Liberty Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 11.866 square miles (30.733 km²), including 11.603 square miles (30.051 km²) of land and 0.263 square miles (0.682 km²) of water (2.22%).

Mountain Lake (with a 2010 Census population of 575) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within the township. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Denville, Great Meadows and Townsbury.

Mountain Lake is over 12,000 years old and is Warren County's largest, natural, glacial lake. Mountain Lake also has an area of 122 acres (0.49 km²), maximum depth of 38 feet (12 m) and an average depth of 17 feet (5.2 m). The Mountain Lake Community Association (MLCA) oversees the Mountain Lake Watershed and helps to maintain Mountain Lake's natural habitat. South of Mountain Lake is High Rock where many visitors enjoy to go for hiking and a view of the lake and surrounding areas, including the Delaware Water Gap.

Demographics

The Township's economic data (as is all of Warren County) is calculated by the US Census Bureau as part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 2,942 people, 1,047 households, and 789.4 families residing in the township. The population density was 253.6 per square mile (97.9/km²). The township contained 1,151 housing units at an average density of 99.2 per square mile (38.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.65% (2,814) White, 1.02% (30) Black or African American, 0.20% (6) Native American, 1.50% (44) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.44% (13) from other races, and 1.19% (35) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.15% (122) of the population.

Out of a total of 1,047 households, 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the township, 24.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 34.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.8 years. For every 100 females the census counted 104.3 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 98.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $73,750 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,599) and the median family income was $87,059 (+/- $12,952). Males had a median income of $55,625 (+/- $10,748) versus $49,511 (+/- $6,823) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,946 (+/- $3,591). About 0.0% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 2,765 people, 980 households, and 750 families residing in the township. The population density was 234.3 people per square mile (90.5/km²). There were 1,088 housing units at an average density of 92.2 per square mile (35.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.40% White, 0.36% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.54% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.68% of the population.

There were 980 households out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.2% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 17.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the township the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $62,535, and the median income for a family was $68,529. Males had a median income of $48,446 versus $33,529 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,743. About 2.0% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Liberty Township is governed under the Township form of government. The five-member Township Committee is elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats 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.

As of 2016, members of the Liberty Township Committee are Mayor John E. Inscho (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2018; term as mayor ends 2016), Deputy Mayor Daniel B. Grover (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2016), Carl P. Cummins (R, 2016; elected to serve an unexpired term), Peter Karcher (R, 2017) and Ronald W. Petersen (R, 2017).

Carl Cummins was appointed to fill the vacant seat of John Fisher, who had died in September 2013, after the deadline to remove his name from the ballot and who won a seat in the November 2013 general election. Fisher's term of office runs until December 2016. Cummins served on an interim basis until the November 2014 general election when he was elected to serve the balance of the term.

Federal, state and county representation

Liberty Township is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Liberty Township had been in the 23rd state legislative district.

New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is represented by Josh Gottheimer (D, Wyckoff). 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 24th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Steve Oroho (R, Franklin) and in the General Assembly by Parker Space (R, Wantage Township) and Gail Phoebus (R, Andover Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Warren County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders whose three members are chosen at-large on a staggered basis in partisan elections with one seat coming 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 Freeholder Director and other as Deputy Director. As of 2014, Warren County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Edward J. Smith (R, Asbury / Franklin Township, 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Richard D. Gardner (R, Asbury / Franklin Township, 2014) and Freeholder Jason Sarnoski (R, Lopatcong Township, 2016). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Patricia J. Kolb (Blairstown Township), Sheriff David Gallant (Blairstown Township) and Surrogate Kevin O'Neill (Hackettstown). The County Administrator, Steve Marvin, is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of the county and its departments.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 1,897 registered voters in Liberty Township, of which 386 (20.3% vs. 21.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 768 (40.5% vs. 35.3%) were registered as Republicans and 742 (39.1% vs. 43.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 64.5% (vs. 62.3% in Warren County) were registered to vote, including 85.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 81.5% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 709 votes (59.4% vs. 56.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 447 votes (37.5% vs. 40.8%) and other candidates with 24 votes (2.0% vs. 1.7%), among the 1,193 ballots cast by the township's 1,894 registered voters, for a turnout of 63.0% (vs. 66.7% in Warren County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 843 votes (57.6% vs. 55.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 585 votes (40.0% vs. 41.4%) and other candidates with 22 votes (1.5% vs. 1.6%), among the 1,463 ballots cast by the township's 1,912 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.5% (vs. 73.4% in Warren County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 909 votes (63.4% vs. 61.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 491 votes (34.2% vs. 37.2%) and other candidates with 32 votes (2.2% vs. 1.3%), among the 1,434 ballots cast by the township's 1,809 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.3% (vs. 76.3% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.9% of the vote (588 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 22.6% (180 votes), and other candidates with 3.5% (28 votes), among the 810 ballots cast by the township's 1,923 registered voters (14 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 658 votes (63.4% vs. 61.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 244 votes (23.5% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 99 votes (9.5% vs. 9.8%) and other candidates with 21 votes (2.0% vs. 1.5%), among the 1,038 ballots cast by the township's 1,855 registered voters, yielding a 56.0% turnout (vs. 49.6% in the county).

Education

Public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Great Meadows Regional School District, together with students from Independence Township. The New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division blocked a 2007 effort by Liberty Township to leave the Great Meadows district based on Liberty's greater share of district costs, with the court citing the inability of the two communities to provide an efficient education separately. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's three schools had an enrollment of 873 students and 72.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.11:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 school year enrollment from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Central Elementary School (247 students in grades K-2), Liberty Elementary School (313; 3-5) and Great Meadows Middle School (313; 6-8).

Students attending public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Hackettstown High School which serves students from Hackettstown, along with students from the townships of Allamuchy and Liberty, as part of a sending/receiving relationship 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 Frelinghuysen Township (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).

Transportation

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 33.83 miles (54.44 km) of roadways, of which 24.74 miles (39.82 km) were maintained by the municipality, 5.91 miles (9.51 km) by Warren County and 3.18 miles (5.12 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The only major road to pass through is U.S. Route 46, which runs for 3.18 miles (5.12 km) in the township's southeastern area.

The closest limited access road is Interstate 80 (the Bergen-Passaic Expressway) in neighboring Hope Township.