Chairwoman Leon and the Union County Board of County Commissioners on a special emergency call unanimously approved a resolution to provide temporary county assistance for households left without SNAP benefits during the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Chairwoman Leon said the county called the meeting because “families in Union County are facing an immediate and unexpected disruption in support due to the ongoing federal government shutdown” and added that the action is a stopgap. “This temporary assistance is not meant to replace full SNAP benefits or serve as a long term solution,” she said.

County Manager Ed Oakman thanked the board for convening on short notice and said county staff were preparing for distribution to begin Monday. “I just want to thank the board for coming in on just a short notice to help us get this off the ground and be ready for Monday,” Oakman said.

A resident speaking on behalf of Roselle Mayor Donald Shaw and the Roselle council publicly thanked commissioners for acting quickly, saying many households in Roselle will require the assistance.

Commissioner Mirabella moved to adopt the resolution, and Vice Chair Joe Bodek seconded. The clerk called the roll; Commissioners Baker, Delosford, Granados, Kowalski, Mirabella, Vice Chair Bodek and Chairwoman Leon all voted aye. The clerk announced seven affirmative votes on the resolution as read in the meeting (resolution referenced in the record as “20 25 8 5 3”).

Chairwoman Leon thanked staff across departments — including the county manager, finance, human services, public safety and the sheriff’s office — for coordinating rapid deployment and noted the measure is intended to bridge an immediate need while federal funding is paused. She also stated that Commissioners Kim Palmera Mudette and Rebecca Williams supported the measure but were unable to attend the special meeting.

The resolution directs county staff to implement temporary assistance; the meeting record and staff remarks indicate distribution preparations are underway but an exact dollar amount, per-household benefit level, eligibility criteria, and the county funding source for the assistance were not specified during the meeting.

The board adjourned after the unanimous vote.