m . Ly -U ocaln i o n C o u n t y S^ ource J>IU^SDAY^UJGUS7^29^ !01^ UNIONNEWSDAILY.COM VOL. 96 NO. 34 50 CENTS Sullivan resigns from freeholder post Will lead shared services of Utilities Authority and Improvement Authority By Cheryl Hehl the UCIA's Union County District Solid Waste Plan. board and would be stepping down at the Staff Writer recent projects Under contract with the company Covanta, end of his term in December. While it was Last week the Union County Improve­ was a new public the authority's Union County Resource expected the freeholder would fulfill his ment Authority and the Union County Util­ library in Lin­ Recovery Facility in Rahway converts three-year term, the Democratic Party now ities Authority entered into a shared-serv- den, fire sta­ approximately 1,500 tons of solid munici­ must nominate someone to take his place ices agreement that will be overseen by for­ tions, a juvenile pal garbage daily to power 30,000 homes earlier than expected. mer Union County freeholder Dan Sulli­ detention cen­ and businesses, as well as provide electric­ Presently the Sullivan is paid $130,000 van. ter, a public ity for the facility. as UCUA executive director but according Sullivan announced last week he would promenade in County sources claimed it was Sullivan's to Union County Communications Director be resigning from the freeholder board Linden, expan­ work as a freeholder that saved the UCUA Sebastian D'Elia, the former freeholder will Sunday in order to assume the position of sion of the from going under in 1998. The freeholder not be receiving any additional salary from interim UCIA executive director. The for­ Union County oversaw finalization of a 15-year lease the UCUA However, D'Elia, a UCIA board mer freeholder, elected to the board in College campus extension, plus a five-year option with Cov­ member, did point out the Improvement 1995, w^s appointed UCUA interim execu­ in Elizabeth and anta. This, officials said, will result in $70 Authority would be paying the UCUA tive director in 2011, eventually assuming the county million additional revenues during the life­ $15,000 a month for the next six months the position permanently about a year renewable ener­ time of the extended lease with the county for Sullivan's leadership until a consul­ later. Dan Sullivan gy program. and the 14 member municipalities under tant's report on the merger is completed. The UCIA paves the way for the creation The UCUA is contract to use the facility. This money, he added, will go towards pay­ of civic projects while saving taxpayer dol­ responsible for enforcing the New Jersey Earlier this year Sullivan announced he ing for housing of the two UCIA office staff lars through low financing rates. Among Solid Waste Management Act and the would not be seeking another term on the See SULLIVAN, Page 6 Problems still linger with at least some red light cameras in county By Cheryl Hehl vengeance. In fact, he felt so strongly about the unfairness of the Staff Writer red-light cameras, he hired an expert in the field to perform an If you are one of the unlucky drivers issued a ticket through the analysis on eight red-light cameras. The results surprised even O'S­ mail for going through a traffic signal that is being watched by a canlon, who believes he has enough evidence to bring this program red-light camera, you may have been unfairly ticketed. to a dead stop. A retired engineer living in Union believes he can prove it is According to this privately funded forensic video analysis of impossible to make it through a yellow light manned by red-light eight red-light cameras in northern New Jersey, including locations cameras at the intersection of Morris and Stuyvesant Avenues in in Union, Roselle Park and Springfield, more than 30 percent of the the three seconds allotted, while one legislator from Monmouth tickets issued could be invalidated. Whether they will be, though, County is determined to get the state to stop the program com­ remains at issue. pletely based on his findings. His expert, Barnet Fagel, who runs a forensic video service Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon believes the controversial red- called Red Light Doctor, found the eight intersections tested had light cameras nabbing drivers trying to make it through a yellow yellow lights that ran for less time than the state-mandated mini­ light may be shortchanging drivers by a tenth to a quarter of a sec­ mum. ond. While that may not seem like a lot, it is enough to raise serious "The credibility of the red-light cameras was on life support," questions about the validity of such tickets. O'Scanlon said at a news conference Aug. 19, adding "now we are The Republican assemblyman took on this issue with a See RED LIGHT, Page 13 SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY • SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY Are You Disabled & Unable to Work? You May Be GAIL A. SPENCE FREE CONSULTATIONS • NO RECOVERY-NO FEE Insured for Monthly ATTORNEY-AT-LAW 80 Main St. • Suite 335 • West Orange • 973.324.9610 Benefits Experience • Knowledge • Compassion 2 — August 29, 2013 — Union County LocalSource PUPPY LOVE — On Monday, Aug. 19, SAGE Eldercare’s Spend-A-Day Adult Day Health Center attendees welcomed ‘Carmen,’ a pet therapy boxer Because our emergency department is for children with Creature Comfort of Morris Plains. From left: Rosalyn Gray of New Providence, Arline Vogel of New Providence, Margaret Warren of and only children, it’s as friendly and soothing as an Watchung, Gertrude Burke of Summit, and Carmen Serrano of Union. SAGE Eldercare’s Spend-A-Day program in Summit provides a day of emergency department can be. In fact, everything about social and stimulating activities for older adults in a medically supervised and secure setting during weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. To learn Goryeb is about children. From more than 100 pediatric more about SAGE, call 908-273-5550 or visit www.sageeldercare.org. specialists in .20 concentrated areas of pediatric medicine and surgery to pediatric tools and treatments Stuyvesant B R I DG E a H | that other facilities don’t have access to. Like pediatric HA1RCUTTING CENTER only ambulances and a pediatric only intensive care unit. Affiliated with the American Contract Bridge League Nobody is better equipped to handle every aspect of 95 W. Mt. Pleasant Ave. Livingston NJ www.essexbridgecenter.com your child. From the simplest injury to the most serious 6 Free Beginner Bridge Lessons • learn by hands-on playing problem. At Goryeb, your children are treated by people • relaxed fun with other beginners • more lessons after free series $10 ea who treat children and only children. Quality Hair Cuts At Beginner Lessons Start (2 sections) Affordable Prices Wednesday, Sept. 11, 6:30 pm Thursday, Sept. 1 2, 9:10 am Goryeb SENIOR CITIZEN $ | 1 00 No partner necessary Children's Hospital SPECIAL X * Intermediate & Advanced Mon., Tues., W ed.Jhurs., Fri. Lessons also ATLANTIC HEALTH SYSTEM Phone 973-535-9262 for more OPEN MON. thru SAT. information or to receive our 1654 STUYVESANT AVE. -UNION brochure with the full teaching a t l a n t i e 908-851-2813 and game schedule. Union County LocalSource — August 29, 2013 — 3 Irene’s brutal impact remembered Two years after devastating storm , residents continue to repair; mayors still looking for solutions By Cheryl Hehl Staff Writer CRANFORD — On a late August day as summer winds down, Cranford is almost picture perfect with its towering trees along the Rahway River that lazily meanders through town. People walk, bike and jog along the banks and berms of this river that is skirted by lovely homes with manicured lawns. Two years ago today, though, that meandering river swelled to unprecedented levels, plowing through homes and the town with a vengeance that had never been seen before. Tliat force came in the form of Tropical Storm Irene. Tropical Storm Irene will long be remembered by residents and elected officials as the worst storm to ever hit the township. It not only went beyond the 100-year storm level, but surpassed the 500-year level. Inundated by more than 10 inches of rain and massive run off from upstream towns, the Rahway River swelled to epic proportions, spilling its banks in a raging torrent of flood waters that reached the second floors of homes that never had flooding before. But Irene did not just flood homes. The raging waters of the river were so high and powerful; they smashed into the ‘I have never seen municipal building on Springfield Avenue, leaving four feet of muck and storm water anything like this on the lower level. It would take more than before. This is the $1 million and a year of work before every­ thing was returned to normal. And for worst flood Cranford many residents of the "Venice of New Jer­ sey" the possibility that another powerful has ever seen.9 hurricane or nor'easier could swoop down — Dan Aschenbach and destroy everything they rebuilt is always in back of their minds. File Photos The morning following the storm, former mayor Dan Aschenbach stood ashen faced out­ Two years after Tropical Storm Irene devastated parts of Union County, some side the Union County Mobile Command Center on North Union Avenue, just yards from residents are trying to forget it ever happened, but others are still on the hunt where the mighty Rahway River still raged through the municipal building parking lot, for a long-term solution.