Long Hill Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 12.136 square miles (31.432 km²), including 11.851 square miles (30.693 km²) of land and 0.285 square miles (0.739 km²) of water (2.35%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Gillette, Millington, and Stirling, and the hamlet of Meyersville. Homestead Park is a subdivision that was first developed in the 1920s.

The township is located in the most southern part of Morris County. It is bounded by the Passaic River on the south and west and by the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge on the north. It borders both Union and Somerset counties.

The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge covers 7,455 acres (3,017 ha) of land overseen by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and includes portions east of New Vernon Road that is unmanaged and accessible by visitors, while areas west of New Vernon Road are managed intensively and are not available to the public.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 8,702 people, 3,105 households, and 2,434 families residing in the township. The population density was 734.3 per square mile (283.5/km²). The township contained 3,226 housing units at an average density of 272.2 per square mile (105.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 90.61% (7,885) White, 0.62% (54) Black or African American, 0.09% (8) Native American, 5.98% (520) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 1.06% (92) from other races, and 1.63% (142) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 7.06% (614) of the population.

Out of a total of 3,105 households, 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.6% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% 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 3.19.

In the township, 25.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 20.3% from 25 to 44, 33.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.9 years. For every 100 females the census counted 97.1 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 94.7 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $120,691 (with a margin of error of +/- $11,097) and the median family income was $142,059 (+/- $14,704). Males had a median income of $91,509 (+/- $24,098) versus $75,558 (+/- $11,204) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $54,508 (+/- $4,818). About 1.7% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 8,777 people, 3,139 households, and 2,457 families residing in the township. The population density was 726.8 people per square mile (280.5/km²). There were 3,206 housing units at an average density of 265.5 per square mile (102.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 92.75% White, 0.39% African American, 0.17% Native American, 4.79% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.45% of the population.

There were 3,139 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% 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 3.19.

In the township the age distribution of the population shows 26.3% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $84,532, and the median income for a family was $103,037. Males had a median income of $71,827 versus $46,100 for females. The per capita income for the township was $42,613. About 2.3% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Garden State Fireworks, a firm based in Millington that dates back to 1890, has produced the annual July 4 fireworks show in Washington, D.C. on the National Mall. Garden State Fireworks, a firm based in Millington that dates back to 1890, has produced the annual July 4 fireworks show in Washington, D.C. on the National Mall.

The Raptor Trust is a wild bird rehabilitation center located in Millington.

Clover Hill Swimming Club a club surrounding a lake in Millington, was the subject of lawsuit in which the Supreme Court of New Jersey ruled in 1966 that the club could not discriminate against an African American applicant for membership on the basis of the club being private.

Local government

Long Hill 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 held during the first week of January, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as deputy mayor.

As of 2016, the members of the township committee are Mayor Bruce Meringolo (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Mayor Guy Piserchia (R, term on committee ends 2018; term as deputy mayor ends 2016), Matthew C. Dorsi (R, 2017), Brendan Rae (R, 2018) and Cornel Schuler Jr. (R, 2017).

Federal, state, and county representation

Long Hill Township is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 21st state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Long Hill Township had been part of the 11th 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 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 21st Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Thomas Kean Jr. (R, Westfield) and in the General Assembly by Jon Bramnick (R, Westfield) and Nancy Munoz (R, Summit). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Morris County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected at-large to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. The Freeholder Board sets policies for the operation of six super-departments, more than 30 divisions plus authorities, commissions, boards and study committees. Actual day-to-day operation of departments is supervised by County Administrator, John Bonanni. As of 2016, Morris County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Kathryn A. DeFillippo (Roxbury Township, term ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Freeholder William "Hank" Lyon (Montville, 2017), Douglas Cabana (Boonton Township, 2016), John Cesaro (Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, 2018), Thomas J. Mastrangelo (Montville, 2016) Christine Myers (Mendham Township, 2018), and Deborah Smith (Denville, 2018). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Ann F. Grossi (Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, 2018), Sheriff Edward V. Rochford (Morris Plains, 2016) and Surrogate John Pecoraro (Mendham Borough, 2019).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 5,854 registered voters in Long Hill Township, of which 1,154 (19.7%) were registered as Democrats, 2,245 (38.3%) were registered as Republicans and 2,450 (41.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 60.2% of the vote (2,605 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 39.0% (1,690 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (34 votes), among the 4,347 ballots cast by the township's 6,187 registered voters (18 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 57.0% of the vote (2,789 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.4% (2,024 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (60 votes), among the 4,894 ballots cast by the township's 6,155 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.5%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 59.8% of the vote (2,808 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 39.0% (1,833 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (43 votes), among the 4,696 ballots cast by the township's 6,112 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.8.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.0% of the vote (2,173 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.7% (686 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (37 votes), among the 2,932 ballots cast by the township's 6,142 registered voters (36 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 64.4% of the vote (2,284 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 24.4% (865 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 10.1% (358 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (14 votes), among the 3,546 ballots cast by the township's 6,058 registered voters, yielding a 58.5% turnout.

Education

The Long Hill Township School System serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its three schools had an enrollment of 1,314 students and 71.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 18.4:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Gillette School (184 students; in grades PreK-1), Millington School (332; 2-5) and Central Middle School (314; 6-8).

Long Hill Township's high school students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Watchung Hills Regional High School in Warren Township. Students from Long Hill Township and from the neighboring communities of Green Brook Township, Warren Township and Watchung (in Somerset County) attend the school. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,286 students and 94.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.6:1.

St. Vincent de Paul School is a Catholic school in Stirling that operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. St. Vincent is a private school and also serves as a Roman Catholic church for the Long Hill community.

Library

The Long Hill Township Library began about 1880 in what was then known as Passaic Township. At the time a group of women in Millington formed a reading club purchasing a small number of books to trade amongst themselves. A similar group was established in Meyersville. In 1920, when the Morris County Library was built, the groups joined the county system and books on loan from the county were housed in the homes of the associations' members.

By the 1950s, the Millington Association's Library had relocated to the Town Hall and the Meyersville group occupied one room in the town's Central School. In 1956, however, the Township asked the Millington Association to find other quarters, and the Central School location had steadily become less than satisfactory due to increasing enrollment. A referendum in the amount of $25,000 for the construction of a new building was submitted to the community. The measure passed by two votes. The new library opened in 1958 on Central Avenue in Stirling as the Passaic Township Free Public Library with a paid director and several volunteers.

By 1968, the library's collection had grown substantially and plans were made for a new addition to the building. Another $25,000 was raised and the addition was completed in 1972. A later addition followed in the 1980s. The library remained on Central Avenue until 2005 when an entirely new building was dedicated in April of that year. After the township formally changed its name to Long Hill Township in 1992, the Passaic Township Free Public Library was renamed as the Long Hill Township Free Public Library.

The Long Hill Township Library now occupies a site in Gillette, adjacent to Township Hall. The library contains 16,000 square feet (1,500 m²) of space and has a capacity for 72,000 books. The library is a member of the Morris Automated Information Network consortium, which offers residents of Long Hill Township have access to library materials at 37 area libraries. It also hosts a professional concert series.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 59.57 miles (95.87 km) of roadways, of which 46.31 miles (74.53 km) were maintained by the municipality and 13.26 miles (21.34 km) by Morris County.

Public transportation

NJ Transit rail service is available at the Gillette, Millington and Stirling stations, offering service on the Gladstone Branch to Newark Broad Street Station and Hoboken Terminal.

NJ Transit offered service on the MCM8 route until 2010, when subsidies offered to the local provider were eliminated as part of budget cuts.

Lakeland Bus Lines provides Route 78 rush-hour service from Bedminster to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

Communications

Long Hill is in Area code 908. The legacy exchange is 908-647 (MIllington-7), which was one of the last exchanges in New Jersey to be converted from manual to dial operation.

The current cable company servicing the area is Comcast which provides local TV, internet, and phone service. Most of Long Hill now also has access to Verizon's FiOS service. Patriot Media no longer serves the area because it was sold to Comcast in early 2008.

Long Hill Township operates a public service television channel on Comcast (Channel 25) and Verizon (Channel 37).

Long Hill Television

A Government-access television (GATV) cable TV channel is available for citizens of Long Hill Township that has important news updates, local activities, local weather, storm warnings, etc. It is on Comcast channel 29 (all programming) and Verizon FiOS channels 37 (public meetings and programs) and 38 (community bulletin board).

Notable people

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