Ocean Gate, New Jersey

History

Trains operated to the area by Pennsylvania Railroad served what was called "Good Luck Point", with visitors building cottages that were the start of the community that became Ocean Gate. AT&T operated a shortwave radio transmitting station after purchasing 175 acres (71 ha) in 1929.

The borough of Ocean Gate was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 28, 1918, from portions of Berkeley Township. An additional portion of Berkeley Township was annexed on February 28, 1953.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.454 square miles (1.175 km²), including 0.448 square miles (1.160 km²) of land and 0.006 square miles (0.015 km²) of water (1.26%).

The borough is bordered by the Ocean County municipality of Berkeley Township.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 2,011 people, 832 households, and 534.1 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,490.3 per square mile (1,733.7/km²). The borough contained 1,203 housing units at an average density of 2,686.1 per square mile (1,037.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.18% (1,914) White, 1.34% (27) Black or African American, 0.05% (1) Native American, 0.20% (4) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 2.09% (42) from other races, and 1.14% (23) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 6.36% (128) of the population.

Out of a total of 832 households, 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% 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 2.98.

In the borough, 22.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females the census counted 92.6 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 89.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $61,250 (with a margin of error of +/- $9,978) and the median family income was $73,056 (+/- $23,241). Males had a median income of $61,932 (+/- $6,721) versus $43,295 (+/- $6,037) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,770 (+/- $4,691). About 2.2% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 2,076 people, 832 households, and 546 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,749.0 people per square mile (1,821.7/km²). There were 1,152 housing units at an average density of 2,635.3 per square mile (1,010.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.53% White, 0.96% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.53% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% of the population.

There were 832 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the borough the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.2 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $41,067, and the median income for a family was $50,847. Males had a median income of $33,558 versus $30,919 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $19,239. About 7.6% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Ocean Gate 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 Ocean Gate, 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 Ocean Gate is Republican Paul J. Kennedy, whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. Members of the Borough Council are Bruce R. Cox (R, 2018), Mark Haug (R, 2017), David Kendrick (R, 2018), Alex Martinez (R, 2017), Joella Nicastro (R, 2016) and John Serpica (R, 2016).

Democrats Rose Kindon and Chris Theodos replaced Frank Santarpia and James McGrath, who resigned in February 2014 in protest over an increase in the Mayor's compensation to $50,000. The Mayor was later cited and fined for ethics violation by the NJ State Local Finance Board for illegally accepting pay as a municipal employee while he was serving as mayor.

Federal, state and county representation

Ocean Gate is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 9th state legislative district.

New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District is represented by Tom MacArthur (R, Toms River). 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 9th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Christopher J. Connors (R, Lacey Township) and in the General Assembly by DiAnne Gove (R, Long Beach Township) and Brian E. Rumpf (R, Little Egg Harbor Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Ocean County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected on an at-large basis in partisan elections and serving staggered three-year terms of office, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization held in the beginning of January, the board chooses a Director and a Deputy Director from among its members. As of 2015, Ocean County's Freeholders (with party affiliation, term-end year, residence and department directorship listed in parentheses) are Freeholder Director John C. Bartlett, Jr. (R, term ends December 31, 2015, Pine Beach; Finance, Parks and Recreation), Freeholder Deputy Director Gerry P. Little (R, 2015, Surf City; Human Services), John P. Kelly (R, 2016, Eagleswood Township; Law and Public Safety), James F. Lacey (R, 2016, Brick Township; Transportation) and Joseph H. Vicari (R, 2017, Toms River; Senior Services and County Operations). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Scott M. Colabella (R, 2015, Barnegat Light), Sheriff Michael Mastronardy (R, 2016; Toms River) and Surrogate Jeffrey Moran (R, 2018, Beachwood).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 1,287 registered voters in Ocean Gate, of which 336 (26.1%) were registered as Democrats, 387 (30.1%) were registered as Republicans and 563 (43.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 64.0% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 82.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 50.4% of the vote (415 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 47.9% (395 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (14 votes), among the 835 ballots cast by the borough's 1,335 registered voters (11 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 62.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 52.7% of the vote (504 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 44.5% (426 votes) and other candidates with 2.0% (19 votes), among the 957 ballots cast by the borough's 1,314 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 61.2% of the vote (2,125 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 37.5% (1,304 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (34 votes), among the 3,475 ballots cast by the borough's 4,769 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 72.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.9% of the vote (458 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.4% (177 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (11 votes), among the 664 ballots cast by the borough's 1,264 registered voters (18 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 52.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 60.3% of the vote (420 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 30.7% (214 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.9% (41 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (10 votes), among the 697 ballots cast by the borough's 1,284 registered voters, yielding a 54.3% turnout.

Education

The Ocean Gate School District is a public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at Ocean Gate Elementary School. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 159 students and 18.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.83:1.

Public school students in seventh through twelfth grades attend the schools of the Central Regional School District, which serves students from Ocean Gate and from the municipalities of Berkeley Township, Island Heights, Seaside Heights and Seaside Park. The schools in the district (with 2013-14 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Central Regional Middle School for grades 7 and 8 (632 students) and Central Regional High School for grades 9 - 12 (1,309 students).

Transportation

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 12.30 miles (19.79 km) of roadways, of which 2.56 miles (4.12 km) were maintained by the municipality and 9.74 miles (15.68 km) by Ocean County.

Notable people

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