What's New in Warren County

Issue 2, May 2023

Commissioners Corner

The property tax you pay to Warren County is made up of three taxes: the County Purpose Tax, the Library Tax and the Open Space Tax. Together, it's your annual property tax bill from the county, which is collected by your municipality along with your municipal tax and school district tax.

The fact is that the County equalized tax rate went down every year since 2015: From 0.7788 in 2015; down to 0.7644 in 2016; down to 0.7630 in 2017; down to 0.7311 in 2018; down to 0.7230 in 2019; down to 0.7040 in 2020; down to 0.6995 in 2021; down to 0.6806 in 2022; down to 0.6301 in 2023.

The equalized county tax rate went down eight years in a row. That's thanks to the forward thinking, fiscal responsibility and leadership of your Board of County Commissioners.

Commissioner Director Lori Ciesla

Commissioner Deputy Director James R. Kern III

Commissioner Jason J. Sarnoski

USDA Rural Development Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants are available. The program provides loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing. Grants up to 50% of total project costs are now available with the implementation of changes under the Inflation Reduction Act. A special joint meeting of the Warren County Economic Development Committee and the Warren County Board of Agriculture featured a presentation on the funding program that is available online.

NJDOT Commissioner Tour

Warren County Commissioner Director Lori Ciesla, NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti and various municipal and state leaders took a tour of the county regarding areas of focus and issues needing to be addressed by NJDOT. The tour was arranged by state Senator Douglas J. Steinhardt with Assemblyman John DiMaio.

Celebrating Volunteers

April was National Volunteer Month. Whether it's helping those in need, supporting residents with disabilities, working with children, students, or the elderly; or contributing to the arts, recreation, and cultural activities, our volunteers are truly one of our most valuable resources.

Thank you for your selfless dedication and commitment to making our county healthier, more vibrant, and more inclusive! Volunteer Month events included a celebration honoring parks and open space volunteers (above) and

a proclamation presented to volunteers who work with the Warren County Division of Aging and Disability Services at the Commissioners meeting on April 12.

Suicide Prevention Training Underway

Commissioner Director Lori Ciesla kicked off the first of two Suicide Prevention Training (QPR Gatekeeper Training) sessions at the Warren County Community College on April 20.

Gatekeeper training is a 3-step evidenced based intervention to help those in crisis. If you're interested in participating in the May 11 training, click the link to enroll.

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week was April 9-15, 2023

Warren County honors the dedicated telecommunications personnel in our public safety community. The safety of our police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel is dependent upon our Telecommunicators utilizing their skills to obtain accurate locations and critical information from citizens who contact the Warren County 9-1-1 Communications Center. READ MORE

Commissioner Kern visits Fish Hatchery in Hackettstown

Commissioner James R. Kern III had the opportunity to visit the Charles O. Hayford State Fish Hatchery in Hackettstown. Commissioner Kern toured the facilities and grounds of the more than 110-year-old hatchery, while learning about their operations, production and distribution of 15 different species of cool and warm water fish across the state.

Commissioner Kern congratulates Bi-State Shad Fishing Contest organizer Eric Fistler after presenting him with a Certificate of Merit from the county for his efforts to keep the tournament going in our community. Applauding Fistler are (l-r) this year's tournament champion Steve Kollar, Phillipsburg Mayor Todd Tersigni, and town Councilman Lee Clark.

Open Space & Historic Preservation Grants Available

Warren County is pleased to announce that grant applications are now available to municipalities and nonprofits for open space and historic preservation projects through the Municipal and Charitable Conservancy Trust Fund Committee (MCCTFC). The deadline for the 2023 Application is 3:00 pm on Friday, June 16, 2023. Applications and instructions are available on the County’s website

On the County Calendar:

Board of County Commissioners meetings are normally held the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at 6:00 p.m. (May 10 & 24).

May 19: Health & Wellness Field Day.

May 19: Job Fair sponsored by Warren County Economic Development Committee.

May 22: Public Hearing on 2023 Transportation Master Plan Amendment recommended by the Warren County Planning Board.

VIEW FULL CALENDAR

Autism Awareness

Commissioner Director Lori Ciesla (middle) presents a proclamation to the CEO of The Arc of Warren County John Whitehead and The Arc’s Chief Development & Communications Officer Annamaria Lalevee marking National Autism Awareness Month. Warren County is dedicated to promoting understanding and acceptance of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and encourages residents to learn more about ASD and early diagnosis strategies, listen to the experiences of individuals with autism, and help us build a more inclusive community that supports all.

FIND OUT MORE

Sexual Assault Awareness

The Board of County Commissioners granted a proclamation during its April 12 meeting to Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Crisis Center of Warren County (DASACC) for its dedication to promoting awareness and prevention of sexual abuse. Jill Zinckgraf (center) was also given a Certificate of Merit honoring her 10 years leading DASACC, as she will be departing as Executive Director in May.

The proclamation stated that in 2022, DASACC of Warren County provided services to more than 91 survivors of sexual assault, and facilitated 771 sessions of counseling, advocacy and support. Survivors of sexual assault are often impacted by physical injuries, psychological effects, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The impact of sexual assault is a national health crisis that affects the survivor, family, friends, and the community at large.

Visit Home | DASACC to find out how you can help.

Upcoming Events:

May 20: Agripalooza and Tractorcade

And Don't Forget about Mom, May 14!

Looking for more things to do?

Check out the Explore Warren events calendar and/or sign up for the Warren County Wanderings e-newsletter.

This newsletter is brought to you by the Warren County Board of County Commissioners