Englishtown, New Jersey

History

At the Battle of Monmouth, an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, American General Charles Lee led the advance and initiated the first attack on the column's rear. When the British turned to flank him, he ordered a general retreat without so as much as firing a shot at the enemy, and his soldiers soon became disorganized. General George Washington continued the battle, earning respect for the Continental Army troops under his command. In the dining room of the Village Inn, located in the center of Englishtown, General Washington and Lord Stirling drew up the court martial papers citing Lee for his conduct during and after the battle.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.586 square miles (1.517 km²), including 0.569 square miles (1.474 km²) of land and 0.017 square miles (0.043 km²) of water (2.85%).

The borough is entirely surrounded by Manalapan Township, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 1,847 people, 621 households, and 458.3 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,245.7 per square mile (1,253.2/km²). The borough contained 647 housing units at an average density of 1,137.0 per square mile (439.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 88.14% (1,628) White, 2.60% (48) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 6.82% (126) Asian, 0.11% (2) Pacific Islander, 0.92% (17) from other races, and 1.41% (26) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.01% (148) of the population.

Out of a total of 621 households, 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 20.5% 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 2.84 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the borough, 25.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females the census counted 93.4 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 90.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $70,795 (with a margin of error of +/- $8,336) and the median family income was $86,484 (+/- $8,333). Males had a median income of $65,625 (+/- $10,588) versus $43,333 (+/- $8,417) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,313 (+/- $2,456). About 1.5% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 1,764 people, 643 households, and 416 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,102.1 people per square mile (1,194.9/km²). There were 680 housing units at an average density of 1,195.8 per square mile (460.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 88.38% White, 4.14% African American, .11% Native American, 4.48% Asian, 1.64% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.24% of the population.

There were 643 households out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% 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 3.51.

In the borough the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 36.5% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 11% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $57,557, and the median income for a family was $73,750. Males had a median income of $50,694 versus $33,068 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,438. About 4% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Englishtown 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 Englishtown, 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 the Borough of Englishtown is Republican Thomas Reynolds, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the Englishtown Borough Council are Council President Gregory W. Wojyn (R, 2016), Lori Cooke (R, 2018), Maryanne Krawiec (R, 2018), Cindy Robilotti (R, 2017), Eric Mann (R, 2017; appointed to fill an unexpired term) and Lou E. Sarti Jr. (R, 2016).

In April 2016, the Borough Council selected Eric Mann from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring December 2017 that had been held by Rudy Rucker until his resignation; Mann will serve on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when votes will choose a candidate to fill the balance of the term.

On March 28, 2012, Jayne Carr's seat on the Borough Council was officially vacated in accordance with state law after she failed to appear at eight consecutive meetings of the Borough Council dating back to December 2011. Carr claimed that she had stayed away from council meetings after receiving a death threat, and had informed the Monmouth County Prosecutor regarding the incident. As of May 4, 2012, no official statement has ever been made from any law enforcement agency at the local, state, or federal level confirming Carr's claims. In November 2011, Carr had been censured "for conduct detrimental to the orderly conduct of borough governance and violating standards of decorum and debate of a public body", based on statements that she had made accusing a council member and borough employee of breaking state law, and of having claimed to have chaired meetings of the Englishtown Development Committee. According to official records, the meetings Carr claimed to have chaired were never held.

On April 25, 2012, the Council selected Lou Sarti, a retired police officer and long-time resident of Englishtown who had served as President of the Englishtown Fire Department, to fill the unexpired term of the vacated seat.

Federal, state and county representation

Englishtown is located in the 4th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 12th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Englishtown had been part of the 12th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District is represented by Christopher Smith (R). 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 12th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Samuel D. Thompson (R, Old Bridge Township) and in the General Assembly by Robert D. Clifton (R, Matawan) and Ronald S. Dancer (R, Plumsted Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Monmouth County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members who are elected at-large to serve three year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as Director and another as Deputy Director. As of 2014, Monmouth County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry (R, Colts Neck Township; term ends December 31, 2014), Freeholder Deputy Director Gary J. Rich, Sr. (R, Spring Lake; 2014), Thomas A. Arnone (R, Neptune City; 2016), John P. Curley (R, Middletown Township; 2015) and Serena DiMaso (R, Holmdel Township; 2016). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk M. Claire French (Wall Township), Sheriff Shaun Golden (Farmingdale) and Surrogate Rosemarie D. Peters (Middletown Township).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 1,115 registered voters in Englishtown, of which 238 (21.3%) were registered as Democrats, 252 (22.6%) were registered as Republicans and 625 (56.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 54.3% of the vote (428 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 44.5% (351 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (9 votes), among the 794 ballots cast by the borough's 1,281 registered voters (6 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 62.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 52.1% of the vote (411 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 45.2% (357 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (8 votes), among the 789 ballots cast by the borough's 1,118 registered voters, for a turnout of 70.6%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 55.8% of the vote (387 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 42.7% (296 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (5 votes), among the 693 ballots cast by the borough's 1,010 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 68.6.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 72.7% of the vote (320 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.6% (104 votes), and other candidates with 3.6% (16 votes), among the 443 ballots cast by the borough's 1,283 registered voters (3 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 34.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.2% of the vote (358 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 22.9% (117 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.9% (30 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (4 votes), among the 510 ballots cast by the borough's 1,083 registered voters, yielding a 47.1% turnout.

Education

Public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District, which also serves children from Manalapan Township. Over 90% of the district's students are from Manalapan. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district's seven schools had an enrollment of 3,956 students and 332.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.9:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment from the National Center for Education Statistics) are John I. Dawes Early Learning Center (348 students; in PreK and K), Clark Mills School (522; 1-5), Lafayette Mills School (554; 1-5), Milford Brook School (574; K-5), Taylor Mills School (539; K-5), Wemrock Brook School (600; 1-5), Pine Brook School (593; 6th grade) and Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School (1,262; 7 & 8).

Students from Englishtown in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Manalapan High School as part of the Freehold Regional High School District. The Freehold Regional High School District also serves students from Colts Neck Township, Englishtown, Farmingdale, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Howell Township and Marlboro Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,950 students and 130.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.0:1.

Public high school students also have the option of attending one of the Monmouth County Vocational School District's five career academies.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 6.42 miles (10.33 km) of roadways, of which 4.44 miles (7.15 km) were maintained by the municipality and 1.98 miles (3.19 km) by Monmouth County.

County Route 522 and County Route 527 pass through the borough.

Public transportation

NJ Transit bus service between Englishtown and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan is available on the 139 route.

Old Bridge Airport and Mar Bar L Farms municipal airport are within 2½ miles of Englishtown, offering short-distance flights to surrounding areas.

Points of interest

Notable people

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