Latest news with #UnionCountyBoardofCommissioners
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Officials move to sell county lockup amid fears of new immigrant jail
A New Jersey resident speaks to the Union County Board of Commissioners on March 27, 2025, about their plan to sell the county's jail. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor) ELIZABETH — The Union County Board of Commissioners took an initial step toward selling the county jail on Thursday, with critics who fear the facility will become a privately run migrant detention center chanting, 'Shame, shame!' after the board's vote. The nine-member board approved by a 6-3 vote two resolutions — one that allows the county to subdivide public property that includes the jail and another that allows the county to consider proposals to sell the unused jail. 'I sit alongside our immigrant community, work alongside each one of you,' said Commissioner Sergio Granados. 'With the possibility of a detention center being there, I must vote no on these two items.' Commissioner Michèle Delisfort and Chairwoman Lourdes Leon also voted against the measures after immigrant activists and other members of the public spent nearly two hours urging the board to either oppose selling the jail or commit to not turning it into a migrant detention center. Thursday's vote comes as the Trump administration ramps up efforts to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. Brian Lozano of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey told commissioners that soliciting bids for the jail without meaningful input from residents undermines 'the fundamental principle that governments must answer to their constituents and operate transparently.' 'Institutions that detain and deport immigrants only serve to terrorize these communities, and ultimately under this administration, to hold their family members, everyday people, and increasingly political protestors in violation of the United States Constitution,' he said. Elizabeth resident Giovanna Castaneda said she used to sit in school fearing that she'd come home to her mom being deported. Castaneda told commissioners to pay attention to other problems plaguing the city — homelessness, a lack of affordable housing, food scarcity — rather than adding another one. 'This could be one of the largest detention centers in the northeast, along with Delaney Hall in Newark, along with Elizabeth Detention Center, which is only two miles away from where we are right now. These sites are designed to deliver profit, not justice,' said Viri Martinez of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. 'It's a system that has no regard for the lives it destroys.' The meeting turned tense at several moments. The police approached people who went past their allotted speaking time, while audience members shouted from the crowd when the board cut the microphone. The room also quickly filled to capacity, leaving nearly 100 people — including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka — outside the county administration building. 'Our fight here is a fight for humanity, a fight for all people, a fight for dignity and respect, a fight for all human beings, whether you're documented or not,' Baraka said. The county did not commit to selling the jail to a private prison company, though immigrant advocates fear that is what will happen. Commissioner Rebecca Williams said she hopes the county will get bids from entities hoping to use the former jail for mental health facilities, workforce development, or college classes. 'As the very first stage to see what interest there is, I am in favor of that,' William said. 'But again, as I said, everyone who knows me and who follows me knows exactly how I feel about what's happening broadly in terms of people being disappeared, people being detained without due process.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Activists fear Union County jail could become new migrant detention center
Union County officials are proposing to sell the building that contains the county jail, which has been largely empty for years. (Photo by New Jersey Monitor) As federal immigration officials are eyeing New Jersey as a site to expand detention capacity, immigration advocates say they fear Union County's proposal to sell its jail could result in the facility becoming a new migrant detention center. The Union County Board of Commissioners will vote Thursday night on two measures that would allow the county to take steps to sell the jail property because it is 'no longer needed for public use.' The county closed most operations at the jail in 2021. While the agenda for Thursday's meeting doesn't explicitly say anything about immigration detention, Amy Torres, director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, said it's 'hard to think of anyone who would want to buy a facility of that size, nor renovate a facility of that size, except for a private prison corporation.' Union County Manager Edward Oatman said in a statement to the New Jersey Monitor that the resolution proposing the sale of the county lock-up 'generated important discussion — and unfortunately, some misunderstanding — about its purpose.' Oatman stressed the resolution would merely authorize the county to issue a request for proposals — the first step in a lengthy process that includes public input. 'While we cannot control who submits proposals, we will limit acceptable uses, in accordance with state law. If any proposals involve continued use as a correctional facility, it will be strictly confined to housing individuals involved in the criminal justice system — such as those facing charges. No other uses of that nature will be permitted,' he said. Torres said the Laken Riley Act — which requires federal officers to detain migrants accused but not yet convicted of crimes ranging from shoplifting to assault — could lead to some immigrants being labeled criminals without any due process. Congress approved the bill in January, and President Donald Trump signed it into law. 'I don't want to hear that this is only for criminals because we know that ICE has been profiling people, labeling them violent criminals when they're not and when they've proven not to be, and deporting them anyway or detaining them indefinitely,' she said. The news of the jail's potential sale comes on the heels of federal officials announcing plans for a massive, privately run immigrant detention center at Delaney Hall in Newark. Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union obtained documents that showed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was eyeing another location in Trenton as a potential detention center. Federal officials under both the Trump and Biden administrations have said North Jersey is a prime location to house immigrant detainees because of its proximity to Newark's airport and immigration courts in Manhattan. Immigration enforcement efforts have ramped up across the country as Trump moves to carry out his campaign promise of mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. According to ICE, officials made more than 32,000 enforcement-related arrests between Trump's second inauguration and March 13. The Union County jail is a roughly 1,000-bed facility located in the heart of Elizabeth. It has been largely empty since 2021, when the county approved closing it as a cost-saving move (it said savings would amount to $103 million over five years). A 2021 state law bars public entities from entering into contracts to house immigrant detainees, but a provision of the law that also barred private entities from doing so has been ruled unconstitutional. The state has appealed the ruling, and the appeal is scheduled to be heard by an appellate court in about a month. Oatman said that as county manager, he's looking for ways to generate 'meaningful tax relief — potentially upwards of $100 million — while ensuring any future use of the property aligns with the needs and values of our community.' He said he hopes the request attracts a diverse group of bidders from a variety of industries. He also noted that demolishing the facility would cost tens of millions of dollars, and repurposing it could cost millions per floor. Torres said it's unlikely that a non-prison operator would be interested in buying the Union County jail. Commissioners should be looking at how to repurpose it for the community instead of 'rolling out the red carpet for private prison corporations,' she said. 'In an imaginary world, it can be bought by anyone and turned into anything, but we don't live in an imaginary world, we live in reality. And the reality is that ICE and private prison companies are looking to score additional sites for immigration detention,' she said. Torres said the possible unveiling of yet another new detention center in New Jersey — there's an existing immigrant jail in Elizabeth — would be detrimental to the diverse community, where over a third of residents are immigrants. The city doesn't want to be known as the immigrant detention capital of America, she added. 'This isn't deep south Florida. This is New Jersey, and I feel like that is not something that is reflective of our values of the state,' Torres said. 'I hope it's not something that's reflective of the values of Union County, but I guess maybe it is.' The state Attorney General's Office did not return a request for comment. It has previously said that private detention centers 'threaten the public health and safety of New Jerseyans, including when used for immigration purposes.'
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Retired Union County election director recognized with House citation
LEWISBURG — Three state legislators on Tuesday honored a longtime election director who retired in Union County in December. At Tuesday's public meeting of the Union County Board of Commissioners, state Reps. David Rowe, R-85, and Jamie Flick, R-83, were joined by Darwin Swope, the office manager of state Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, R-76, to present Greg Katherman with a House citation. Katherman, of Mifflinburg, retired in December after 16 years as the election director for Union County. "Every time I ever heard anyone interact with the Union County election office, nothing but the highest of praise for Greg for all the amazing work he's done," Rowe said. "Obviously, in this era when the world of politics can be so vitriolic and hostile, I think it's more important than ever to know that people understand they can trust, and their elections are being run well locally." Rowe praised the election office for being organized and counting and tracking ballots correctly. "Faith in our local election is of the utmost importance when we look at getting people engaged on the political side," Rowe said. Formerly employed in the banking industry for 28 years, Katherman was named election director on Jan. 29, 2009. Katherman, a member of the Central Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce, led the department through five presidential elections and the COVID-19 pandemic. "Throughout his career, he demonstrated remarkable knowledge, ability and integrity in carrying out his many responsibilities, thus earning the respect and gratitude of all those who received the benefit of his tireless devotion to duty," according to the citation. Katherman is congratulated on his "well-deserved retirement" and recognized for his "exemplary record of service in keeping with the highest ideal and traditions of this commonwealth," according to the citation. Katherman said he didn't know anything about running an election office when he first started. "It's been a great place to work, it's been great serving the people," Katherman said. "It's been a great ride." Commissioner Jeff Reber also praised Katherman. "It's been an honor to work with you, Greg," Reber said. "We've seen how respectful and courteous you are to anyone." Katherman was replaced by deputy Election Director Laura Seward, who was hired on Sept. 11, 2023, as Katherman's deputy. At Tuesday's meeting, the salary board approved the hiring of Kathryn Dye as a temporary part-time clerical office assistant for $15.80 an hour. In other business, the commissioners approved: * A five-year contract for $1,998 with the United States Business Registration as a service provider for Award Management Registration Filing Services in relation to federal grants. * The 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan for Union County that identifies where the vulnerabilities are within the county and assists with certain types of nonemergency disaster assistance. * A reimbursement agreement with PennDOT for a county-owned bridge over White Deer Hole Creek on Old Mill Road in Gregg Township. * A letter of resignation from adult probation officer Christopher Lavalle, effective March 3. * The hiring of Shalyn Rager as a DRO Support Caseworker in Domestic Relations for $17.84 an hour; and Alysha Aikey as a part-time temporary deputy in the prothonotary's office for $21.40 an hour.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
County questions constitutionality of term limits for commissioners
UNION COUNTY — Are term limits for county commissioners legal under the Oregon Constitution? This is the question the Union County Board of Commissioners wants to bring before the court. Commissioners are limited to two terms, but the legality of term limits have been challenged in other parts of the state. ' What we're looking at here is whether or not the county wants to take any action to remove that potential prohibition for county commissioners going forward,' county counsel Wyatt Baum said during the regular session meeting Jan. 22. Residents brought forward an initiative petition in 2017 that proposed limiting commissioners to two terms. The county board of commissioners adopted that under Ordinance 2017-01. Baum explained that around the time term limits were implemented locally a similar ordinance was challenged elsewhere in the state. Former Douglas County Commissioner Susan Morgan brought the lawsuit after the county clerk's office refused to allow her to file for a third term, according to reporting at the time by The News Review. In 2018 the Oregon Court of Appeals upheld the 2016 Douglas County Circuit Court's decision, which found the term limits unconstitutional. The Oregon Constitution outlines the necessary qualifications for every county officer. The state constitution says every count officer must be an elector of the county. It goes on to say that other qualifications may be prescribed by law for the county assessor, county sheriff, county coroner and county surveyor. The News Review reported Presiding Judge Rex Armstrong said in the appeals court decision this means counties do not have the power to add qualifications, including term limits, for commissioners. 'It overturned limitations, essentially saying that is impermissible restriction on a qualification of a county commissioner under the Oregon Constitution,' Baum said. However, Baum told the county board the court's decision only overturned the limitation in Douglas County. It did not overturn term limits statewide and many ordinances remain on the books across the state that impose term limits for county commissioners. The commissioners have a few choices, Baum said. The county could wait until a sitting commissioner decided to run for a third term. When this happens it would be up to the county clerk to bring the issue before the Union County Circuit Court where a judge would determine whether or not the limitations on term limits is legal. However, Baum said a more proactive option would be for the county to petition the court for the validation of a legal government action, which asks the court to rule on the issue. ' The court's ability to hear it once somebody runs is going to be very limited and that's going to slow things down,' Baum said. 'But if you did it now, you'd be able to get ahead of whether or not anybody in the future wants to run to address this issue.' Union County commissioners for the 2024-25 fiscal year receive a salary of $83,316. Commissioners also receive health insurance, money for a retirement fund and other benefits. Commissioners Matt Scarfo and Paul Anderes are nearing the end of their second terms. While Anderes said he has no plans to run for the seat again, Scarfo expressed interest in another term. ' I would definitely like to see a third term,' he said. ' Two terms is definitely not enough in this position.' Scarfo said he's been working to acquire funding from the Legislature for the Union County Fairgrounds water and wastewater infrastructure project for the past seven years. Commissioner Jake Seavert said he is not against term limits in general, but as someone who recently stepped into the position, he understands it takes time to learn the intricacies of how Union County operates. Commissioners unanimously voted to bring the issue before the courts to determine the legality of the ordinance. ' Any parties that object to it will have the opportunity to come in before the judge and make that argument also,' Baum said.
