (C), Field Director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Newark Office, Lewis Hurd (L), Executive Director of the Plainfield Community Development Corporation, Randall Wood (3rd R), Executive Director of the Plainfield Housing Authority, Annmarie C. Uebbing, Director Community Planning and Development Division, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Paul Kapp of Unity Bank during a visit to a project in Plainfield funded by a Neighborhood Stabilization Program during the Union County National Community Development Week Celebration.(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholders Bruce Bergen (L) and Vernell Wright present Mark Lasky with a resolution commending him on his 16 years of service to the residents of the county as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Occupational Center of Union County in Roselle. Lasky headed the community based organization, serving daily more than 400 individuals with developmental and mental health disabilities. The Freeholders wished him well in his retirement.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

NJDOT will improve mobility along the Route 22 corridor by interconnecting
18 traffic signals into one integrated system

(Trenton) – The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced the start of a congestion relief project, using technology to improve traffic flow along a thirteen mile-long stretch of Route 22 in Somerset and Union counties.

NJDOT will address Route 22 from milepost 36.45 (vicinity of I-287) in Bridgewater – through Bound Brook, Green Brook, North Plainfield, Watchung, Scotch Plains and Westfield – to milepost 50.25 (just east of the pedestrian overpass) in Mountainside.

The $7.77 million project will improve mobility along the entire corridor through the creation of an integrated system interconnecting eighteen traffic signals into one Controlled Traffic Signal System (CTSS).  This includes the complete replacement of the existing traffic signal systems at five intersections and geometric improvements and signal modifications to seven other intersections.

In addition, the project includes the installation of:

• Eight new traffic cameras for the Camera Surveillance System (CSS).
• Two new permanent electronic dynamic message signs
• Fiber optic and wireless communication connecting the new integrated system to the Statewide Traffic Management Center in Woodbridge.

NJDOT’s contractor, Daidone Electric, Inc., has begun preliminary construction activity, including sign installation, field mobilization and directional drilling to install underground conduits this week.

As most of the improvements require the installation of electronic equipment outside the Route 22 mainline travel lanes, this work will be performed during normal business hours with minimal disruption to traffic.   All available travel lanes will be maintained on Route 22 during peak travel periods.  The proposed improvements at certain intersections will require temporary closures of the jughandle ramps to with traffic detoured along Route 22 to the next convenient intersection.  These detours will typically be limited to off peak hours and all travel lanes will be reopened during morning and evening rush hours.

The contractor plans to advance the improvements with multiple crews working simultaneously at different locations.  The project is scheduled for completion in summer 2014.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors.  Motorists are encouraged to check www.511nj.org for real-time travel information.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) has received a 2013 Unity Achievement Award in recognition of its extraordinary efforts to provide disaster relief during and after Superstorm Sandy. The Unity Award is a program of the Union County Human Relations Commission, aimed at honoring outstanding role models for community service.

Union County MRC is a volunteer organization of health professionals, students and members of the general public, who are trained to support first responders with health-related assistance during emergencies.

“During a time of great stress for Union County residents, MRC volunteers went the extra mile. Many of them took time away from their families and jobs to volunteer, and some went straight from their jobs to their volunteer assignments without a break for days on end,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter.

When Superstorm Sandy hit Union County in force last year on Monday, October 29, MRC volunteers had already worked over the weekend to prepare the Union County Regional Evacuation Center in Cranford with cots, blankets, water and other supplies.
By Sunday evening, MRC volunteers were registering families who were planning to evacuate, and ensuring that those with special needs were accommodated.

MRC volunteers continued to staff the shelter throughout the storm and its two-week aftermath, during which time a major nor’easter also struck the area. The MRC efforts were coordinated with Cranford personnel and officials, along with numerous other volunteers. The Salvation Army provided more than 3,400 meals during the aftermath, and an American Red Cross Response Team also arrived after the nor’easter.
As a result of this cooperative effort, the Evacuation Center provided safe, warm shelter for hundreds of Union County residents ranging in age from infancy to 99 years old.

“A major relief effort requires the work of many hands, and many kinds of skills played a critical role in helping Union County residents make it through this disaster together,” said Carter. “On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I’d like to express our gratitude to all who have served in MRC.”

MRC is part of the national Citizen Corps program aimed at training volunteers to assist first responders during emergencies. Union County MRC is coordinated by Ella Shaykevich, Advanced Practice Public Health Nurse for the Union County Office of Health Management.

In addition to her role in disaster response including Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene and Hurricane Katrina, Ms. Shaykevich has participated in numerous disaster training scenarios such as TOPOFF III in 2005, a massive multinational homeland security exercise that included Union County as a focal point.

Ms. Shaykevich has been honored by her professional peers with the New Jersey Public Health Nurse of the Year award in recognition of her work in public health.

Professional experience in health care is not required to join MRC. Along with disaster relief, MRC volunteers provide ongoing community services, like promoting emergency preparedness at health fairs, performing blood pressure screenings at community events, and running flu clinics.

For more information about MRC, visit Union County online at ucnj.org or contact Union County MRC Unit Coordinator, Ella Shaykevich, at 908-518-5631 or mrc@ucnj.org.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release.   Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

Union County, NJ — Around 3:30 a.m. every morning, two huge water pumps are turned on at Nomahegan Lake.

In three hours, the pumps will drain the northern half of the lake so that work crews can start their day, bringing in the heavy equipment needed to remove what they jokingly refer to as “the soup,” the watery mix of organic sediment that has built up over the years on the lake bottom.

When they are done with the northern half of the lake in another week or so, work crews will shift to the southern end, hoping to have that cleared by the end of April.  In May, there will be new plantings and shoreline restoration work.

Last fall, the Union County Board of Freeholders approved a $1,495,358 contract to Let It Grow Inc. of River Edge, for the project in Nomahegan, one of the most popular parks in the Union County Park System.

The restoration of the 7.5-acre lake follows the rehabilitation of Upper Echo Lake in Echo Lake Park and is part of a four-lake restoration plan that includes Rahway River Park in Rahway, Briant Park in Summit and Meisel Avenue Park in Springfield, according to County officials.

“These man-made lakes are among the most attractive and popular features in our parks, and as with any built environment they need periodic restoration to ensure a long and healthy lifespan,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Our goal is to preserve them for the enjoyment of Union County residents for many years to come.”

Extensive plantings planned for along the Nomahegan Lake shoreline are designed to reduce silt infiltration into the lake and to make it more difficult for Canada Geese to have easy access to the water, which then discourages flocks from remaining in the park.

Two new aerators will be installed in the lake, along with several areas lined with glaciated boulders to enable access to the water for fishing.

When the lake was drained in mid-March, the resident fish were collected and relocated to Echo Lake Park.  And it was quite a catch, with more than 85 largemouth bass, 1,300 sunfish, 320 crappies, and a number of other species all safely transported to their new home.

Several invasive species, including carp, were found.  However, state environmental regulations prohibit those fish from being relocated.

In addition to the lake restoration and new paths, new drainage piping will be installed in the baseball field area to the east of the lake. Nearly 1,700 feet of perforated pipe will help drain the field area more quickly after rainstorms.

In addition, the sections of field affected by the project are expected to be reseeded by mid-April and should be playable by mid-May, according to the contractors,

Nomahegan Park was part of the original park system designed by the Olmsted Brothers landscape architectural firm. An estimated 46,400 cubic yards of soil was excavated in 1930 to create the lake, which holds an estimated 9.8 million gallons of water. The lake is fed by a tributary of the Rahway River.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release.   Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.