Government
Union County is governed by a nine-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. The members are elected at large to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with three seats coming up for election each year. The Freeholder Board sets policies for the operation of the County. Actual day-to-day operation of departments is supervised by an appointed County Manager, George W. Devanney.
The Freeholders perform the county's legislative and executive functions. In their legislative role, they formulate and adopt a budget and set county policies and procedures. In their executive role, they oversee county spending and functioning. Many of the administrative duties are delegated by the Board of Chosen Freeholders to the County Manager George Devanney.
Each of the freeholders serves on various committees and boards as a part of their duties. These include the Economic Development Committee, the Parks and Recreation Board, the Libraries Committee, and the Policy Committee, to name a few. In addition, the Board oversees the county's Open Space Trust Fund.
As of the January 2010 reorganization, Union County's Freeholders are Freeholder Chairperson Daniel P. Sullivan (Elizabeth), Freeholder Vice Chairperson Deborah P. Scanlon (Union), Angel G. Estrada (Elizabeth), Mohamed S. Jalloh (Roselle), Bette Jane Kowalski (Cranford), Alexander Mirabella (Fanwood), Rick Proctor (Rahway), Rayland Van Blake (Plainfield) and Nancy Ward (Westfield).
Law enforcement at the county level includes the Union County Police Department, the Union County Sheriff, and the Union County Prosecutor's Office.
Read more about this topic: Union County, New Jersey
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