UCCF 4/19/18: Politics IS Government in Union County

This is what I propose to say in Open Comments at tomorrow’s freeholder meeting:

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Suppressing Free Speech in Union County – Again

Union County has, since I have been watching closely, been ruled by political bosses – Charlotte DeFilippo, then Jerry Green, and now Nicholas Scutari. They hand pick the freeholders who get on the ballot and dictate to them what projects get done and who gets hired. If a freeholder steps out of line he loses the line.

This IS government in Union County. Yet when Bruce Paterson broached the obvious in Open Comment time the Scutari/Oatman regime shut him down.
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Something similar happened in 2009 and the county was forced to apologize. It is time for the ACLU again.
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Updates – Union County Retirees and a Video

Data on participants in the New Jersey Retirement System have been updated through 2017 on the state website and here is  a spreadsheet, sorted by name, of 17,020 retirees getting total annual benefits of $560,657,419 whose last Employer was in Union County. The next blog will present a similar listing of active (still working) participants in Retirement System.

The 158 retirees with pensions of over $100,000 annually are listed below, but first, something else due for an update:

UCCF 3/22/18: Resolutions

2018-278: Authorizing the County Manager to enter into an agreement with NJ Transit to secure grant funding in the amount of $300,000 with a 100% County Match of $300,000 for a total of $600,000 for the period of July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019 for inclusion in NJ Transit’s Consolidated NJ Job Access and Reverse Commute (NJ-JARCS) Grant, Agreement for SFY19.

2018-286: Amending Resolution Number 2018-159 to reflect an additional appropriation in the amount of $50,000 for a new total amount not to exceed $265,000, for the Countywide Code Blue Emergency Shelter Initiative for the Winter of 2017·2018 to address the needs of the homeless due to increased demand for shelter nights during extreme weather conditions; no further changes.

2018-287: Authorizing the County Manager to enter into a contract with SPEX Forensics, Edison, New Jersey, for the purchase of LED ultra portable forensic light source and laboratory unit light source for the upgrade of the Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, in the amount not to exceed $27,480.

2018~289: Authorizing the County Manager to exercise the option to extend and award a contract obtained through advertised public bidding for the Department of Administration Services,Division of Motor Vehicles, to Union County Collision, Roselle Park, NJ, for the purpose of providing the County with automobile and light truck collision repair, painting and refinishing services for a period of 24 months not to exceed estimate of $300,000.

2018-295: Authorizing the County Manager to award a Professional Architectural & Engineering Service Contract, through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process, to Netta Architects of Mountainside, New Jersey to provide Design Services, Construction Administration and Inspection Services for the Rahway Pool Building Improvements, City of  Rahway, County of Union, New Jersey for an amount not to exceed $298,600. (Union County Engineering Project Number 2017-002)

2018-296: Amending Resolution Number 2014-1080 adopted on February 23, 2015, a Professional Engineering Service Contact with Neglia Engineering Associates of Clark, New Jersey for additional engineering services associated with the Rahway River Park Project in an amount not to exceed $12,750 for a new total contract amount not to exceed $292,752. (Union County Engineering Project Number 2011-019)

2018-307: Proclaiming April 10, 2018 as Equal Pay Day throughout the County of Union.

UCCF 3/22/18: Fees for Golf, Warinanco Turf and a ‘no’ vote

2018-793: An Ordinance to amend “The Laws Of Union County: Administrative Code and Policies and General Legislation” by adopting the 2018 Department of Parks and Recreation, fees for recreation facilities.
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Rationale for the ‘no’ vote:
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UCCF 3/8/18: Opioids Payday

In the spirit of extorting money from vice:

2018-260: Resolution authorizing the County Manager to enter into a Letter of Engagement with The Keefe Law Firm and Kanner & Whiteley, LLC., to pursue litigation related to the opioids epidemic.

UCCF 3/8/18: What’s an Area Plan?

2018-226: Amending Resolution 2018-147, awarding various contracts pursuant to a Request for Proposal in accordance with the 2016-2018 Area Plan, to reflect an increase in funding only in the amount not to exceed $2,193,856 for a new grand total not to exceed $3,722,524 to be allocated as outlined and charged to account numbers specified for the same contract year three period of January 1, 2018 through December 31,2018 with no other changes to the 2016-2018 Area Plan.

So what is an Area Plan?
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Still confused? Let’s dig a little.