Mahwah, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mahwah is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 24,062. The name Mahwah is derived from the Lenni Lenape word "mawewi" which means meeting place or place where paths meet.[1][2]
Mahwah is near the Ramapo Mountains and the Ramapo River. It is served by several major roadways, including U.S. Route 202, Route 17 and Interstate 287. Mahwah bordered by the towns of Upper Saddle River, Ramsey, Allendale, Wyckoff, Franklin Lakes, and Oakland in Bergen County, New Jersey; Ringwood in Passaic County, New Jersey; and Suffern in Rockland County, New York.
For 25 years Mahwah hosted the A&P Tennis Classic.
In August 1997, due to personal debt, then-Mayor David J. Dwork shot and killed himself in the town's mayoral offices. There were also unverified allegations of corruption[3]. Dwork was memorialized with a tree dedicated to him at the site of the Mahwah Public Library.
Mahwah is also mentioned briefly in the Bruce Springsteen song "Johnny 99."
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 67.9 km² (26.2 mi²). 67.2 km² (25.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.7 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (1.03%) is water. It is the largest municipality in Bergen County by area.
Several state and county parks are located in Mahwah, due to its large size and scenic terrain. They include Campgaw Mountain Reservation, Darlington County Park, Ramapo Mountain Reservation, and Ramapo Mountain State Forest. The Ramapo River runs through the western section of Mahwah.
Interstate 287 passes through Mahwah, but the only point of access is at the New Jersey-New York border where 287 meets Route 17. Historic U.S. Route 202 also runs through Mahwah from Oakland, New Jersey, to Suffern, New York.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 24,062 people, 9,340 households, and 6,285 families residing in the township. The population density was 358.3/km² (927.9/mi²). There were 9,577 housing units at an average density of 142.6/km² (369.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 87.93% White, 2.16% African American, 0.70% Native American, 6.31% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.50% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.27% of the population.
There were 9,340 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.2% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $79,500, and the median income for a family was $94,484. Males had a median income of $62,326 versus $42,527 for females. The per capita income for the township was $44,709. About 1.2% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Mahwah is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.
The Mayor of Mahwah is Richard J. Martel.[4]
The legislative power of the municipality is exercised by a seven member Township Council. Officials are elected at non-partisan elections, held every other May, for four-year terms. Members of the Mahwah Township Council are Council President H. Lisa DiGiulio, Council Vice President John F. Roth, Samuel A. Alderisio, Brenda L. Calandrillo, Gary A. Paton, Eileen L. Richter.[5]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Mahwah is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 40th Legislative District.[6]
New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, covering the northern portions of Bergen County, Passaic County and Sussex County and all of Warren County, is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 40th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Henry McNamara (R, Wyckoff) and in the Assembly by Kevin J. O'Toole (R, Wayne) and David C. Russo (R, Midland Park). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Bergen County's County Executive is Dennis McNerney (D). The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairwoman Bernadette P. McPherson (D, Rutherford), Vice-Chairman David L. Ganz (D, Fair Lawn), Elizabeth Calabrese (D, Wallington), James M. Carroll (D, Demarest), Tomas J. Padilla (D, Park Ridge), Elizabeth Randall (R), Westwood) and Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D, Englewood).
Other countywide elected officials are Sheriff Leo McGuire (D), Surrogate Court Judge Mike Dressler (D, Cresskill) County Clerk Kathleen Donovan (R).
[edit] Politics
Out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 24,682 in Mahwah, there were 14,204 registered voters (57.5% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 1,736 (12.2% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 3,443 (24.2% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 9,019 (63.5% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There were six voters registered to other parties.[7]
On the national level, Mahwah leans strongly toward the Republican Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 58% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received around 41%.[8]
[edit] Education
The Mahwah Township Public Schools serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district are:
Elementary Schools
- Betsy Ross (K-2)
- George Washington School (K-3)
- Joyce Kilmer School (4-5)
- Lenape Meadows (PreK-3)
Middle School
High School
- Mahwah High School (9-12)
The campus of Ramapo College is also located in the Township.
[edit] Corporate residents
Inserra Supermarkets is a member of the ShopRite retail cooperative, operating approximately 22 stores. It is a family owned business and is one of the 500 largest private companies in the United States.
[edit] References
- ^ If You're Thinking of Living in: Mahwah, The New York Times, June 2, 1991
- ^ Mahwah High School Mission Statement], accessed October 9, 2006
- ^ Debt Drove A Mayor To Suicide, Widow Says, The New York Times, August 26, 1997
- ^ Mayor, accessed July 21, 2006
- ^ Township Council, accessed July 21, 2006
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 60, accessed August 30, 2006
- ^ "County of Bergen: Voter Statistics by Municipality, Ward & District," dated April 1, 2006
- ^ 2004 Presidential Election results: Bergen County New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety: Division of Elections, dated December 13, 2004
[edit] External links
- Mahwah Township official website
- Mahwah Township Public Schools
- Mahwah Township Public Schools's 2004-2005 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Mahwah Township Public Schools
- Guide to Mahwah in Bergen County, NJ
