Category: Public Info

TRENTON, NJ—The New Jersey Conference of Mayors, which represents the interests of New Jersey’s Mayors as a unified voice on issues to State and Federal legislators, has selected Union County’s Daniel P. Sullivan as their “Freeholder of the Year.”

Sullivan, a Democrat from Elizabeth who has served on the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders since 1995, will be retiring from the Board at the end of this year, his sixth term. He is the longest serving member of the Freeholder Board, and has served as chairman and vice chairman a number of times.

“I am both humbled and grateful that the Mayors have selected me for this honor,” Sullivan said. “I have enjoyed serving the public and during this time have also had the opportunity to work with elected officials across the state, including many Mayors in New Jersey.”

Sullivan, an outspoken member of the board who specialized in development and transportation issues, made his mark as a policy guru, and enjoys planning, crafting and shaping major governmental initiatives across the board.

“Dan has a gift for being able to understand complex issues, and for problem solving,” said Union County Freeholder Linda Carter, who currently serves as the Chairman of the Board. “He can also communicate complex ideas in very understandable terms to the public.”

During Sullivan’s tenure, the Board marked the initiation and completion of important economic development initiatives they either spearheaded or assisted on, including the Union County College building in Elizabeth, the Park Madison Project in Plainfield, the new Parking Garage and office development in Elizabeth, the Froehlich Building in Westfield, the expansion of one of the county’s largest employers, Wakefern in Elizabeth, and various transportation improvements that included the expansion of Liberty International Airport, and shuttle service on Route 22.

As Chairman in 2010, Sullivan oversaw part of the distribution of more than $27 million in Federal stimulus funds across Union County and spearheaded drives to improve green initiatives and energy conservation at County facilities.

While serving on the Board, Freeholder Sullivan has been chairman of the Union County Economic Development Committee and the Fiscal Affairs Committee. He has also served on the Community Development Block Grant Committee, the Transportation Advisory Board, and the Labor Advisory Board.

Freeholder Sullivan has served twice as the chairman of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, which allocates federal funding for transportation

The New Jersey Conference of Mayors was founded in 1963 by a group of leading Mayors who believed their collective voices should be heard in Trenton and Washington. As front-line soldiers in communities across the State, the founding Mayors were interested in each others activities and chose to find common ground on issues impacting their residents. NJCM has since become the largest statewide organization in our Nation to exclusively represent the interests of Mayors to the State and Federal Legislatures and Administrations.

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will sponsor a Household Special Waste Collection event on Saturday, April 20, so Union County residents can get rid of outdated or unwanted household chemicals, mercury thermostats, propane tanks, and automobile tires in an environmentally safe manner. The collection will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Alcatel-Lucent Technologies facility located at 600 Mountain Avenue in New Providence.

Residents of Union County are eligible to participate at no cost. Pre-registration is not required for this special Saturday collection.

“The special household waste recycling program for Union County residents is particularly important as we become more aware of the need for proper disposal of hazardous items that are found around the home,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “The result of our effort is safer homes and a cleaner environment for our families and our neighbors.”

All that residents need to do is drive to the site with their household special waste, propane tanks, automobile tires, and mercury thermostats. Workers at the site will unload the vehicles.

“Household special waste” includes oil-based paint and varnish, antifreeze, aerosol cans, pool chemicals, corrosives, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, thinners, fire extinguishers, motor oil and oil filters, gasoline, batteries, thermostats, fluorescent bulbs (unbroken), blood pressure devices, and mercury switches. Only materials in original or labeled containers will be accepted. No containers larger than five gallons will be accepted.

Latex (water-based) paint and empty cans will not be accepted. They should be disposed of in with the regular garbage. Leftover latex paint can be air-dried or, to hasten the drying process, kitty litter and/or newspaper can be added to hasten the drying.

“This is a great opportunity to recycle up to eight tires and dispose of old chemical containers that are cluttering up the basement or the garage, or taking up space under the kitchen sink,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Union County Solid Waste Advisory Council. “Our homes become safer once they are rid of hazardous and combustible waste.”

There is a limit of eight automobile tires (without rims) per household. This is a household recycling event. No businesses, please.

A complete list of the materials that will be accepted on April 20 is available at the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning web site: www.ucnj.org/recycle

The household hazardous waste collection will be held rain or shine, for Union County residents only and not for businesses. Proof of Union County residency is required. For more information, please call the Recycling Hotline at (908) 654-9889.

– end –

Union County Freeholders Vernell Wright (2nd L), Bette Jane Kowalski (2nd R) and Bruce Bergen speak with Adriana Rendon of Linden about her artwork on display at the Union County Teen Arts Festival at Union County College in Cranford. They are joined by Union County College President Margaret McMenamin. The two-day celebration of the arts was open to all students from public, charter, private and parochial middle and high schools in Union County. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (L) and Freeholder Alexander Mirabella (R) present a resolution to American Red Cross Community Executive Director Christine and Disaster Response Director Malcolm Plager from the New Jersey Crossroads Chapter in honor of March being American Red Cross Month. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Parents are invited to attend a free public forum that focuses on bullying and bias on Thursday, April 4 from 6PM to 8PM at the Union County Vocational-Technical High School’s Baxel Hall, 1776 Raritan Road, Scotch Plains. Educators and social service providers are also encouraged to attend.

The forum, “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Update,” is sponsored by the Union County Human Relations Commission (UCHRC). Dr. Paula Rodriguez Rust, the featured presenter, will provide practical, hands-on and need-to-know information about the New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights (ABBOR) , and the impact it has had since its implementation 18 months ago. She will also address what is needed from the perspectives of the student, parents, school personnel and social service agencies, as well as when law enforcement should be called in.

Dr. Rodriguez Rust also will address the critical role of bias in defining and addressing bullying, and how we can ensure the positive school climate we are creating is positive to all students.

“This forum can help parents better understand how to advise their child if their child is being bullied, or if their child has been reported for a bullying offense,” stated UCHRC Co-Chair Barbara Boyer. “We all need to understand how different entities define bullying, and, more importantly, how to help youth and families prevent and cope with bullying and bias.”

Dr. Rodriguez Rust, a sociologist, is the owner of Spectrum Diversity LLC and founding partner of the Alliance for Comprehensive & Effective Strategies (ACES) for Bullying Prevention, and is a court-recognized expert witness on bullying. She provides consulting, professional development, and assessment services to schools, as well as continuing education workshops on cultural diversity and bullying. She has published two books, dozens of professional articles, lectured internationally, and has appeared on news shows including 20/20, and recently received awards for her work on raising awareness of diversity from the New Jersey Bias Crime Officers Association and the Union County Human Relations Commission.

The facility, which offers free parking, is wheelchair accessible. Walks-ins are welcome.

Additional information can be found on the Union County website at www.ucnj.org, or call 908-889-9028.

###

Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich speaks with U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) during a roundtable discussion on preventing gun violence in communities and schools hosted by the Congressman at the Old Bridge Township Municipal Build. Mayors, law enforcement officers and advocates from throughout Central New Jersey attended the event. Also in attendance were two New Jerseyans who had lost a child to gun violence. Roundtable participants shared their experiences with gun violence prevention and offered ideas for policy changes at the state and national levels that could further rein in gun violence.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to invite the public to join the Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ Spring 2013 SSHW Challenge. This free online household wellness and budgeting tool has proved help thousands to practice healthier habits while saving money.

SSHW was created in 2006 by Rutgers University nutrition expert Dr. Karen Ensle, who is head of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, and Rutgers financial expert Dr. Barbara O’Neill. It has since been adopted by the national Extension system under the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“The Freeholder Board is very proud to say that this fun, effective learning program was first developed through the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Program in Union County and is now available across the country,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “I encourage everyone to check out the SSHW website at Rutgers University and give it a try.”

The Spring 2013 SSHW Challenge is a free five-week online program starting on Sunday, April 14 and ending on Saturday, May 18, 2013.

It is built around simple strategies that have proved to be effective, based on current research on behavior change. This approach is characteristic of the Extension model.  The Cooperative Extension System was established by Congress in 1914 to connect members of the general public directly with reliable, research-based information that they can put to use in their own lives.

“It has been well documented that, when people monitor their behavior and measure how they’re doing, they are often inspired to do better and achieve positive results,” explained Dr. Ensle. “The Challenge is a great way to convert goals, like losing weight and saving money, into daily action steps.”

The SSHW Challenge is based on a group of simple, common-sense recommendations to be practiced on a daily basis. That includes eating nutritious foods, getting some physical activity, keeping track of spending, and using the Internet, books, media or other forms of learning to improve knowledge of nutrition and personal finances.

Participants can also tailor the recommendations to include their own unique daily challenges.

Points are awarded for following each daily recommendation. As participants enter their personal data online, they get to see their daily point totals along with a bar graph that compares their progress to the average scores of everyone else participating in the Challenge.

At the end of the Challenge, prizes are awarded to those with the highest scores.

To sign up for the Spring 2013 SSHW Challenge, visit the Rutgers SSHW website atnjaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/, and follow the “Challenges” link.

For more information about all Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County programs, call the Extension offices in Westfield at 908-654-9854 or visit njaes.rutgers.edu.

##

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 (C), Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (L) and Vernell Wright (2nd L) present a resolution to Rita Greco of Linden congratulating her on being honored at the Union County Commission on the Status of Women’s 21st Annual Women of Excellence Awards dinner. They are joined by Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich and Assemblywoman Linda Stender (3rd L). Greco was honored for excellence in Arts and Humanities.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (L) and Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak present a resolution to Union County Sheriff’s Captain Roxanne Banek of Clark congratulating her on being honored at the Union County Commission on the Status of Women’s 21st Annual Women of Excellence Awards dinner. They are joined by Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich. Captain Banek was honored for excellence in law enforcement.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (R), Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (L) and Vernell Wright present a resolution to Eileen Birch of Union congratulating her on being honored at the Union County Commission on the Status of Women’s 21st Annual Women of Excellence Awards dinner. Birch was honored for excellence in government.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (R), Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (L) and Vernell Wright present a resolution to Dr. Darlene Gibbon of Westfield congratulating her on being honored at the Union County Commission on the Status of Women’s 21st Annual Women of Excellence Awards dinner. Gibbon was honored for excellence in Medicine.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (L) and Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak present a resolution to Andrea Carbine of Cranford congratulating her on being honored at the Union County Commission on the Status of Women’s 21st Annual Women of Excellence Awards dinner. They are joined by Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich. Carbine was honored for excellence as an entrepreneur.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union).

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (L) and Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak present a resolution to Larisa DePalma of Westfield congratulating her on being honored at the Union County Commission on the Status of Women’s 21st Annual Women of Excellence Awards dinner. They are joined by Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich. DePalma was honored for excellence in Mental Health Advocacy.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (L) and Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak present a resolution to Christine Ferdinand congratulating her on being honored at the Union County Commission on the Status of Women’s 21st Annual Women of Excellence Awards dinner. They are joined by Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich. Ferdinand was honored for excellence in Community Service.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (3rd L), Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (L) and Vernell Wright (2nd L) present a resolution to Robin Ince of Westfield congratulating her on being honored at the Union County Commission on the Status of Women’s 21st Annual Women of Excellence Awards dinner. They are joined by Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich. Ince was honored for excellence in Health Education.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (L) and Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak present a resolution to Ellen McNally congratulating her on being honored at the Union County Commission on the Status of Women’s 21st Annual Women of Excellence Awards dinner. They are joined by Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich. McNally was honored for excellence in Community Health.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (C), Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (L) and Vernell Wright (2nd L) present a resolution to Theresa Mullen, Esq. of Scotch Plains congratulating her on being honored at the Union County Commission on the Status of Women’s 21st Annual Women of Excellence Awards dinner. They are joined by Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich and Assemblywoman Linda Stender (3rd L). Mullen was honored for excellence in Law.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for personal, confidential documents will be available on Saturday, April 13, at Union County Vo-Tech in Scotch Plains.

“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 13th shredding event will take place at the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools campus located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. 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 Friday, April 26, at Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield.

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 .

– end –

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 – The County of Union is proud to be celebrating National Community Development Week from April 2nd through April 4th with a series of events that will highlight the positive effects of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) programs. This year’s Community Development Week theme is “Changing Communities, Changing Lives.”

“The benefits of the CDBG and HOME programs go far beyond just improving the physical appearance of our neighborhoods,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “These programs are the very foundation for strengthening and improving the social and economic conditions of our area as a whole.”

Union County’s CD week celebration will bring officials and community leaders together to tour CDBG and HOME funded projects in Plainfield, Roselle and Elizabeth. This year’s featured projects include:

• A residential property in Plainfield rehabilitated with Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds

• The Plainfield Senior Citizens Center: 400 East Front Street in Plainfield

• The Union County Occupational Center: 301 Cox Street in Roselle

• The Union County Child Advocacy Center: 240-242 West Jersey Street in Elizabeth

The CDBG program is a flexible grant program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs; while the HOME Investment Partnership Program is the largest Federal block grant to State and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households.

2013 marks the 39th anniversary of the CDBG program and the 22nd anniversary of the HOME program. Both programs have faced significant cuts over the past two years despite their importance to the most vulnerable people and communities across the country. As a result the National Community Development Week campaign is geared towards focusing local and national attention on their impact and accomplishments.

For more information on Union County’s 2013 Community Development Week celebration, contact Sylvia Konicki at 908-527-4229.

###

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.