COUNTY — The Union County Board of County Commissioners finished out its business for 2024 last week by finalizing two new ordinances — one that will allow the county to go out to bond for over $23 million to fund various capital improvements and another that amends various sections of the governing body’s legal code.
According to Ordinance 850-2024, which was unanimously approved by the board, the county plans to go out to bond for $23,805,044 to offset the cost of “new, additional or replacement machinery, new furnishings, and new automotive vehicles.”
The county anticipates that it will be able to fund the rest of the improvement package, which totals $37,783,130 before the bond, through grant funding.
When questioned by Garwood resident Bruce Paterson about whether or not the ordinance had been approved under the terms of the county’s 2024 capital budget, Finance Director Bibi Taylor explained that the capital budget is a working document that serves to steer funding choices throughout the year rather than an authorization to allocate specific funds.
“Nothing happens until these funds are appropriated via ordinances [like this one],” Ms. Taylor said.
The evening’s second public hearing, held in regards to Ordinance 8522024, elicited further questions from Mr. Paterson, who asked the commissioner board to further explain its revisions.
“These changes are part of the cleanup that we do at this time every year. We’re merely changing outdated language. Nobody will be affected by this because it’s not changing anything other than making the language coincide with the actual process,” County Counsel Bruce Bergen said.
Mr. Paterson also questioned the commissioners about a payroll problem that caused issues for a number of public-safety employees earlier this month and asked why an ordinance related to salaries for certain county employees was removed from Wednesday night’s agenda. Affected employees were informed via written communications that their paychecks would be delayed by a week due to “a lack of funding in the department’s budget.”
“What are the checks and balances for when a salary line item approaches depletion?” Mr. Paterson asked. “Can anyone answer this, or is there no liability?”
County Manager Edward Oatman did not answer the question directly, but did confirm that the commissioner board would authorize a financial transfer to the Office of Emergency Management and the Emergency Medical Services Department to make sure that all employees will be paid what they are owed.
The commissioners also recognized Dennis McCaffery, Cranford High School’s longtime varsity baseball coach, with a special presentation on Wednesday to honor him for his 25 years of service to the school district and to wish him well in his upcoming retirement.
“Coach McCaffery’s leadership and commitment to his players have brought not only championships but also life lessons that will resonate far beyond the baseball diamond,” Board Chair Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded said. “Your dedication has shaped the lives of countless young athletes and your legacy will be felt in Cranford and throughout Union County for generations to come,” she added, addressing Mr. McCaffery.
The Union County Board of County Commissioners will hold its annual reorganization meeting on Monday, January 6, 2025, at 6 p.m., at the Union County Courthouse.
