Greenwich Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey

History

Greenwich Township was first formed as a precinct on January 19, 1748, and was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships. Portions of Hopewell Township and Stow Creek Township were annexed in 1845. The township was named for Greenwich, England.

In 1774, during the run-up to the American Revolutionary War, the small community on the Cohansey River was the site of the Greenwich Tea Party, in which a load of tea meant to be sent overland into Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was torched in the night. After the Revolutionary War, the pronunciation of the town was changed to Green-witch to differentiate itself from its English namesake.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 18.834 square miles (48.780 km²), including 17.839 square miles (46.202 km²) of land and 0.995 square miles (2.578 km²) of water (5.29%).

The township borders Fairfield Township, Hopewell Township, Stow Creek Township, Salem County and the Delaware Bay.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bacons Neck, Bayside, Caviar, Davis Mills, Othello, Sheppards Mill, Springtown and Stathams Neck.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 804 people, 336 households, and 229.2 families residing in the township. The population density was 45.1 per square mile (17.4/km²). The township contained 369 housing units at an average density of 20.7 per square mile (8.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 91.42% (735) White, 3.73% (30) Black or African American, 1.24% (10) Native American, 0.50% (4) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.62% (5) from other races, and 2.49% (20) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.61% (21) of the population.

Out of a total of 336 households, 21.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the township, 19.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 35.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.7 years. For every 100 females the census counted 101.0 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 104.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $55,833 (with a margin of error of +/- $17,252) and the median family income was $80,000 (+/- $16,466). Males had a median income of $55,938 (+/- $11,759) versus $55,833 (+/- $25,039) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,044 (+/- $4,936). About 5.3% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 847 people, 326 households, and 245 families residing in the township. The population density was 46.6 people per square mile (18.0/km²). There were 361 housing units at an average density of 19.9 per square mile (7.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 89.96% White, 5.08% African American, 2.60% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 2.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population.

There were 326 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.0% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the township the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 33.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $52,188, and the median income for a family was $56,111. Males had a median income of $43,214 versus $30,208 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,233. About 6.1% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 17.1% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Greenwich Township is governed under the Township form of government. The governing body is a three-member Township Committee, whose members are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another to serve as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, members of the Greenwich Township Committee are Mayor Bill Reinhart (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2017; term as mayor ends 2016), Deputy Mayor Dan Orr (D, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2016) and Mark Werley (D, 2018).

Dan Orr was selected by the Township Council from among three candidates offered by the Democratic municipal committee to serve the unexpired term of Bill Kiefer, who resigned in January 2013.

Federal, state and county representation

Greenwich Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Greenwich Township had been in the 3rd state legislative district.

New Jersey's Second Congressional District is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Ventnor City). 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 1st Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Jeff Van Drew (D, Dennis Township) and in the General Assembly by Bob Andrzejczak (D, Middle Township) and R. Bruce Land (D, Vineland). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Cumberland County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected at-large in partisan elections to serve staggered three-year terms in office, with two or three seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as Freeholder Director and another as Deputy Director. As of 2014, Cumberland County's Freeholders (with committee liaison assignments, political party, residence and term-end dates listed in parentheses) are Freeholder Director Joseph Derella (Administration / Public Safety; D, Millville, term ends December 31, 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Douglas M. Long (NA; D, Upper Deerfield Township, 2015), Darlene Barber (Education; D, 2016, Upper Deerfield Township), Carol Musso (Community Services; D, Deerfield Township, 2014), James Sauro (Agriculture; R, Vineland, 2014), Thomas Sheppard (Health; R, Lawrence Township, 2016) and Tony Surace (Public Works; D, Millville, 2014). The county's constitutional officers are County Clerk Gloria Noto (Vineland, 2014), Sheriff Robert A. Austino (Vineland, 2014) and Surrogate Douglas M. Rainear (Bridgeton, 2018).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 590 registered voters in Greenwich Township, of which 172 (29.2%) were registered as Democrats, 176 (29.8%) were registered as Republicans and 242 (41.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 51.5% of the vote (229 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 45.6% (203 votes), and other candidates with 2.9% (13 votes), among the 449 ballots cast by the township's 620 registered voters (4 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 50.4% of the vote (227 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received 48.0% (216 votes), with 450 ballots cast among the township's 605 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 50.3% of the vote (233 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 48.4% (224 votes), with 463 ballots cast among the township's 600 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 77.2.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 64.9% of the vote (237 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 34.0% (124 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (4 votes), among the 372 ballots cast by the township's 589 registered voters (7 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 63.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 44.7% of the vote (153 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 43.6% (149 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 7.0% (24 votes), with 342 ballots cast among the township's 583 registered voters, yielding a 58.7% turnout.

Education

The Greenwich Township School District serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade at Morris Goodwin School. As of the 2012-13 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 76 students and 7.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.27:1.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Cumberland Regional High School, which also serves students from Deerfield Township, Fairfield Township, Hopewell Township, Shiloh Borough, Stow Creek Township and Upper Deerfield Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,354 students and 87.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.4:1.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 33.15 miles (53.35 km) of roadways, of which 8.37 miles (13.47 km) were maintained by the municipality and 24.78 miles (39.88 km) by Cumberland County.

Notable people

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