Clementon, New Jersey

History

Around 1800, Jonathon Haines built a glass factory in what is now present day Clementon, situated on a large hill across the street from the modern day Clementon Park. Large amounts of dirt, gravel and marl from the large hill the glass works were situated on were removed for use at a planned new Post office in 1961. Sometime around 1811, Samuel Clement of Haddonfield purchased the glass works and named them the Gloucester Glass works, and named the small settlement around the plant as Clementon village. Haines remained as a superintendent and at some point repurchased the works from Clement.

The Borough of Clementon was created on February 13, 1925, from Clementon Township, one of nine municipalities created from the now-defunct township, based on the results of a referendum held on March 17, 1925.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.972 square miles (5.108 km²), including 1.914 square miles (4.958 km²) of land and 0.058 square miles (0.151 km²) of water (2.95%).

The borough is located on Clementon Lake, which is the site of the Clementon Amusement Park. The amusement park was home to the Jack Rabbit, a wooden roller coaster constructed in 1919 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. Though quite tame in comparison to modern steel coasters, it remained popular with park visitors. It was one of the oldest remaining coasters in the country when it was taken out of service in 2002 and ultimately demolished in 2007.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Brownsville and Gordon Lake.

Clementon borders Lindenwold, Pine Hill, Pine Valley, and Berlin Borough.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 5,000 people, 2,064 households, and 1,226 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,612.0 per square mile (1,008.5/km²). The borough contained 2,235 housing units at an average density of 1,167.6 per square mile (450.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 71.28% (3,564) White, 19.12% (956) Black or African American, 0.56% (28) Native American, 2.10% (105) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 3.90% (195) from other races, and 3.04% (152) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 10.30% (515) of the population.

Out of a total of 2,064 households, 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.5% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the borough, 22.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females the census counted 94.3 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 90.6 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $40,185 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,676) and the median family income was $57,184 (+/- $7,155). Males had a median income of $40,987 (+/- $7,918) versus $34,063 (+/- $3,762) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $22,597 (+/- $2,393). About 7.8% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there are 4,986 people, 1,978 households, and 1,246 families residing in the borough. The population density is 2,636.3 people per square mile (1,018.6/km²). There are 2,206 housing units at an average density of 1,166.4 per square mile (450.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough is 82.23% Caucasian, 11.57% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 2.35% from other races, and 2.53% from two or more races. 4.13% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 1,978 households out of which 30.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% are married couples living together, 15.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% are non-families. 29.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.52 and the average family size is 3.13.

In the borough the population is spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the borough is $42,207, and the median income for a family is $50,963. Males have a median income of $33,879 versus $29,777 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $18,510. 11.4% of the population and 9.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 12.6% of those under the age of 18 and 14.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Economy

Clementon is home to Giambri's Quality Sweets, a long-established candy and chocolate maker that was founded in South Philadelphia in 1942 and moved to New Jersey in the early 1970s.

Local government

Clementon 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 Clementon, 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. A council president is selected annually from among their own members by the council and presides in the absence of the mayor. The council has all executive responsibilities not specifically assigned to the mayor.

As of 2016, the Mayor of the Borough of Clementon is Democrat Thomas J. Weaver, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the Clementon Borough Council are Council President Christine Nucera (D, 2018), Carol Andrews (D, 2017), Mark Armbruster (D, 2018), Jonathan M. Fisher (D, 2016), Meghan Milano (D, 2017) and Gordon Schaeffer (D, 2016; appointed to serve an unexpired term).

Federal, state and county representation

Clementon is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 4th state legislative district.

New Jersey's First Congressional District is represented by Donald Norcross (D, Camden). 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 4th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Fred H. Madden (D, Washington Township, Gloucester County) and in the General Assembly by Paul Moriarty (D, Washington Township, Gloucester County) and Gabriela Mosquera (D, Gloucester Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Camden County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members chosen at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year. As of 2015, Camden County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. (Collingswood, term as freeholder ends December 31, 2017; term as director ends 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Edward T. McDonnell (Pennsauken Township, term as freeholder ends 2016; term as deputy director ends 2015), Michelle Gentek (Gloucester Township, 2015), Ian K. Leonard (Camden, 2015), Jeffrey L. Nash (Cherry Hill, 2015), Carmen Rodriguez (Merchantville, 2016) and Jonathan L. Young, Sr. (Berlin Township, November 2015; serving the unexpired term of Scot McCray ending in 2017)

Camden County's constitutional officers, all elected directly by voters, are County clerk Joseph Ripa, Sheriff Charles H. Billingham, and Surrogate Patricia Egan Jones. The Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo was appointed by the Governor of New Jersey with the advice and consent of the New Jersey Senate (the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,945 registered voters in Clementon, of which 1,063 (36.1%) were registered as Democrats, 407 (13.8%) were registered as Republicans and 1,472 (50.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 67.6% of the vote (1,316 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 31.2% (607 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (25 votes), among the 1,970 ballots cast by the borough's 3,289 registered voters (22 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 59.9%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 61.9% of the vote (1,276 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 33.9% (700 votes), with 2,063 ballots cast among the borough's 3,049 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.7%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 60.7% of the vote (1,183 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 37.0% (721 votes), with 1,949 ballots cast among the borough's 2,780 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 70.1.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 58.3% of the vote (638 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 39.3% (430 votes), and other candidates with 2.4% (26 votes), among the 1,141 ballots cast by the borough's 3,379 registered voters (47 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 33.8%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 48.3% of the vote (529 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 42.7% (468 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 5.8% (63 votes), with 1,095 ballots cast among the borough's 2,950 registered voters, yielding a 37.1% turnout.

Education

The Clementon School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Clementon Elementary School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 665 students and 48.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.8:1.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Overbrook High School in Pine Hill as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Pine Hill Schools. The high school also serves the community of Berlin Township as part of a sending/receiving relationship. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 722 students and 65.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 23.91 miles (38.48 km) of roadways, of which 15.10 miles (24.30 km) were maintained by the municipality, 7.82 miles (12.59 km) by Camden County and 0.99 miles (1.59 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Public transportation

NJ Transit bus service is provided on the 403 route between Turnersville and Camden, as well as between the Lindenwold station and Atlantic City on the 554 route.

Notable people

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