Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 3.191 square miles (8.267 km²), including 2.913 square miles (7.545 km²) of land and 0.278 square miles (0.721 km²) of water (8.73%).

The borough borders the municipalities of Bloomingdale, Wanaque and Wayne in Passaic County; Oakland in Bergen County; and Riverdale in Morris County.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 11,097 people, 4,190 households, and 2,933 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,809.1 per square mile (1,470.7/km²). The borough contained 4,341 housing units at an average density of 1,490.1 per square mile (575.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 87.93% (9,758) White, 1.41% (157) Black or African American, 0.11% (12) Native American, 5.39% (598) Asian, 0.02% (2) Pacific Islander, 3.37% (374) from other races, and 1.77% (196) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 10.89% (1,209) of the population.

Out of a total of 4,190 households, 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the borough, 22.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.2 years. For every 100 females the census counted 93.9 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 90.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $88,352 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,890) and the median family income was $97,074 (+/- $10,183). Males had a median income of $61,426 (+/- $7,225) versus $50,203 (+/- $4,456) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,872 (+/- $3,011). About 2.0% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Same-sex couples headed 29 households in 2010, almost double the 15 counted in 2000.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 10,640 people, 3,949 households, and 2,803 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,585.7 people per square mile (1,383.2/km²). There were 4,024 housing units at an average density of 1,356.1 per square mile (523.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.01% White, 1.21% African American, 0.19% Native American, 3.03% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.57% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.74% of the population.

There were 3,949 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the borough the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $65,648, and the median income for a family was $74,701. Males had a median income of $46,776 versus $38,221 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,802. About 1.6% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The downtown core is located along Wanaque Avenue. There is an ongoing revitalization project in place for the downtown. The Downtown Revitalization project has generally been successful, as the final stages are now being completed. Now, like in the heyday of the Downtown area, which was the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, there are a wide variety of small boutiques, ethnic food stores, and other small, generally family run businesses. There are also popular Thai, Chinese, and Mexican restaurants and quite a few classic Italian pizzerias.

The town has a small industrial section located along Cannonball Road. The end of the road is home to the DuPont works site, which was shut down in the early 1990s, but it still owned by DuPont. Several lawsuits have emerged in the last decade with regards to water contamination and ground gas seepage due to decades of dumping on the DuPont site. DuPont has been involved in groundwater and topsoil remediation throughout the area of the town which was affected: a swath of land adjacent to Acid Brook and the part of town known as DuPont village.

Pompton Lakes' largest retail hub is the Pompton Lakes Town Square, which is located on the site of the former Klugetown Shopping Center and was anchored by an A&P supermarket before the company's Chapter 11 Bankruptcy filing. Some of the more popular businesses visited by residents include a Starbucks, Wendy's, TD Bank, and GNC; typical of many North Jersey suburban strip malls.

As a point of interest regarding the Town Square: The former Klugetown Shopping Center was anchored by two barrel-roofed stores on either end of the strip, with a Ben Franklin store at one end and an Acme supermarket at the opposite end. On October 27, 1997, a small electrical fire that started in the ceiling of the Acme store quickly spread due to the wooden roof trusses the entire strip mall had been constructed with when it first opened. Although Pompton Lakes fire department vehicles were on the scene in 2–3 minutes, the fire had already begun to rage out of control and there was no chance of saving the buildings. The entire Klugetown center burned to the ground as several fire departments from surrounding towns were called in to assist Pompton Lakes' department in fighting the inferno. Ten businesses were destroyed and the property was regarded as a total loss. Although an investigation determined that the fire had started before the employees arrived in the store and was not deliberately set, the chief of the fire department had two Acme employees arrested and charged with arson. Though the county prosecutor declined to prosecute, the two employees sued and won a resulting civil suit against the fire department for false-light and malicious prosecution claims that totaled more than $1 million. The site sat empty for many years before being rebuilt into the current Town Square.

Parks and recreation

The Ramapo Mountain State Forest is in the northernmost part of the borough. There are also eight municipal parks: Hershfield Park, Stiles Park, Gallo-Pacifico Park, Lakeside Park, Veterans Memorial Park, Federal Square, Willow Park, Joe Louis Memorial Park, and John Murrin Park.

The Joe Louis Memorial Park features a monument dedicated to the boxer who lived and trained in the borough for a time.

Sports

Pompton Lakes and Riverdale share their sports teams. The PLRLL (Pompton Lakes-Riverdale Little League) manages the baseball teams, while the PLRYO (Pompton Lakes-Riverdale Youth Organization) manages football & cheerleading. The PLRSA (Pompton Lakes Riverdale Soccer Association) manages the soccer teams. The Board of Education manages all of the high school sports plus the Lakeside and Hershfield Park Fields. Lakeside Field is used for high school Girls soccer. Carlough Field is used for the Jr. Cardinals football team. The Hershfield Park Fields are used for the Cardinals high school football team and high school track & field. They also consist of three baseball fields, four tennis courts, and a skatepark. Joe Grill Sports Complex, in the southwestern-most point in Pompton Lakes, consists of two baseball field, one large field that is used for baseball and soccer, a softball field, and two t-ball fields. Willow Fields, just south of Joe Grill, consists of a soccer field and a baseball field. Independence Park, which is the only field in Riverdale, consists of two baseball fields, Independence and Freedom Field. Other venues used for athletic activities include Lincoln School, Lennox School, Lakeside School, and Pompton Lakes High School. Some of the sports held in these locations include basketball, wrestling, fencing, and others.

Local government

Pompton Lakes 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 Pompton Lakes, 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 Pompton Lakes Borough is Republican Michael A. Serra, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the Pompton Lakes Borough Council are Council President William D. Baig (R, 2016), Erik I. DeLine (R, 2018), Frank M. Jaconetta (R, 2017), Lloyd C. Kent (R, 2017), Terri R. Reicher (R, 2018) and Michael Simone Jr. (R, 2016).

Federal, state and county representation

Pompton Lakes is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 40th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Pompton Lakes had been in the 26th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Pompton Lakes had been part of the 8th 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 Eleventh Congressional District is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding 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 40th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Kevin J. O'Toole (R, Cedar Grove) and in the General Assembly by David C. Russo (R, Ridgewood) and Kevin J. Rooney (R, Wyckoff). Rooney was sworn into office on December 12, 2016, to fill the seat of Scott Rumana, who had resigned from office on October 20, 2016, to become a judge of the New Jersey Superior Court. The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Passaic County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected at-large to staggered three-year terms office on a partisan basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At a reorganization meeting held in January, the board selects a Director and Deputy Director from among its members to serve for a one-year term. As of 2015, Passaic County's Freeholders are John W. Bartlett (D, 2015; Wayne), Theodore O. Best, Jr. (D, 2017; Paterson), Ronda Cotroneo (D, 2015; Ringwood), Terry Duffy (D, 2016; West Milford), and Pat Lepore (D, 2016; Woodland Park). The last seat, vacated by Hector Lora who resigned to become mayor of Passaic, is still up for discussion as of December 2016. Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Kristin M. Corrado (R, 2019), Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik (2016) and Surrogate Bernice Toledo (2016).

Highlands protection

In 2004, the New Jersey Legislature passed the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, which regulates the New Jersey Highlands region. Pompton Lakes was included in the highlands preservation area and is subject to the rules of the act and the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council, a division of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. None of the territory in the protected region is classified as being in the highlands preservation area, and so is not subject to the additional rules that would entail.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 7,357 registered voters in Pompton Lakes, of which 1,726 (23.5% vs. 31.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,006 (27.3% vs. 18.7%) were registered as Republicans and 3,623 (49.2% vs. 50.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 66.3% (vs. 53.2% in Passaic County) were registered to vote, including 85.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.8% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 49.6% of the vote (2,418 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 49.1% (2,396 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (63 votes), among the 4,923 ballots cast by the borough's 7,536 registered voters (46 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 65.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,803 votes (50.6% vs. 37.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 2,567 votes (46.3% vs. 58.8%) and other candidates with 53 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 5,541 ballots cast by the borough's 7,587 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.0% (vs. 70.4% in Passaic County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,847 votes (53.9% vs. 42.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 2,330 votes (44.1% vs. 53.9%) and other candidates with 45 votes (0.9% vs. 0.7%), among the 5,283 ballots cast by the borough's 7,217 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.2% (vs. 69.3% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 65.9% of the vote (1,968 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 33.0% (985 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (34 votes), among the 3,030 ballots cast by the borough's 7,657 registered voters (43 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,848 votes (52.5% vs. 43.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,389 votes (39.4% vs. 50.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 196 votes (5.6% vs. 3.8%) and other candidates with 45 votes (1.3% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,523 ballots cast by the borough's 7,298 registered voters, yielding a 48.3% turnout (vs. 42.7% in the county).

Education

The Pompton Lakes School District serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's four schools had an enrollment of 1,666 students and 137.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.09:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Lenox School (grades K-5; 352 students), Lincoln School (K-5; 339), Lakeside Middle School (6-8; 388) and Pompton Lakes High School (9-12; 620). Students from Riverdale (in Morris County) attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Riverdale School District.

St. Mary's School is a Catholic school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students that operates under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson.

Community

The community of Pompton Lakes is largely based around organized events, including high school sports, senior citizen gatherings, and various group activities organized by the Pompton Lakes Recreation Committee. There is a public library, with regularly scheduled reading groups and other programs. The Committee runs summer sports at St. Mary's and other classes at the Civic Center and Elks Lodge. They also run the Teen Center, which has many dances and events. The Elks Lodge hosts numerous events and Bingo Nights.

Pompton Day, the town's major end-of-summer event, takes place every Labor Day weekend along the lake, with many vendors participating among popular events and a firework show ending the day. Other popular town events are the Holiday Stroll, The Memorial Day Parade, and Trick-or-Treating downtown.

Media

WGHT (formerly WKER), a daytime-only station (airing from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM) is located in Pompton Lakes. At 1500 on the AM dial, WGHT has become northern New Jersey's #1 Oldies station since WCBS-FM switched to Jack FM in June 2005. The transmitting tower for William Paterson University's - WP 88.7 FM is also located in the borough.

The Pompton Lakes Council runs a Pompton Lakes informational channel named PLTV77. The station airs on Cablevision channel 77.

Films/movies

The 1997 comedy In & Out was partially filmed at the Pompton Lakes High School.

Season 1, Episode 18 of Voyagers!, titled All Fall Down, is set in Joe Louis's training camp in Pompton Lakes. The setting is verbally mentioned.

The 2015 made-for-television comedy Simpler Times -- starring Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, written / directed by native Steve Monarque -- was filmed in downtown Pompton Lakes.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 33.49 miles (53.90 km) of roadways, of which 26.51 miles (42.66 km) were maintained by the municipality, 6.52 miles (10.49 km) by Passaic County and 0.46 miles (0.74 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Major roads through Pompton Lakes includes Interstate 287 and Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service to and from New York City on the 193, 194 and 197 routes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, with local service on the 748 line. In September 2012, as part of budget cuts, NJ Transit suspended service to Newark on the 75 line.

Notable people

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