Clinton Township, New Jersey

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For the former township, see Clinton Township, Essex County, New Jersey.
Clinton, New Jersey
Map of Clinton Township in Hunterdon County
Map of Clinton Township in Hunterdon County
Coordinates: 40°37′51″N 74°52′6″W / 40.63083, -74.86833
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Hunterdon
Incorporated April 12, 1841
Government
 - Type Faulkner Act (Small Municipality)
 - Mayor Nick Corcodilos (2008)
Area
 - Total 33.9 sq mi (87.9 km²)
 - Land 30.0 sq mi (77.7 km²)
 - Water 3.9 sq mi (10.2 km²)
Elevation [1] 427 ft (130 m)
Population (2006)[2]
 - Total 14,082
 - Density 431.9/sq mi (166.8/km²)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 08809
Area code(s) 908
FIPS code 34-13750[3]
GNIS feature ID 0882177[4]
Website: http://www.township.clinton.nj.us/

Clinton Township is a Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 12,957.

Clinton Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 12, 1841, from portions of Lebanon Township, based on the results of a referendum held that same day. Portions of the township have been take to form Clinton town (April 5, 1865, within the township; became independent in 1895), High Bridge township (March 29, 1871) and Lebanon borough (March 26, 1926).[5]

Annandale is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Clinton Township.

Contents

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 33.9 square miles (87.9 km²), of which, 30.0 square miles (77.7 km²) of it is land and 3.9 square miles (10.2 km²) of it (11.58%) is water.

Clinton Township borders Franklin Township, the Town of Clinton, Union Township, Lebanon Township, High Bridge Borough, Tewksbury Township, Readington Township, and Raritan Township. Lebanon Borough is an independent municipality located entirely within Clinton Township.

Cushetunk Mountain is a ring-shaped mountain located in Readington Township and Clinton Township. Once an active volcano, the diabase mountain was formed 160 million years ago.[6] The Lenape called the mountain "Cushetunk" meaning "place of hogs" after the wild hogs found there.[7]. In the 1960s, the valley was filled with water to create Round Valley Reservoir.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1930 1,856
—
1940 2,349 26.6%
1950 2,926 24.6%
1960 3,770 28.8%
1970 5,119 35.8%
1980 7,345 43.5%
1990 10,816 47.3%
2000 12,957 19.8%
Est. 2005 14,082 [2] 8.7%
Population 1930 - 1990[8]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 12,957 people, 4,129 households, and 3,253 families residing in the township. The population density was 431.9 people per square mile (166.8/km²). There were 4,234 housing units at an average density of 141.1/sq mi (54.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 87.71% White, 6.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 2.35% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.59% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.91% of the population.

There were 4,129 households out of which 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.1% were married couples living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the township the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 118.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 124.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $96,570, and the median income for a family was $106,448. Males had a median income of $77,229 versus $46,762 for females. The per capita income for the township was $37,264. About 0.3% of families and 0.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

The Township of Clinton's government consists of a Mayor and four Council members, all elected at-large. The Mayor exercises executive authority and appoints Council Committees as well as personnel for various statutory municipal positions such as Clerk and Assessor. The Mayor also presides at meetings of the Council and has a vote but no veto power. The Township Council is the legislative body of Clinton Township's government and must confirm the Mayor's appointments to the statutory positions described above. Beyond these positions, the Council can make their own appointments. Other major powers of the Council include considering and adopting ordinances, resolutions and the annual budget.

This form of Government is known as "Plan C", one of various options within the Small Municipality Plan among possible new categories of municipal charters. These new models of government came about by the Faulkner Act, which was legislation established to reform the traditional but outmoded forms of municipal government in New Jersey.[9]

The Clinton Township Council consist of Mayor Nick Corcodilos (term ends December 31, 2008), Dawn Apgar (2010), Kevin Cimei (2010), Charlie Howard (2009) and Steve Krommenhoek (2009).[10]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Clinton Township is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd Legislative District.[11]

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 Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 23rd District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township) and in the Assembly by Michael J. Doherty (R, Oxford Township) and Marcia A. Karrow (R, Raritan Township).[12] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[13]

Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis. As of 2008, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Erik Peterson (Milford), Freeholder Deputy Director William Mennen (Tewksbury Township), Matt Holt (Clinton Town), George B. Melick (Tewksbury Township) and Ronald Sworen (Frenchtown).[14]

[edit] Politics

In the 2004 Presidential Election, Clinton Township voters gave George W. Bush 4,389 votes, to John Kerry's 2,340 out of 6,789 total votes cast.[15] That represents 64.6% for the Republican to 34.5% for the Democrat.

[edit] Education

The Clinton Township School District serves approximately 1,800 children in grades Pre-K through 8. Students are spread evenly among the three schools in the district, which are (with 2005-06 school enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[16]) Spruce Run Elementary School (K-2; 554 students), Patrick McGaheran School (3-5; 610 students) and Round Valley Middle School (6-8; 654 students). Students in grades 7 and 8 from Lebanon Borough attend the district as part of a sending/receiving relationship.

Students in grades 9 through 12 attend North Hunterdon High School in Annandale as part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. North Hunterdon High School serves students from Bethlehem Township (261 students), Clinton Town (132 students), Clinton Township (743 students), Franklin Township (146 students), Lebanon Borough (45 students) and Union Township (245 students).

[edit] Transportation

Annandale is a New Jersey Transit railroad station on the Raritan Valley Line, in the Annandale section of Clinton Township. There is a station building that is no longer used and there are two small shelters. This station has limited weekday service and no weekend service.

[edit] References

  1. ^ USGS GNIS: Township of Clinton, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
  2. ^ a b Census data for Clinton township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 21, 2008.
  3. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  5. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 154
  6. ^ Round Valley
  7. ^ Cushetunk Mountain
  8. ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  9. ^ Clinton Township Government: Form of Government, accessed October 23, 2006
  10. ^ Clinton Township Mayor and Council, accessed March 17, 2007
  11. ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. p. 56. Accessed August 30, 2006.
  12. ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  13. ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  14. ^ Hunterdon County Board of Chosen Freeholders, accessed February 22, 2008.
  15. ^ 2004 General Election Official Results - Clinton Township, accessed May 15, 2006
  16. ^ Data for the Clinton Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 21, 2008.

[edit] External links

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