Dear Mercer County Community,

As 2021 draws to a close, I’d like to take a moment to thank Mercer County residents, and our health care professionals, first responders and others who have toiled on the front lines of this pandemic, for continuing to make the sacrifices necessary to get through a second year of challenges brought on by COVID-19.

The pandemic has weighed heavily on all of us, affecting nearly every aspect of our lives. Thanks to ongoing efforts throughout the County to get shots into as many arms as possible, we’re in a much better place than we were a year ago, when vaccines were first being introduced and doses were in short supply. But case numbers and hospitalizations have been increasing in recent weeks and our continued vigilance is needed.

The full text of County Executive Hughes’ letter to the community can be found here.

Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes and the Park Commission thank the County residents and employees whose generous support of the County’s annual Holiday Toy Drive with the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program and the Park Commission Rangers will make this season of giving brighter for countless area children.

Did you know that between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day Americans throw away almost a million extra tons of garbage each week?! Try to make waste reduction a priority this holiday season, even small steps can make a big difference. Try purchasing recycled paper, or using color comics for wrapping. Author Robert Lilienfeld notes that if every family reused just 2 feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet! And for those of you decorating your homes and trees with holiday lighting, keep in mind that LED holiday lights use about 90 percent less energy than conventional lights.

The Mercer County Improvement Authority's 2022 Curbside Pickup Schedule has been posted! Click here. 

Acceptable Recyclable Materials

 Download Acceptable Recyclable Materials List

All Recyclables must be in the official buckets and at the curb by 7 a.m. Recyclables should not be placed in plastic bags. If collection day falls on a holiday (Christmas, New Years Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving) collection will be the following Saturday.

COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and free, and people ages 5 years and up are eligible. With the emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant and continued presence of the Delta variant, County Executive Brian M. Hughes and the Division of Public Health urge residents to get their primary COVID-19 vaccination doses and their booster shots if they haven’t already done so. Find vaccination information and a listing of upcoming clinics here. Find COVID-19 testing information here.

Eviction protections are NOT AUTOMATIC in New Jersey. Residents who are behind in their rent MUST file a self-certification to be able to take advantage of these protections. If a household submits the certification, and if you are eligible, you may be protected from being evicted or removed from where you are living at any time for past due rent accrued between March 1, 2020, and either Aug. 31, 2021, or Dec. 31, 2021, depending on your income. This self-certification tool will help you understand which protections you may be eligible for, allow you to submit a self-certification of your income to the courts, and send a copy of that form that can be kept in your records and shared with your landlord. Self-certify here:https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/renter.  Find information about Mercer County's Emergency Rental Assistance Program here.

Lace up your skates!

The Mercer County Skating Center, located in Mercer County Park in West Windsor, will have public skating hours throughout the holiday season, except for Christmas Day when the rink will be closed. Find the complete public skating schedule and additional information here or call 609-371-1766. 

Park Commission Deer Management

The Mercer County Park Commission's annual Deer Management program is underway at various Mercer County Park Commission parks. For a complete schedule of hunting days and times and for participation information, visit www.mercercountyparks.org

Click the image to read the complete report. 

Mercer County residents who had property damage or loss caused by remnants of Hurricane Ida now have until Jan. 5, 2022, to apply for individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property losses, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance. Register for disaster assistance and get more information by visiting disasterassistance.gov or calling 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585).