Saturday, September 25, 2004

Patricia Quattrocchi
H 908-789-9078
W 732-382-5505

Freeholders Vision for Union County is Blurred

One Saturday morning in 2001 at Union County College, then county manager Michael J. Lapolla shared with the UC League of Municipalities a vision for the coming year. Included in this vision was the disclosure that county residents could expect "drastic improvements" to the County Police Headquarters on North Avenue in Westfield. "Drastic improvements" has proven to be an $11.6 Million understatement.

Improvements conjures up, in my mind at least, the expanding of an existing building, installing new technology, making the parking situation better and perhaps a new HVAC system. To our Union County Freeholder Board improvements apparently translates into starting from scratch. The vision I cannot remove from my mind occurred on a sunny day last winter as I drove toward Westfield from Garwood. All of a sudden this behemoth was well, there. Quite frankly I don't miss much of what goes on in my neighborhood but from a distance I thought maybe I had. My first thought as I squinted from the sun in my eyes was that Westfield had built the much debated parking garage, however upon getting closer I realized what this "thing" actually was. For those who haven't had the experience of laying their eyes on it, I can only describe this as the single most ugly building in Union County. From my end of North Ave. with it's port hole windows it resembles something of a cross between the Queen Mary and a stone barn, coming from the downtown area going East it appears that Darth Vader's Fortress is out in the road. To think that the residents of the county have gone into debt to pay for this thing makes me shudder.

Not only was I caught by surprise it is my understanding that Westfield was equally caught by surprise. What the expert eye of the construction officials quickly deduced just by the sheer volume of blueprints that walked in the door was that this was not to be renovations but rather new construction. The new three-story building will house the County Police Headquarters, with metal reinforced walls, floors and ceilings in the prisoner holding quarters, the Prosecutors Forensics Lab, which will have DNA testing capabilities and the Division of Emergency Management. Not surprising is that the existing building is to be knocked down. What a waste.

Just how do the projects in Union County appear to grow before our very eyes? How do things go from being "much needed" to extravagant in scope? The trend is evidenced by the Trailside Museum project, the Court House and county administration building renovations which now has a marble entry way and atrium, and the proposed County Arts Center which has grown out of proportion while still on paper, only the Lord knows what will happen when they actually lift a hammer on that one. Help the team of Joe Renna, Patricia Quattrocchi, Frank Arena and Bruce Paterson get this spending of your taxpayer dollars under control by voting for us on November 2nd. We believe that this wasteful spending must stop now. To learn more about us and our Vision for Union County or to volunteer in this effort please visit our website at UnionCountyGOP.org or call us at 908-789-0200.