| Morris Plains, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Borough — | |
| Motto: "The Community of Caring" | |
| Morris Plains highlighted in Morris County. Inset map: Morris County highlighted in the State of New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Morris Plains, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Morris |
| Incorporated | April 15, 1926 |
| Government[1] | |
| • Type | Borough |
| • Mayor | Frank J. Druetzler |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.6 sq mi (6.8 km2) |
| • Land | 2.6 sq mi (6.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
| Elevation[2] | 433 ft (132 m) |
| Population (2007)[3] | |
| • Total | 5,534 |
| • Density | 2,018.7/sq mi (779.4/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07950 |
| Area code(s) | 973 |
| FIPS code | 34-48210[4][5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885308[6] |
| Website | http://www.morrisplainsboro.org/ |
Morris Plains, billing itself "the Community of Caring," is a Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 5,236.
Morris Plains was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1926, from portions of Hanover Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 15, 1926.[7]
Morris Plains serves as a bedroom community for workers in New York City. The Morristown Line of New Jersey Transit provides commuters with direct access to New York Penn Station and to Hoboken Terminal.
Morris Plains is also a major base of operations for Pfizer, previously the headquarters for Warner-Lambert. Pfizer also sponsors the Health and Medical Science Academy at Morristown High School and has an annual 5k race around Morris Plains.
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According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2), of which, 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.76%) is water.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,713 |
|
|
| 1940 | 2,018 | 17.8% | |
| 1950 | 2,707 | 34.1% | |
| 1960 | 4,703 | 73.7% | |
| 1970 | 5,540 | 17.8% | |
| 1980 | 5,305 | −4.2% | |
| 1990 | 5,219 | −1.6% | |
| 2000 | 5,236 | 0.3% | |
| Est. 2007 | 5,534 | [3] | 5.7% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[8] | |||
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 5,236 people, 1,955 households, and 1,477 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,018.7 people per square mile (780.6/km2). There were 1,994 housing units at an average density of 768.8 per square mile (297.3/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 92.91% White, 1.34% African American, 0.06% Native American, 4.32% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.69% of the population.
There were 1,955 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.0% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The average age is 41 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $84,806, and the median income for a family was $98,333. Males had a median income of $75,040 versus $44,554 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $36,553. About 1.5% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.
Morris Plains is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.[1]
As of 2008[update], the Mayor of Morris Plains is Frank J. Druetzler. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Stephen S. Welsh, Joseph Cecala, Jr., George J. Coogan, Jason C. Karr, Suzanne B. McCluskey and Donald F. Underhill.[9]
The Morris Plains Police Department has 17 sworn officers. The command structure has a chief, two lieutenants, five sergeants, nine patrolmen and six civilians.[10] They are dispatched through the Morris County Communication Center who dispatches for the police, fire and first aid departments. According to morrisplainspolice.org, the police department handled over 28,000 calls for the year 2009.[11]
Morris Plains is in the 11th Congressional district. New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
Morris Plains is in the 26th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Joseph Pennacchio (R, Pine Brook) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Alex DeCroce (R, Morris Plains) and Jay Webber (R, Morris Plains).[12]
Morris County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year.[13] As of 2011, Morris County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director William J. Chegwidden (Wharton),[14] Deputy Freeholder Director Douglas R. Cabana (Boonton Township),[15] Gene F. Feyl (Denville),[16] Ann F. Grassi (Parsippany-Troy Hills),[17] Thomas J. Mastrangelo (Montville),[18] John J. Murphy (Morris Township)[19] and Margaret Nordstrom (Washington Township).[20][21]
The Morris Plains Schools educate public school students from kindergarten through 8th grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[22]) are Mountain Way School for grades K-2 (230 students) and Borough School for grades 3-8 (368 students).
Students in public school for grades 9-12 attend Morristown High School, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Morris School District which also serves the communities of Morristown and Morris Township (for grades K-12).[23]
St. Virgil School],[24] a Catholic school serving grades PreK-8 (including PreK3 and PreK4), operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson.[25]
Notable current and former residents of Morris Plains include: