Allamuchy Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 20.763 square miles (53.777 km²), including 20.454 square miles (52.977 km²) of land and 0.309 square miles (0.800 km²) of water (1.49%). The townships southeastern border is formed by the Musconetcong River.

Allamuchy CDP (with a 2010 Census population of 78) and Panther Valley (2010 population of 3,327) are census-designated places and unincorporated communities located within the township. As of the 2000 United States Census, the two CDPs were consolidated as Allamuchy-Panther Valley, which had a 2000 Census population of 3,125.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Alphano, Long Bridge, Quaker Church, Saxton Falls and Warrenville.

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census counted 4,323 people, 1,953 households, and 1,213 families residing in the township. The population density was 211.3 per square mile (81.6/km²). The township contained 2,096 housing units at an average density of 102.5 per square mile (39.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.45% (4,040) White, 1.78% (77) Black or African American, 0.14% (6) Native American, 2.73% (118) Asian, 0.02% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.39% (17) from other races, and 1.48% (64) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.49% (194) of the population.

Out of a total of 1,953 households, 22.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the township, 18.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 33.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.8 years. For every 100 females the census counted 90.9 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 85.5 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $82,781 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,051) and the median family income was $104,601 (+/- $18,824). Males had a median income of $76,467 (+/- $14,328) versus $55,625 (+/- $6,142) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $49,834 (+/- $4,833). About 0.9% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Culture and tourism

Rutherfurd Hall is a cultural center and museum that provides educational and enrichment opportunities for the residents of Allamuchy, the surrounding communities, and the greater New York – New Jersey Highlands region at large. It conducts and hosts public programs including: 4th of July Fireworks, Hall of Haunts, Scouting, Teas & Talks, etiquette courses, lectures, concerts, specialty summer camps and weddings. A family seat for the decedents of Walter Rutherfurd and Senator John Rutherfurd, Rutherfurd Hall was designed by Whitney Warren and the Olmsted Brothers and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

Local government

Allamuchy Township is governed under the Faulkner Act (Small Municipality) form of government. The Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, allows municipalities to adopt a Small Municipality form of government only for municipalities with a population of under 12,000. The government consists of a Mayor and a four-member Township Council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a three-year term of office. Council members serve a term of three years, which are staggered so that two seats come up for election in the first two years of a three-year cycle and the mayoral seat is up in the third year.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Allamuchy Township is Republican Keith DeTombeur, whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. Members of the Allamuchy Township Committee are Diana Cook (R, 2016), Rick Lomonaco (R, 2017), Douglas Ochwat (R, 2016) and Betty Schultheis (R, 2017; appointed to serve an unexpired term until November 2016).

In January 2016, the Township Committee selected former mayor Betty Schultheis from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2017 that had been held by Keith DeTombeur until he stepped down to take office as mayor; Schultheis will serve on an interim basis until the November 2016 election, when voters will select a candidate to serve the balance of the term of office.

Federal and state representation

Allamuchy Township is located in New Jersey's fifth congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Allamuchy Township had been in the 23rd state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there was a total of 3,197 registered voters in Allamuchy Township, of whom 529 (16.5% vs. 21.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,253 (39.2% vs. 35.3%) were registered as Republicans, and 1,413 (44.2% vs. 43.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were two voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 74.0% (vs. 62.3% in Warren County) were registered to vote, including 90.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 81.5% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 62.2% of the vote (1,489 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 36.3% (868 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (35 votes), among the 2,431 ballots cast by the township's 3,328 registered voters (39 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.0%.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.3% of the vote (1,045 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.3% (342 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (20 votes), among the 1,433 ballots cast by the township's 3,426 registered voters (26 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.8%.

Education

Public school students in pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade are served by the Allamuchy Township School District. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district's two schools had an enrollment of 585 students and 37.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.7:1. Schools in the district (with 2012-13 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Mountain Villa School with 91 students in pre-Kindergarten through 1st grade and Allamuchy Township School with 341 students in second through eighth grade.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Hackettstown High School which serves students from Hackettstown, as well as students from the townships of Allamuchy, Independence and Liberty, as part of sending/receiving relationships with the Hackettstown School District.

Students from the township and from all of Warren County are eligible to attend Ridge and Valley Charter School in Blairstown (for grades K-8) or Warren County Technical School in Washington borough (for 9-12), with special education services provided by local districts supplemented throughout the county by the Warren County Special Services School District in Oxford Township (for PreK-12).

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 36.90 miles (59.38 km) of roadways, of which 10.59 miles (17.04 km) were maintained by the municipality, 19.49 miles (31.37 km) by Warren County and 6.82 miles (10.98 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Interstate 80 crosses Allamuchy Township, and is accessible at Exit 19, County Route 517. Many choose the Allamuchy area because of its proximity to New York City.

Public transportation

Allamuchy Township was formerly served by the Allamuchy Train Station and Allamuchy Freight House until passenger service on the Lehigh and Hudson River Railway was ended in 1933. The Allamuchy Freight House is listed on the National Historic Register of Historic Places.

Notable events