March 6, 2009
Bruce Nigro, Director
Essex County Division of Welfare
18 Rector Street, Floor 9
Newark, NJ, 07102
Re: Step II Class Action Contractual Grievance
Homeless Connect Day Conditions
Article I. Purpose
Article VII. Discipline
Article XXII. Health and Safety
Article XXV. Non-Discrimination
Article XXVII. Grievance Procedure
Article XLIX. Safety of Staff
Dear Mr. Nigro:
CWA Local 1081 submits this Step II Class Action Contractual Grievance to protest the unpardonable physical state of affairs that the County of Essex allowed to exist on January 28, 2009 at its Homeless Connect Day. Our Union became formally aware of these conditions during the course of the Work Practices Meeting of February 25, 2009:
- Homeless Connect Day’s accommodations, for clients and staff members alike, consisted of tents pitched within the Branchbrook Park Roller Skating Rink outfitted with decidedly deficient heating.
- The interiors of the “terrible teepees” were plagued by the snow and water traipsed into them from the feet of those entering the “woeful wigwam’s”.
- According to Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo’s attached press release of January 22, 2009, “The Branch Brook Park Roller Skating Rink will be transformed into a convenient one-stop center where homeless clients will have an opportunity to learn about and receive available social and health-related services. ‘With Project Homeless Connect Day, we are hoping to break down barriers of service delivery and link our homeless clients with the many programs and community agencies that are dedicated to providing assistance,’ DiVincenzo said. ‘I want to thank the various groups that are partnering with us to provide hospitality, serve as advocates for the homeless and are helping us address this societal issue,’ he added.
CWA Local 1081 maintains there was nothing “convenient” about the physical plants provided by the County of Essex for this year’s Homeless Connect Day. If those conditions which greeted the homeless were any indication of the County’s concerns for them, let alone its gratitude expressed for our adversely affected members whom were sufficiently selfless to volunteer to work on that Saturday, the targeted needy population faces many more problems than did they before entering the provided perverse pergolas.
The resolution CWA Local 1081respectfully demands to this grievance consists of the following:
- The County shall far better plan for next year’s Homeless Connect Day and provide attending clients, and our volunteer members, intensely improved environments worthy of human beings.
- The County shall abandon any adverse actions now in the works against any of our Union’s members whom chose not to work within the horrific hells existent on January 28, 2009 within the Branchbrook Park Roller Skating Rink.
- The County shall revisit its plans to expend even more excessive amounts of money upon its parks system, particularly so within Branchbrook Park, were the sad events of January 28, 2009 an accurate depiction of those expenditures’ results.
We seek a hearing, in this regard.
Sincerely,
David H. Weiner, President
CWA Local 1081
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January
22,
2008
ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES PLANS
FOR SECOND ANNUAL PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT DAY
One-Day Program to Survey Homeless Residents
and Provide Link to Essential Services
Newark, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that the County will be partnering with over 50 community and faith-based organizations to host the Second Annual Essex County Project Homeless Connect Day, which will be held as follows:
Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Place: Essex County Branch Brook Skating Rink
The Branch Brook Park Roller Skating Rink will be transformed into a convenient one-stop center where homeless clients will have an opportunity to learn about and receive available social and health-related services. In addition to information and services, a county-wide census of the homeless will be undertaken that day. Last year, more than 800 clients participated in the open house style event.
“With Project Homeless Connect Day, we are hoping to break down barriers of service delivery and link our homeless clients with the many programs and community agencies that are dedicated to providing assistance,” DiVincenzo said. “I want to thank the various groups that are partnering with us to provide hospitality, serve as advocates for the homeless and are helping us address this societal issue,” he added.
“Project Homeless Connect Day is not only raising awareness about homelessness, but it is helping the County strengthen our partnerships with municipal governments and service providers for the benefit of the homeless,” Essex County Director of Citizen Services Anibal Ramos, Jr. said. “At the end of the day, our homeless will be more aware about the services available to them. And the information and feedback we receive from our homeless and partners will help us develop a more effective 10-year plan to address homelessness in our communities,” he added.
Every two years, Essex County is mandated by the federal Office of Housing and Urban Development to conduct a “Point in Time Survey,” which is a one-day count of individuals and families who are homeless and living on the street, in emergency shelters or in transitional housing. HUD uses the statistics gathered in the Point in Time Survey to determine how federal aid to help the homeless is distributed. Even though the County is not required to conduct a survey in 2008, County Executive DiVincenzo decided to host the event to improve outreach, provide much-needed services and gather data for the County.
On the day of the survey, which will be held Tuesday, January 29th, Essex County employees and volunteers organized by the Essex County Division of Community Action will visit parks, soup kitchens, shelters and other areas where homeless congregate to conduct the Point in Time Survey. Homeless residents will then be provided with free transportation from NJ Transit to the Essex County Branch Brook Roller Rink, where they will receive a nutritious meal and have access to information about available services. Among the services being offered are: public assistance, legal services, health screenings, mental health services, emergency services, educational services, prisoner re-entry services and employment services.
“I’m proud to be part of this program that will raise awareness about homelessness in our community and bring essential services to the people that need them,” Sheriff Armando Fontouro said. “This event is an opportunity for us to let people know that there is help available,” he added.
“Project Homeless Connect on Tuesday, January 29th will be such a worthwhile day. I am filled with pride to see everyone come together to help those in need,” Freeholder and Newark Councilman Donald Payne, Jr. said.
“We continually have to find new ways to raise awareness about homelessness and bring services to our clients that need them. Essex County government and our non-profit partners are here to help our less fortunate residents,” Freeholder Samuel Gonzalez said.
“To our less fortunate residents, the Homeless Connect Day is an opportunity to see a friendly face and be welcomed in a place with centralized services. For Essex County and social service organizations, it is an opportunity to better determine how we can make a difference in people’s lives and provide them what they need,” said Major Charles Kelly, Essex County Coordinator with the Salvation Army.
The County Executive also announced that the Division of Community Action is in the process of forming a volunteer committee to provide oversight of the development of a comprehensive 10-year plan to address homelessness. The committee will be comprised of 25 representatives from agencies that address homelessness, including community-based, faith-based and ex-offender organizations; housing, transportation, law enforcement and government entities; and public schools, hospitals and foundations.
The goal of the committee is to provide input to the Essex County Division of Community Affairs from the perspective of the organizations and entities that impact homelessness in Essex County. It also will review drafts of the plan and support the final document that will be submitted to the County Executive for approval. All counties are required by the U.S. Office of Housing and Urban Development to develop a plan.
The County will have personnel from its Division of Community Action, Division of Community Health, Division of Welfare, One-Stop Center and Division of Senior Services at the roller rink to provide information and link homeless residents with assistance programs. Other organizations that are partnering with Essex are as follows: Catholic Charities/St. Bridget’s Network, Churches in Cooperation, City of Newark Mayor’s Commission on Homelessness, City of Orange, Community FoodBank of NJ, Community Health Law Project, Covenant House of NJ, East Orange General Hospital Path Program, El Club del Barrio, Essex County Medical Assistance, Essex-Newark Legal Services, Essex Prevention Resources, Inc., FOCUS, Goodwill Industries, HANDS, Inc., Helping Hands and Ears, Integrity, Interfaith Hospitality Network for the Homeless, Irvington SDA Community Service, Lighthouse Community Services, Mental Health Association of Essex County, New Community Harmony House, NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development, Newark Community Health Centers, Inc., Newark Public Schools, Newark YMCA, Newly Destined, Inc., NJ Division of Youth & Family Services, Offender Aid & Restoration of Essex County, Inc., Positive Health Care Inc., Project Live Path Program, Renaissance Community Development Center, Salvation Army, Second Day Baptist Church, Social Security Administration, St. James Social Service Corporation, St. Rocco’s Family Shelter, The High Class Theater Group, The Seventh Day Adventist Church of the Oranges, Tri-City Peoples Corporation, United Community Corporation, Urban Renewal Corp and Vision of Hope.
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