Volume 5 - Issue 2 - 2020

VOLUME 5 || ISSUE 2 || 2020

Your Middlesex

3,000 families receive food for Thanksgiving via MCFOODS page 2

Board of Chosen Freeholders

director

Ronald G. Rios

Chair, Administration, Ex-Officio Chair of All Committees ronald.rios@co.middlesex.nj.us 732-745-5792

deputy director

Kenneth Armwood

Claribel A. Azcona-Barber

Chair, Community Services Committee claribel.azcona-barber@co.middlesex.nj.us 732-745-4527

Chair, Business Innovation, Education, Opportunity Committee kenneth.armwood@co.middlesex.nj.us 732-745-4317

Charles Kenny

Leslie Koppel

Chair, Transportation Committee charles.kenny@co.middlesex.nj.us 732–296–6941

Chair, Finance Committee

leslie.koppel@co.middlesex.nj.us 732-336-9204

Charles E. Tomaro

Shanti Narra

Chair, Infrastructure Committee

Chair, Public Safety & Health Committee

charles.tomaro@co.middlesex.nj.us 732–745–4438

shanti.narra@co.middlesex.nj.us 732–745–3852

The Board of Chosen Freeholders manages the County’s affairs, property, and finances and sets the

The Board oversees various facilities, programs, and services. These include: 18 County parks; over 11,000 acres of Open Space; 324 miles of County roads; economic programs; measures to promote public health and manage emergencies; services to care for children, seniors, veterans, and those in need; and education for residents through Middlesex County College and the County Vocational- Technical School System’s Technical High Schools and Career Academies.

What are Freeholders?

policies for County government. The mission of the Board is to make Middlesex County a better place for our residents and businesses. The Freeholders decide when and how to use taxes or grants toward critical services and programs. They also adopt annual operating and capital budgets, enter into contracts and perform various other activities to ensure effective and efficient operations.

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Your Middlesex

Keeping a holiday tradition alive: 3,000 families receive food for Thanksgiving via MCFOODS

T he COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on many families. From those that are working less or lost their jobs, to those that are working around the clock as a frontline worker, the pandemic has had a wide range of impacts on so many throughout our communities. Distribution Services (MCFOODS) has been working since the onset of the pandemic to ensure that those hardest hit still have access to food. In addition to collecting and distributing food through contactless food distribution events and drives, MCFOODS, the week before Thanksgiving, held its annual holiday Turkey distribution event, which took on new significance this year. The Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach On a chilly morning in November, MCFOODS received a donation of 1,500 Thanksgiving turkeys which were immediately distributed to two dozen partner agencies throughout the County, helping feed families throughout the County on Thanksgiving.

The turkeys were delivered to MCFOODS’ distribution center in East Brunswick by the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, who received the turkeys via Stop & Shop’s Turkey Express program. The food was loaded into vans, trucks, trailers, and cars, to be brought back to local food pantries who then distribute the food to those in need. Middlesex County Freeholder Charles Tomaro, former New York Giants players

Joe Morris, David Tyree, and Jonathan Casillas, and volunteers from MCFOODS, Stop and Shop, and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey helped load the food packages. In addition to the 1,500 turkeys donated by Stop and Shop, Community FoodBank of New Jersey donated additional turkeys, roasting chickens, and non-perishable items, making the total number of families fed from the event nearly 3,000.

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Experts Address Impact of COVID-19 at Fourth Annual Middlesex County Business Summit

year’s keynote speaker, and spoke about his transition into the role of university president during a crisis and his views on leading the State university. “Very few people imagined what we would be going through at this moment,” said President Holloway, who began his role as president in July 2020. “You can imagine my surprise and my selfish disappointment when I realized that things I had hoped I would be able to do when I started at Rutgers were not going to happen: that I would be walking into a very different environment, and I had to get serious about the work of repair and rehabilitation of the university.” As in past years, the panel assembled for the 2020 Business Summit included leaders with expertise in a range of key areas: Debbie Hart, president and CEO of BioNJ; Christiana Foglio, founder and CEO of Community Investment Strategies; William Rodgers, III, PhD, professor of public policy and chief economist at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University; Luis De La Hoz, chairman of the board of directors for the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of NJ and SVP director of community lending at Valley National Bank; and Jose Lozano, president and CEO of Choose New Jersey. Panelists spoke to a wide array of topics focused on their specific areas of expertise, while also collectively providing a glimpse into the economy downturn, including the difficulties small businesses, the younger workforce, and landlords are facing. Still, these experts presented an optimistic view on the future of the State and County’s economic and business developments and the work New Jersey healthcare companies are doing to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.

by this global health crisis, including support for small businesses that have halted or reduced operations and for residents who are either on a reduced schedule or have faced retrenchment. These resources include Community Development Block Grants (CDBG- CV) and Small Business Relief Grants (SBRG) which utilize CARES Act Funding; occupational training for unemployed, underemployed, and dislocated workers; workplace readiness and literacy programs for youth; employer recruitments and County job fairs; and 5,500 free online skill development courses through the County’s SkillUp program.

M iddlesex County’s fourth annual Business Summit, Leading Together for a Better Tomorrow, had a special focus this year: COVID-19 response efforts and recovery resources, and the challenges the pandemic presents to businesses and residents. For the Summit, which took place in early October, the County leveraged its partnerships with industry leaders in the state to assemble a panel of experts from across a broad continuum serving New Jersey and the County. “Our annual Business Summit has become an invaluable resource for our business community and its workforce, putting a focus on the future of the economy in Middlesex County,” said Freeholder Director Rios. “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on the economy across the nation and at home here in Middlesex County, and thanks to the work of so many, including our speakers at the Business Summit, our businesses, residents, and municipalities can adapt to, and begin to recover from, this global health pandemic.” “Very few people imagined what we would be going through at this moment” – President of Rutgers University John Holloway Turning to the experts Moderated by Tom Bergeron, editor and chief content officer of ROI-NJ, and hosted by Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders Director Ronald G. Rios and Deputy Director Kenneth Armwood, the event addressed the challenges facing County residents who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn. The 21st President of Rutgers University Jonathan Holloway, PhD, served as this

For more information, please visit middlesexcountynj.gov/covid19

These resources are making a real difference to businesses and the lives of County residents, according to Freeholder Deputy Director Armwood. “COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact on our economy. Businesses were forced to close their doors or drastically reduce business, which resulted in unprecedented numbers of residents out of work. Middlesex County, in conjunction with helping our businesses get back to business, is helping our residents get back on their feet,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Armwood. Business Summit part of County’s strategic planning initiative Founded in 2017, the Summit is part of a larger strategic planning initiative across the County which culminates in the creation of the Destination 2040 Comprehensive Master Plan. Destination 2040 will shape how the County grows and changes in the future through input from those who live, work, and learn here. The plan will help guide the municipalities within the County with programs and policies that help achieve goals to improve the quality of life for all residents.

Expanded resources for businesses and residents

Throughout the pandemic, Middlesex County, along with its partners, has offered resources for those impacted

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Your Middlesex

DeVoe Lake to get much needed improvements

O fficials broke ground on a Lake in Spotswood. Thanks to a group of partners including local leaders in Spotswood and Middlesex County- Mayor Ed Seely and the Borough Council, Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo, Assemblyman Daniel Benson, and Senator Linda Greenstein- this project, which will correct flooding issues and the environmental quality of the lake through dredging, will be completed expeditiously. long-awaited environmental project in November at DeVoe “My colleagues and I on the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders are

committed to the preservation of open spaces and protecting the environment, so this project is not just great for Spotswood, but great for the County, as well. Projects like this are a big part of why Middlesex County is such a great place to live,” said Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios at the groundbreaking ceremony, adding a special thanks to

Middlesex County’s Department of Transportation and Office of Engineering, and the Middlesex County Utilities Authority.

Middlesex County develops interactive map for discovering local growers and products “Grown in Middlesex County” ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

T his fall, Middlesex County network of farms and farmers markets, showcasing all that makes us a key part of the Garden State. The map, which is an online guide to our County’s growers and agricultural product producers, allows users to choose from farmers markets, U-Pick farms, and Christmas Tree farms throughout the County through all the seasons, produced an interactive map for residents to discover our rich

and includes the farm’s address, phone number, and website.

The map can be found at middlesexcountynj.gov/

growninmiddlesexcounty and was created with the input of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County, the County’s source for all agricultural news and advice.

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Your Middlesex

North Brunswick Train Station on Track for Success

T he North Brunswick Train Station is one step closer to becoming a reality. In October, Middlesex County announced the next stage of the station’s development—initiating the public request-for-proposal for design and engineering of this major transportation project. The County made the announcement at a virtual press conference along with its partners: the New Jersey Department of Transportation, NJ TRANSIT, North Brunswick Township, and the Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA). Middlesex County, through the MCIA, is serving as project manager via an “The North Brunswick Train Station will bring relief to one of the state’s busiest rail lines, reduce traffic on Route 1, and attract new revenue to the region” – Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios

agreement with NJ TRANSIT for the design and construction of the station. The County and the MCIA took the helm of the multi-faceted project in the fall of 2019, driving progress after a prolonged lull. The new train station on the Northeast Corridor is a result of collective, proactive efforts that demonstrate the County’s ongoing commitment to commuters, businesses, and residents to ensure that this project is completed with the highest standards of design, engineering and safety— and finished expeditiously. Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios hailed the County’s announcement as a “game- changing moment” in the development of this critically needed transportation

hub on the Northeast Corridor. “The North Brunswick Train Station will bring relief to one of the state’s busiest rail lines, reduce traffic on Route 1, and attract new revenue to the region,” said Freeholder Rios. “And for the County, the project has become emblematic of our continuous focus on forward momentum and prosperity for all our residents, businesses, and partners.” The emphasis on the future was echoed by Freeholder and NJ Transit Board Member Shanti Narra, who believes the new station is pivotal to the region’s long-term success. “The North Brunswick train station represents more than just convenience

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Your Middlesex

by providing an outlet between Jersey Avenue and Princeton Junction, it is an example of the future-forward thinking of Middlesex County – as the County spearheads economic development and growth in this region,” said Freeholder and NJ Transit Board Member Shanti Narra. “And not the least, more people on trains and fewer people on the roads will create a sustainable future for us all.” As announced in 2019 by Freeholder Director Rios and the Board of Chosen Freeholders, the MCIA has successfully pivoted its focus from general county services to primarily economic development, leveraging its unique ability to bond and finance projects.

With Middlesex County’s strong AAA rating, secured for the past 20 consecutive years, the MCIA obtains financing at very low-interest rates allowing major capital ventures to be undertaken without increasing County taxes, in most cases. Additionally, the MCIA has a professional staff with deep and collective experience with redevelopment projects that span decades to ensure quality, timeliness, and cost-efficiency in its execution. In the fall of 2019, the MCIA announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with NJ TRANSIT to serve as the project manager for the North Brunswick Train Station. Recognizing the unique capability of

the MCIA, NJ TRANSIT is allowing a County for the first time to manage the construction of this crucial infrastructure project. Under the new role and direction of the MCIA as the financial arm of the County’s economic development strategy, the North Brunswick Train Station is moving forward swiftly. This forward-thinking redevelopment project embodies the vision of Destination 2040, the County’s strategic economic plan, and its goal of making Middlesex County a thriving, attractive destination to live, work, and play for generations while attracting new residents, businesses, and visitors to sustain its future.

Beginning the new year with a new title: the Board of County Commissioners ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I n August, the State of New Jersey, in response to the call for change and equity across the nation, took steps to change a long-antiquated title, The Board of Chosen Freeholders, being used throughout the Garden State. This title, which dates to an era in which people of color, women, and those without financial means were not treated as equals, is

not representative of the ideals to which Middlesex County aspires. Beginning January 1, 2021, across the entire state, the elected officials of our county governments will be known as The Board of County Commissioners. This change is a result of the advocacy of many across the state, including

Middlesex County’s own Deputy Director Armwood. Thanks to their support, the title of Freeholder will be replaced by a much more inclusive and appropriate term.

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Your Middlesex

Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders County Administration Building 75 Bayard Street New Brunswick, NJ 08901

If you need to update your name or address, please email your corrections to info@conceptprint.com or mail this page with corrections to: Concept Print, Kerry Monahan Gaughan, 40 Lydecker St, Nyack, NY 10960

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Pg 2 // 3,000 families receive food for Thanksgiving Pg 3 // Fourth Annual Middlesex County Business Summit Pg 4 // DeVoe Lake to get much needed improvements Your Middlesex VOLUME 5 || ISSUE 2 || 2020 inside this issue

Pg 4 // Grown in Middlesex County Pg 5 // North Brunswick Train Station Pg 6 // Beginning the new year with a new title

page 4

DeVoe Lake to get much needed improvements

Brought to you by the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders

County Departments

Administration 732–745–3040

Business Innovation, Education, and Opportunity 732–745–4379

Community Services 732–745–4230

Transportation 732–745– 3843

Finance 732–745–3173

Public Safety & Health 732–745–3100

Infrastructure Management 732–745–3995

COVID-19 cases are on the rise. Please always wear a mask, wash your hands, and practice social distancing. Middlesex County is here to help residents and local businesses with essential information, resources and community aid. Find the support you need at www.middlesexcountynj.gov/COVID19

INFORMATION

RESOURCES

COMMUNITY

middlesexcountynj.gov/covid19 WE’RE HERE FOR OUR RESIDENTS

www.middlesexcountynj.gov

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