UNION COUNTY LOCALSOURCE LOCALSOURCE.COM THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011 — PAGE 19

City seeks to recoup funds from CovantaBy Cheryl Hehl

Staff WriterRAH WAY — The city is aggressively

pursing what could amount to millions owedto it since 1998 by Covanta Energy, the com-pany that operates the waste incinerator forthe county in Rahway.

In March when Sunil Garg, the executivedirector of the Union County UtilitiesAuthority, filed a $180 million federal law-suit against Covanta for fraud, claiming thecompany had been overtoiling the UCUA by$6 million a year in addition to gypping Rah-way out of the full amount they were owed asa host community, the city began meetingwith Covanta and UCUA legal representa-tives.

"There is some money owed to the city ofRahway that we are aggressively pursuing,"City Administrator Peter Pelissier told thegoverning body at the June 15 City Councilmeeting.

"We have undertaken a very strong stanceon excess tonnage delivered to Rahway andwe believe we have been successful,"Pelissier said. "We are meeting with Covan-ta and the UCUA and we believe we are onthe right track."

The city administrator, though, stoppedshort of explaining how much money wasinvolved or when it would be repaid.

New Jersey law entitles municipalitiesthat agree to host the construction and opera-tion of solid waste facilities — including

resource recovery facilities like the UCUA— to receive monetary benefits, or hostmunicipality benefits, from persons engagedin solid waste collection and disposal opera-tions at that facility. In the case of theUCUA, that would be Covanta.

Garg's federal lawsuit contends that Cov-anta was well aware of its obligation to pro-vide Rahway with a portion of the monetarybenefits they reaped from the sale of recycledmaterials. He alleged that this financialshortage added up to more than $500,000 ayear since 1998.

However, while Pelissier agreed the cityis owed money, he also explained to the CityCouncil that the new 35-year lease extensionagreement Covanta is striking with the

UCUA and 14 member municipalities, willprovide the city with additional longtermfinancial benefits.

"The reduction in tonnage, which is $62 aton now, will be reduced by another $ 12 a tonfor Rahway, or a savings of $168,000 ayear," the city administrator explained, not-ing that would be a savings of one tax pointper year.

This reduction in tonnage fees is an actu-al savings of $15 a year for the average homeassessed at $133,000.

There is another benefit to the citybecause they serve as the host community.As a result of the new lease agreement, Rah-way will will receive an additional $150,000a year until 2045.

HEALTH & WELLNESSHillside blood drivewill be open to all

The Hillside Community BloodBank and the Hillside Board ofHealth in conjunction with TheBlood Center of New Jersey will behosting a blood drive on July 12from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at HillsideMunicipal Building, lower parkinglot on the Hillside Avenue side inHillside.

You don't have to pre-register.Just come on this day and help pro-tect you and your family by givingblood and save a life. You willreceive a free cholesterol screeningand a $10 Dunkin Donut gift cardin appreciation of your blood dona-tion. You don't have to be a Hillsideresident to donate blood. You mayalso get credit for any organizationthat is a member of the Blood Cen-ter of New Jersey.

Seven local nursesreceive awards in May

Seven outstanding nurses atTrinitas Regional Medical Centerreceived awards for their dedica-tion to their profession at the Nurs-ing Division's Excellence in Nurs-ing Practice Awards Reception.

This year, 26 candidates wererecommended for honors in theawards program. Winners are cho-sen based on nominations of co-workers and colleagues who selecttheir fellow nurses for these distincthonors.

The winners at the 2011 AwardsReception are: innovation winnerAmelia Jordan of Roselle whoworks in the emergency depart-

ment; leadership winner DeniseLoneker of Roselle Park, also of theemergency department; mentoringwinner Patricia Henn of Hillsidewho works in the labor and deliv-ery unit; 2011 Nursing Assistant ofthe Year, Patricia Ramirez of Eliza-beth who works in the emergencydepartment; commitment to caringwinner Ives Cabezas of Union whoworks in the oncology patient careunit; clinical care winner JenniferScannella of Rahway who works inintensive care and Trinitas Region-al Medical Center's New PointCampus Nurse of the Year winnerDiane Barany of Avenel who worksin the substance abuse out-patientunit of the department of behav-ioral health and psychiatry. Theawards program and event are partof the medical center's observanceof Nurses Week in May.

Cardiac wing receivesupdates at hospital

Cardiac patients and their fami-lies will appreciate the newly reno-vated 3C Telemetry Unit at RobertWood Johnson University Hospitalin Rahway. In addition to a freshnew look, the 24-bed unit has a newpatient and family lounge, energy-saving LED lighting and the latesttelemetry equipment. An expandednursing station has ample meetingspace for physicians, nurses andcase managers.

In addition to the newly reno-vated cardiac unit, plannedimprovements to the hospital's car-diac program include new cardiaccatheterization lab equipment andexpanded services.

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Kailey McDonough, a first-grader at Washington Elementary School in Unionbounces along with classmates during the schools end-of-the-year Track, Fieldand Fun day held on the school grounds.

Congratulations to all our 2011 Graduating SeniorsWe wish each one of you a future filled

Lindsay ArmusRicahrd ArmbrusterMelissa AguirreKaren BoberJeffrey BaumannAlicia BeraSarah BarryRebecca BarryRaymon CappolaJanine CasaleMicaela ColabellaChelsea CoonAlyssa ClemenkoDana CandelarioChris CharriezNicole CarusoneDavid ClericuzioAllesandra CascaranoDaniel ClearyMartin CrosbyDesli DeMarsicoKristy DaubertPatrick Daniels

^ — T _ j i n -

Dr. Frank W. KrauseMatthew DiGiovanniSarah DelairCynthia DeMatosRobert FallerThomas FolgerAmanda FillipponeJohn FlynnRachel Berzon-FinkMichael FarkasXavuer GriffinKaherine GreifeldBrianna GracianoKristen GodseyCora HaloSamantha HoagRobert HaddadAlex HeuckeMatt HayesNichole HoffmanTrevor HertzTyler IrwinMaryMtchael JenningsLori Joseph

Richard JohnstoneMichael JonesCassie KinneyAlexis KalogianneGary KuglerChris KoehlerJackie LaBruttoZachary Lulinsky-LevyStacey LopezDena LeonelliMichael LaRoseNichole LaydenAllesandra LoConteThomas McLaughiinMelissa McKennaAdam MuldowneyKelly MertenMichael MazzaFrank MartinoJackie MonteagudoEvan MoultonChris Moore

DIPLOMATE OF

with success and happiness.and Staff

Lindsay NalepaCharles NeriJoseph NeriEmily NaplesMatt OrcuttBrian PetrucciDan PisauroNolan ParkerRose PapandreaThomas PriceTravis PrzbylskiKelsey PinkhamAndrew PiresVictor PozsonyiAlexander RodriguesAshley RozmanDalton RobbinsJessica Rozewski

Olivia RosenbergAndrew SchneiderConnor StevensonJulieanne SalernoChristine ShanahanRebecca ShaferEvan StevensSarah SalermoKevin SilvestriKristen SchaarschmidtBelinda SchwartzKevin SwanMegan SawyerMargaret TrapaniKaitlin TharaldsenMargaret TrapaniBrian ZamorskiAlex Bradbury-Wallard

CRANFORD ORTHODONTICSFRANK W. KRAUSE, D.D.S., M.S.

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Telephone 908-272-5595 • Fax 908-272-5587280217