Writer: Joshua Andino
3 min read March 2023— As the first quarter of 2023 comes to a close, leaders have been presented with new challenges and opportunities. Across New Jersey, county officials are sizing up the economic lay of the land and determining the priorities, objectives and constituent concerns that will steer decisions over the next year. Invest: spoke with the commissioner-directors of Middlesex and Union Counties to hear what have been some of the successes over the last few months and the issues they’d be tackling as we move forward.
What have been some of the recent highlights for the county?
Ronald Rios, Director of the Board of County Commissioners, Middlesex County: We have so much going on in Middlesex County and are proud of our record and the goals and ambitions that we have. We are also proud of the partnerships – within both the public and private sectors – that we’ve forged and that we continue to foster. These partnerships play a key role in the infrastructure investments we are making in Middlesex County.
For instance, we recently announced the Community, Innovation, and Opportunity (CIO) Strategic Investment Plan, which is part of our Destination 2040 Strategic Plan in partnership with the state of New Jersey. This plan is designed to transform and bolster Middlesex College and the Middlesex County Magnet School system, as well as meet the diverse needs of the entire community. It is important that we be creative and expand the programs and services that we already have in place, while also developing and implementing new programs and services to meet the evolving demands of the community. The CIO Strategic Investment Plan includes adding several amenities to Middlesex College, such as spaces for sports and recreation – including a destination athletic complex featuring 14 multi-sport synthetic fields, 16 tennis courts, a state-of-the-art recreational cricket field, and much more; a Workforce Development & Conference Center; a new Student Center; and an expansion of the existing exterior campus spaces, activating these areas by adding public art, seating, and water features. We want to make the campus a destination for people from throughout the region and state – not just from Middlesex County. We are really excited about it as it can make a huge difference for the county by enhancing quality of life and driving economic development. The CIO Strategic Investment Plan will be significantly funded by state and federal dollars.
Sergio Granados, County Commission Chairman, Union County: We are in our fourth straight year of zero tax increases for the county and it has brought about a positive mindset that we want to continue. Union County has received a AAA bond rating that will be important for the movie production opportunities we are seeing here over the next six years. We are leaning into innovation while being responsive and proactive to community needs. We were the first county in the state to create an LGBTQ outreach office, to go along with our offices for community diversity and special needs, just as examples. These weren’t created out of a vacuum, it was from direct community feedback. At the end of the day, aside from programs and services, we also serve as advocates for different communities. We also have the Union County Digs In program to engage kids with urban agriculture, with sites at schools in every county municipality. Not only is this a great educational opportunity for youth, but 30% of the produce grown goes back to low-income families and local food pantries.
What are some opportunities present in the county?
Rios: Through our Destination 2040 Strategic Plan for economic growth, we’ve identified three key industries in Middlesex County: life sciences, autonomous technology, and food innovation, and we are investing at every level to ensure we are positioning our residents to take advantage of these growing economic opportunities. This includes our investments at Middlesex College, our Middlesex County Magnet Schools, and the Office of Career Opportunity. We’re working hard to attract and retain businesses in these key industries by cultivating an environment that supports their talent and infrastructure needs. For example, we’ve made a substantial investment in the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, which is currently under construction and will be the state’s first freestanding cancer hospital upon its planned completion in 2024. This will bring top medical care to the county so that our residents won’t have to travel to other major cities for the care they need. It will have classrooms and labs where our own students can gain hands-on experience working with doctors and technicians. A brain drain would be a big loss for our residents and the county economy. We have talent here in New Jersey and Middlesex County and we want to keep them here. In terms of autonomous technology, we’ve invested in the creation of DataCity, a living laboratory which will use sensors on strips of roadway throughout New Brunswick to collect real-world data to be used for the prevention of motor vehicle accidents and the development of autonomous vehicles. And in food innovation, we are establishing an updated food innovation education program at our County Magnet Schools to train the agricultural and aquacultural workforce of tomorrow. This program is made possible thanks to $300,000 in federal funding secured by U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone.
Granados: What’s great is how we are a central hub with access to all of New Jersey and into New York. There’s a deep sense of connection without the congestion of other parts of the state. We have great leadership within County administration and everyone is always very mindful of our budget. When it comes to the business community here, our workforce development board has done some great work. Our goal in 2023 is to host learning summits for both large and small to medium-sized businesses to inform them how the County can be a resource. It’s also a tremendous opportunity to encourage these companies to hire from Union County. We’re able to provide incentives to businesses that hire locals to help cover the wages of employees who are recruited through the American Job Center. There’s also funding to help people pay for transportation and daycare so these jobs can be more accessible. It’s a win-win for both residents and businesses. It helps eliminate barriers for people to find jobs, and in turn, these businesses are bringing in highly skilled and trained employees.
Are there any challenges the county is navigating?
Rios: The pandemic has hurt so many industries most notably because of supply chain issues. So far, capital projects are moving forward as planned. On the labor side, the County provides extensive education and training opportunities to build the workforce of the future. As Middlesex College expands its course offerings and our Magnet Schools expand its specialized learning paths, we are committed to providing academic and career training programs that prepare our students for careers right here in Middlesex County.
Granados: We’re establishing policies that make a positive difference in our residents’ lives. There is never enough we could be doing for our residents. We’re focused on all the areas affecting our communities. We had a countywide food drive that provided over 18 million meals to families in need and we’ve set aside $10 million for rental assistance programs for both documented and undocumented individuals. We have a grassroots mentality. We’re not making decisions based on what we think, but rather on conversations we have with residents.
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