Clark, New Jersey

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Map of Clark Township in Union County
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Map of Clark Township in Union County

Clark is a township in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 14,597.

The territory that would become Clark was originally a part of several of the early villages of the State and of Union County, but it was in 1858 after the village of Rahway incorporated itself into a city, that the land of present-day Clark, officially became a community. The City of Rahway designated this land as the 5th Ward of Rahway and Clark remained a part of Rahway until 1864 when the 357 residents of the ward declared their independence and established their own town. The Township was named for Abraham Clark, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Clark is located at 40°37′13″N, 74°18′34″W (40.620336, -74.309340)GR1.

The township is bordered by eight municipalities: Scotch Plains to the west, Westfield to the northwest, Cranford to the north, Winfield and Linden to the northeast, Rahway to the east, Woodbridge to the south and Edison to the southwest.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 11.6 km² (4.5 mi²). 11.2 km² (4.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (3.12%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 14,597 people, 5,637 households, and 4,126 families residing in the township . The population density was 1,298.6/km² (3,359.6/mi²). There were 5,709 housing units at an average density of 507.9/km² (1,314.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.61% White, 0.30% African American, 0.01% Native American, 2.75% Asian, 0.63% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. There is also one adolescent male of Iranian descent. Also Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.67% of the population.

There were 5,637 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the township the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $65,019, and the median income for a family was $77,291. Males had a median income of $54,543 versus $36,361 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,883. About 1.0% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Clark Township is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.

The Clark Township Committee consists of seven members, with three elected at-large from the township as a whole and four elected from wards. Four seats come up for election every two years on an alternating basis, with the three Council-at-large seats and Mayor coming up to vote, and then the four ward seats. The Mayor of Clark is Sal Bonaccorso, whose term of office ends December 31, 2008.

Members of the Township Council are[1]:

  • Council at Large - Alvin Barr (term ends in 2008)
  • Council at Large - Angel Albanese (2008)
  • Council at Large - Sheila Whiting (2008)
  • First Ward - Frank Mazzarella, President (2006)
  • Second Ward - Patrick O'Connor (2006)
  • Third Ward - Robert Bothe, Council Vice President (2006)
  • Fourth Ward - Brian P. Toal (2006)

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Clark Township is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 22nd Legislative District[2].

New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District, covering portions of Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, Somerset County and Union County, is represented by Mike Ferguson (R). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 22nd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Scutari (D, Linden) and in the Assembly by Jerry Green (D, Plainfield) and Linda Stender (D, Scotch Plains). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Union County is governed by a nine-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. As of the January 2006 reorganization, Union County's Freeholders are: Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella, Freeholder Vice Chairman Bette Jane Kowalski, Angel G. Estrada, Chester Holmes, Adrian O. Mapp, Rick Proctor, Deborah P. Scanlon, Daniel P. Sullivan and Nancy Ward.

[edit] Education

The Clark Public School District serves students in grades K - 12, who attend the following schools:

Students from Garwood, attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Garwood Public Schools.

[edit] Transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service to New York City and points in-between.

Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 11 miles from Clark.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Clark Government, accessed September 12, 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 Union County, New Jersey
(County Seat: Elizabeth)
Cities Elizabeth | Linden | Plainfield | Rahway | Summit
Town Westfield
Townships Berkeley Heights | Clark | Cranford | Hillside | Scotch Plains | Springfield Township | Union Township | Winfield Township
Boroughs Fanwood | Garwood | Kenilworth | Mountainside | New Providence | Roselle | Roselle Park
State of New Jersey
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Capital Trenton
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