Bloomsbury, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.910 square miles (2.358 km²), including 0.877 square miles (2.272 km²) of land and 0.033 square miles (0.086 km²) of water (3.64%).

The borough borders Bethlehem Township in Hunterdon County, as well as the townships of Franklin, Greenwich and Pohatcong all within Warren County. Bloomsbury is located on the south side of the Musconetcong River in the northwest corner of Hunterdon County and is the third-smallest municipality in Hunterdon County.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 870 people, 337 households, and 236.9 families residing in the borough. The population density was 991.9 per square mile (383.0/km²). The borough contained 358 housing units at an average density of 408.1 per square mile (157.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.40% (830) White, 1.03% (9) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 1.84% (16) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.34% (3) from other races, and 1.38% (12) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.02% (35) of the population.

Out of a total of 337 households, 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the borough, 27.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 31.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females the census counted 105.2 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 101.6 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $98,571 (with a margin of error of +/- $19,026) and the median family income was $106,324 (+/- $11,687). Males had a median income of $71,000 (+/- $9,149) versus $50,417 (+/- $7,595) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $42,141 (+/- $6,038). About 2.6% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 886 people, 322 households, and 252 families residing in the borough. The population density was 975.5 people per square mile (375.9/km²). There were 342 housing units at an average density of 376.6 per square mile (145.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.19% White, 0.34% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.47% of the population.

There were 322 households out of which 45.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 15.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the borough the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 38.4% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $64,375, and the median income for a family was $67,500. Males had a median income of $51,053 versus $33,750 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,392. About 4.8% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Bloomsbury is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, 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 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 in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Bloomsbury, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Bloomsbury is Republican Martha Tersigni, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the Borough Council are Deputy Mayor Al Stiehler (2017), Chris James (R, 2016), Kathleen Jordan (R, 2018), Vicky Papics (R, 2016), Chris Smith (R, 2018) and Eric Weger (R, 2017).

Federal, state and county representation

Bloomsbury is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.

New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 23rd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Michael J. Doherty (R, Washington Township, Warren County) and in the General Assembly by John DiMaio (R, Hackettstown) and Erik Peterson (R, Franklin Township, Hunterdon County). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office at-large on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as the board's Director and another to serve as Deputy Director. As of 2015, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director John King (R; Raritan Township, 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Suzanne Lagay (R; Holland Township, 2016), J. Matthew Holt (R; Clinton Town, 2015), John E. Lanza (R; Flemington, 2016) and Robert G. Walton (R; Hampton, 2017). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Mary H. Melfi (R; Flemington, 2017), Sheriff Fredrick W. Brown (R; Alexandria Township, 2016) and Surrogate Susan J. Hoffman (R; Kingwood Township, 2018).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 546 registered voters in Bloomsbury, of which 120 (22.0%) were registered as Democrats, 227 (41.6%) were registered as Republicans and 199 (36.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 55.3% of the vote (223 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 42.7% (172 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (8 votes), among the 404 ballots cast by the borough's 561 registered voters (1 ballot was spoiled), for a turnout of 72.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 55.0% of the vote (254 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 42.6% (197 votes) and other candidates with 1.7% (8 votes), among the 462 ballots cast by the borough's 551 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 64.1% of the vote (302 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 33.5% (158 votes) and other candidates with 1.6% (9 votes), among the 471 ballots cast by the borough's 563 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 83.7.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.0% of the vote (189 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.1% (65 votes), and other candidates with 1.9% (5 votes), among the 260 ballots cast by the borough's 551 registered voters (1 ballot was spoiled), for a turnout of 47.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 62.1% of the vote (210 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 22.2% (75 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 12.4% (42 votes) and other candidates with 1.8% (6 votes), among the 338 ballots cast by the borough's 549 registered voters, yielding a 61.6% turnout.

Education

The Bloomsbury School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Bloomsbury Public School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 174 students and 3.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 58.0:1.

The district participates in the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, having been approved on November 2, 1999, as one of the first ten districts statewide to participate in the program. Seats in the program for non-resident students are specified by the district and are allocated by lottery, with tuition paid for participating students by the New Jersey Department of Education.

Public school students from Bloomsbury in ninth through twelfth grades attend Phillipsburg High School in Phillipsburg in Warren County, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Phillipsburg School District. The high school also serves students from four other sending communities: Alpha, Greenwich Township, Lopatcong Township and Pohatcong Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,631 students and 117.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.9:1.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 6.77 miles (10.90 km) of roadways, of which 4.99 miles (8.03 km) were maintained by the municipality, 0.49 miles (0.79 km) by Hunterdon County and 1.29 miles (2.08 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Several major roads run through the borough. Interstate 78 / U.S. Route 22 pass through the north and connects Bloomsbury at Exit 7 with Route 173.

The major county road that passes through is CR 579.

Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line (formerly the mainline of the Lehigh Valley Railroad), runs through the southwest part of Bloomsbury along the border with Bethlehem Township on its way to Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Bloomsbury include: