Van Doren Hosts Mayors Call

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: May 4, 2020

Contact: Shaun C. Van Doren, Freeholder Director

Shaun.vandoren@co.hunterdon.nj.us

U.S. Senator And Congressman Hear Direct Appeal For Stimulus Funds

During Van Doren’s Weekly Mayors Call

Federal economic stimulus aid to small population counties and towns was a key topic of discussion during Hunterdon County Freeholder Board Director Shaun C. Van Doren’s weekly Mayors’ Update conference call on April 29 that included U.S. Senator Cory Booker and Congressman Tom Malinowski.

During the weekly update call Van Doren regularly hosts for Hunterdon County Mayors, the need to support financial aid for towns and counties of all sizes facing the crisis was stressed to Senator Booker and Congressman Malinowski.

Van Doren said, “Funds are going to be needed today and during the entire recovery period. These funds are something the Freeholder Board has been requesting from members of Congress since the pandemic started.”

Senator Booker and Congressman Malinowski indicated support for legislation to provide stimulus funds to help Hunterdon County and its municipalities which have expended significant tax dollars for health and emergency response programs needed to fight the virus.

In April, after localities with less than 500,000 were left out of the federal stimulus package, the Freeholder Board communicated with all the leaders of congress and President Trump citing the need for assistance due to the reduction in local revenue streams and the enormous costs responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Van Doren also pointed out that without the stimulus funds it would be difficult to continue slowing the spread of the virus and that the economic burden of recovery would fall directly on the already heavily impacted towns and counties.

Van Doren said, “The health and safety actions being implemented by the County in response to the COVID-19 pandemic include;

Coordinating a joint testing site with Somerset County at RVCC.

The county Health Department staff working around the clock performing contact tracing and case investigation since the pandemic began.

The county’s Office of Emergency Management and Department of Health have distributed over 150,000 units of PPE and other medical supplies to Hunterdon Medical Center, First Responders, medical providers, long-term care facilities, and the county staff engaged at the testing site.”

These actions have come at a tremendous cost. No matter the size of area’s population, federal stimulus funds should be provided to offset some of these costs on the taxpayers,” Van Doren concluded.