County Surrogate Ann Conti Earns Gill C. Job Award
Security Chief Credited For Diabetes Charity Work EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH…The Union County Board of Chosen Free
holders and County Manager recently named Stephen A. Caruso, Chief of Security for Union County, as Employee-of-the-Month for October. He was recognized for his efforts to find a cure for diabetes. Mr. Caruso was also honored for his work in finding a cure during National Diabetes World Awareness Day on November 14. Pictured, left to right, are: Freeholder Chairman Daniel P. Sullivan, Stephen Caruso and County Manager Michael Lapolla.
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and County Manager named Stephen A. Caruso, Chief of Security for Union County, Employee of the Month for October because of his efforts to find a cure for diabetes.
In addition, the American Diabetes Association honored Mr. Caruso for his work to find a cure during National Diabetes World Awareness Day on November 14.
Freeholder Chairman Daniel P. Sullivan thanked Mr. Caruso for coordinating this year’s American Diabetes Association annual walk-a-thon, which raised $54,000.
Freeholder Sullivan called diabetes a “terrible threat” to the health of 15.7 million Americans.
He stated, “We share Steve’s commitment to find a cure for diabetes and praise his work to spread awareness that this disease afflicts and kills more Americans than any other ‘high profile’ disease. In Union County alone, 30,000 people have diabetes.”
County Manager Michael Lapolla said that it is important to recognize the hard work done by a county employee that effects so many residents.
“Steve reached out to all 21 municipalities to participate in the Walk-aThon and the response was outstanding. He is already busy planning next year’s walk. He deserves our praise and support for his continued efforts,” Mr. Lapolla said.
Mr. Caruso, who is a diabetic, spoke to the New Jersey State legislature on October 22, to testify on Assembly Bill No. 1748, the Diabetes Support Bill. Also, he accepted the invitation to serve a two-year term on the Regional Community Assembly for the Eastern Re
gion of the American Diabetes Association.
Mr. Caruso noted that over 400 volunteers participated in this year’s walk, raising $53,923 that will fund research grants for a cure.
“We wanted to use the event as an opportunity to bring attention to the symptoms because it is a silent killer that claims over 180,000 lives each year,” Mr. Caruso said.
Diabetes is a group of diseases identified by high blood sugar levels resulting from the body’s inability to produce or utilize insulin. There are two forms. Type one strikes during puberty, while type two afflicts 90 to 95 percent of sufferers after age 45.
The six warning signs for type one diabetes are: frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue and irritability. In addition to those symptoms, type two diabetics suffer with frequent infections, blurred vision, cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, tingling, numbness in the hands or feet and recurring skin, gum or bladder infections.
Often people with type two diabetes have no symptoms, of the 15.7 million Americans with the disease, 5.4 million do not know they have it.
“Diabetes is the country’s sixth leading cause of death by disease. Most important, it has no cure and can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputations,” Mr. Caruso said.
The second annual Diabetes Walk-athon will be held on September 26, 1999.
For more information on the event or about diabetes, please call (800) DIABETES.
AWARDED FOR DEDICATION…The County Officers Association of New Jersey recently presented the Gill C. Job Award to Union County Surrogate Ann Conti of Mountainside for her years of service in advancing ideals, principals and philosophy of the County Officers Association. Pictured are Ms. Conti and Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Nicholas Scutari of Linden.
The County Officers Association of New Jersey recently presented their Gill C. Job Award to Union County Surrogate Ann Conti of Mountainside for her years of service in advancing the ideals, principles and philosophy of the Association.
“Clearly garnering this award shows that Ms. Conti has been a dedicated employee since assuming the office of surrogate on January 1,
1983. The Freeholder Board joins the County Officers Association in recognizing her dedication,” stated Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Nicholas Scutari of Linden.
Freeholder Scutari noted that Ms. Conti has handled over 7,000 cases a year over the past 16 years.
“The Freeholder Board commends, congratulates and certainly appreciates her talent,” he said.
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Government to Offer New Internet Service
A senior United States government official will activate a new government Internet service today, Thursday, November 19, at 10:30 a.m., which will enable men aged 18 to 25 to register with the Selective Service System.
Gil Coronado, Director of Selective Service, has noted that with this online service, a man with a valid Social Security number will be able to connect to the Selective Service Web Site, link to the Agency’s computers, type in his registration information, click on the “submit” button which appears on the screen, and be given his Selective Service number.
Registrants will then receive a formal acknowledgment postcard in the mail within two weeks.
County Prosecutor Launches ‘Drug Buyer Beware’ Project
Police Chiefs from Union County have joined Prosecutor Thomas V. Manahan to launch a program to arrest purchasers who drive or walk up to street dealers to buy heroin, cocaine and marijuana and issue warnings to those found loitering in the neighborhoods that have been affected by drug activity.
“We’ve found in our continuous fight against the drug dealers that the
demand is continuing here almost unabated, because of the supply and prices being offered on the street,” Mr. Manahan said at an afternoon press conference.
“We’re sick of it. The good people in the neighborhood who want to use their streets, sidewalks and playgrounds are sick of it and it’s going to stop,” he stated.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 19
VALLEY FURNITURE 2X10˝
County Freeholders Vote to Fund $3 Million Upgrade In Infrastructure Around Linden Airport Property By PAUL J. PEYTON
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
In an effort to lend the county’s support to the $157.5 million redevelopment project at Linden Airport, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders last Thursday introduced an ordinance to appropriate $3,015,000 for road and other infrastructure improvements.
The City of Linden plans to reconfigure the 188-acre airport and sell a portion of the property for private development.
The ordinance, which is expected to be adopted following a public hearing on Thursday, December 10, is for infrastructure improvements along the southeast quadrant of the intersection of Route No. 1 and Stiles Street in Linden.
According to information released this past summer by the Union County Economic Development Corporation, 29 acres of land will be developed for recreational, distribution and warehouse facilities.
An additional 68 acres will be redeveloped for commercial use, including a 544,267-square-foot retail shopping complex, with national tenants such as Home Depot and Wal Mart.
A hotel with 150 guest rooms will also be built, with banquet and conference facilities for 750 people,
A 30-screen movie theater, gas station and restaurants are also included in the development plan.
As far as the airport is concerned, a new 9,600-square-foot terminal building will be constructed, along with two new 14,000-square-foot hanger buildings, an upgraded runway, taxiways and other airport facilities.
In terms of the county’s role in the project, Freeholder Donald Goncalves told The Westfield Leader and The Times that when completed, the project will help generate more tax ratables for the county, thus helping to stabilize property taxes county-wide.
“The county policy has been to invest in infrastructure and invest in economic development,” he said.
The Freeholder noted that additional improvements are needed along Route No. 1 and 9, which he said is an “outdated” highway for today’s needs.
Union County Manager Michael Lapolla told The Westfield Leader and
The Times that the county’s contribution is similar to the $6 million the county previously appropriated in connection with the Jersey Gardens Mall project on the Elizabeth water front.
In other business, the board also introduced an ordinance regarding a tax on garbage leaving the county, better known as an Environmental Investment Charge (EIC). The county originally was planning to collect the charge through the establishment of weigh stations.
However, the Freeholders’ ordinance will instead rely upon actual tonnages included in daily records, which must be maintained by solid waste facilities according to state law.
“It makes it (collection of the EIC) a lot easier and a lot less complicated for municipalities,” said Mr. Lapolla, referring to 14 of the county’s 21 towns which signed long-term contracts with the Union County Utilities Authority (UCUA).
The county signed a 25-year lease with Ogden Martin Systems, Inc. of Union, the builder of the facility, earlier this year. The lease covers $150 million of the $293 million outstanding debt on the facility, which opened in 1994.
The EIC charge has been included in the $50 per ton fee charged to towns which signed quarter-century contracts with the UCUA. The fee, around $18 a ton, will be collected for trucks not dumping at the Rahway incinerator. That fee will help pay off the remaining portion of the incinerator debt.
On a side note, the county will not have to pay back an $11.7 million loan from the state to build the incinerator following the passage of a referendum by voters on Election Day.
In total, the passage of the ballot question will forgive $103 million in state loans which helped finance waste facilities. In addition to Union County, Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Union and Warren Counties all incurred debt either through building facilities or through architectural and related charges to build incinerators.
Another $65 million in unspent state bond moneys and loan payments will be used to pay down even more debt for counties with incinerator debt.
Haulers servicing seven towns in the county, including Westfield, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside, are free to dump at any inor out-ofstate facilities, since these communities do not have contracts with the UCUA.
The board approved a resolution authorizing nearly $20,000 in grants through the county’s History Education Arts Reaching Thousands (HEART) program.
The Mountainside Chorale and Chamber Players, which perform at the Mountainside Community Presbyterian Church, and the Metro Rhythm Chorus of Fanwood, were among the grant recipients.
The Mountainside Chorale and Chamber Players intend to use the funds “to support a professional musical experience for Mountainside and surrounding communities.”
The Metro Rhythm Chorus will use the funds “to help support non-profit barbershop style a cappella chorus.”
At the conclusion of the meeting, board members congratulated Free
holder Chairman Daniel P. Sullivan and Freeholders Mary Ruotolo and Lewis Mingo on their Election Day victories.
Freeholder Vice Chairman Nicholas P. Scutari said “clearly the voters spoke” at the election polls. Freeholder Chester Holmes said the Democrats’ victory margin of over 20,000 votes showed that the Freeholder board is doing a “wonderful job” for the citizens of the county.
Freeholder Ruotolo, a Westfield resident who was the top vote-getter among all the Freeholder candidates in this
year’s race, noted that she was still “glowing” over her victory. She thanked her running mates, who she said had made running for public office “an extremely rewarding experience.”
Freeholder Sullivan joined the board in early 1995 to replace Casimar Kowalczyk upon his retirement.
Mrs. Ruotolo and Mr. Mingo joined the board earlier this year to replace former Freeholders Carol Cohen and Walter McNeil, respectively, upon their resignations. Ms. Cohen was named County Counsel, while Mr. McNeil left to assume the position of City Administrator in Plainfield.
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