Chester Township, New Jersey

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Chester Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 7,282.

Contents

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 76.0 km² (29.3 mi²). 76.0 km² (29.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.03% is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census2 of 2000, there were 7,282 people, 2,323 households, and 2,014 families residing in the township. The population density was 95.9/km² (248.3/mi²). There were 2,377 housing units at an average density of 31.3/km² (81.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.12% white, 1.15% African American, 0.01% Native American, 2.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.58% of the population.

Of the 2,323 households, 46.0% feature children under the age of 18, 79.6% were married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.3% were non-families. 10.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.05 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the township the population was spread out with 30.5% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $117,298, and the median income for a family was $133,586. Males had a median income of $91,841 versus $52,076 for females. The per capita income for the township was $55,353. About 2.4% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

In 1958, Chester Township changed its form of government from the Township Form to a Faulkner Act form, Small Municipality, Plan C. Its structure includes four Councilmembers and a Mayor, all elected at large (not from wards) for three-year terms. The candidates run on a partisan basis at regular primary and general election times. Independent candidates, having declared their intentions at primary time, run only in the general election.

Plan C is a "strong mayor" form in which the Mayor, as chief executive, is responsible for all administrative functions. The Mayor presides at Council meetings, voting and participating as a member of the Council. He appoints, with Council approval, the following: Tax Assessor, Tax Collector, Clerk, Administrator, Treasurer, Zoning Officer, Construction Official, Court Administrator, Road Superintendent, Attorney, and Engineer. The Mayor is responsible for the budget, enforcing the charter (State law) and all ordinances (local laws), and the preparation of an annual report for the Council and residents.

The Council has legislative and policy-making power. It elects a Council President annually to preside in the Mayor's absence. The Mayor appoints the chairman and members of each committee, which are Finance and Insurance, Police, Public Works, and Construction Office. Councilmembers also serve as liaisons to the Recreation Committee, Parks Advisory Committee, Cable TV Committee, and Board of Health. The Mayor and one councilman are members of the Planning Board.

The members of the Chester Township Committee are Mayor Benjamin Spinelli, William Cogger, Joan Fischer, Karen Powell and Leonard Taylor[1].

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Chester Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th Legislative District.[2]

New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District, covering western portions of Essex County, all of Morris County, and sections of Passaic County, Somerset County and Sussex County, is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 24th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert Littell (R, Franklin) and in the Assembly by Guy R. Gregg (R, Flanders) and Alison Littell McHose (R, Sparta). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Morris County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Morris County's Freeholders are: Margaret Nordstrom (Freeholder Director), John Inglesino (Freeholder Deputy Director), Douglas R. Cabana, Frank J. Druetzler, Cecilia G. Laureys John J. Murphy and Jack Schrier.

[edit] Education

Students in grades K-8 attend the Chester Township Public School District, together with children from Chester Borough. The district is composed of Dickerson Elementary School (K-2), Bragg Intermediate School (3-5), and Black River Middle School (6-8). Dickerson and Bragg Schools are located on Route 24, east of Chester Borough; Black River Middle School is on County Route 513 (North Road), north of Chester Borough.

Students in grades 9 - 12 attend West Morris Central High School, in Washington Township, or West Morris Mendham High School, in Mendham Borough, depending on where in the township the student resides. The high schools are part of the West Morris Regional High School District, which also serves the residential communities of Chester Borough, Mendham Township.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Muniicpal Government: Elected Officials, accessed July 5, 2006
  2. ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 55, accessed August 30, 2006

[edit] External links

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Municipalities of Morris County, New Jersey
(County Seat: Morristown)
Boroughs

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Towns Boonton | Dover | Morristown
Townships Boonton | Chatham | Chester | Denville | East Hanover | Hanover | Harding | Jefferson | Long Hill | Mendham | Mine Hill | Montville | Mount Olive | Morris | Parsippany-Troy Hills | Pequannock | Randolph | Rockaway | Roxbury | Washington
CDPs and other Communities Budd Lake | Cedar Knolls | Cedar Lake | Convent Station | Flanders | Green Village | Lake Swannanoa | Landing | Lake Telemark | Long Valley | New Vernon | Port Morris | Stirling | Succasunna-Kenvil | Towaco | Whippany | White Meadow Lake
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