Washington Township, Warren County, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 17.751 square miles (45.975 km²), including 17.662 square miles (45.745 km²) of land and 0.089 square miles (0.230 km²) of water (0.50%). The Borough of Washington is an independent incorporated area surrounded by Washington Township.

Brass Castle (with a 2010 Census population of 1,555) and Port Colden (2010 population of 122) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within the township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Butlers Park, Changewater, Fort Golden and Pleasant Valley.

The borough of Washington is completely surrounded by Washington Township, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

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

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,651 people, 2,380 households, and 1,899 families residing in the township. The population density was 376.6 per square mile (145.4/km²). There were 2,493 housing units at an average density of 141.1 per square mile (54.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.46% (6,216) White, 2.50% (166) Black or African American, 0.24% (16) Native American, 1.91% (127) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.65% (43) from other races, and 1.25% (83) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.39% (292) of the population.

There were 2,380 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.0% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. 16.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% 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 3.14.

In the township, the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 32.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.2 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 93.2 males. The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $91,893 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,743) and the median family income was $99,332 (+/- $12,641). Males had a median income of $78,417 (+/- $14,664) versus $51,186 (+/- $17,904) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $39,873 (+/- $3,286). About 2.9% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 6,248 people, 2,099 households, and 1,740 families residing in the township. The population density was 355.5 people per square mile (137.2/km²). There were 2,174 housing units at an average density of 123.7 per square mile (47.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.98% White, 1.71% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.16% of the population.

There were 2,099 households out of which 43.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.7% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.1% were non-families. 14.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the township the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $77,458, and the median income for a family was $84,348. Males had a median income of $54,321 versus $35,056 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,141. About 3.0% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Washington 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 and another to serve as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, members of the Washington Township Committee are Mayor Robert J. Klingel (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy mayor Mark Rossi (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2016), Ralph P. Fiore Jr. (R, 2018), Michael A. Kovacs (R, 2017) and George J. Willan (R, 2018; appointed to serve an unexpired term until November 2016).

In February 2016, the Township Committee unanimously selected George Willian from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2018 that had been vacated by Nancy Andreson when she resigned for personal reasons shortly after taking office; Willan will serve on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when voters will select a candidate to serve the two years remaining on the term of office.

In December 2013, the Township Council chose Theresa Iacobucci from among three candidates offered by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat of John A. Horensky following his resignation. Iacobucci served on an interim basis until the November 2014 general election, when she was elected to serve the balance of the term through December 2015

Federal, state and county representation

Washington Township is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Washington Township had been in the 24th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Washington 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 23rd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Michael J. Doherty (R, Washington Township, Warren County) and in the General Assembly by John DiMaio (R, Hackettstown) and Erik Peterson (R, Franklin Township, Hunterdon County). 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 3,790 registered voters in Washington, of which 736 (19.4% vs. 21.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,136 (30.0% vs. 35.3%) were registered as Republicans and 1,917 (50.6% vs. 43.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 58.7% (vs. 62.3% in Warren County) were registered to vote, including 77.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 81.5% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 63.1% of the vote (2,001 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 35.3% (1,118 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (51 votes), among the 3,217 ballots cast by the township's 4,640 registered voters (47 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 69.3%. In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,160 votes here (48.5% vs. 56.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,158 votes (48.4% vs. 40.8%) and other candidates with 41 votes (1.7% vs. 1.7%), among the 2,391 ballots cast by the borough's 3,863 registered voters, for a turnout of 61.9% (vs. 66.7% in Warren County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 1,256 votes here (48.1% vs. 41.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,249 votes (47.9% vs. 55.2%) and other candidates with 43 votes (1.6% vs. 1.6%), among the 2,609 ballots cast by the borough's 3,730 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.9% (vs. 73.4% in Warren County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,477 votes here (58.1% vs. 61.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,021 votes (40.2% vs. 37.2%) and other candidates with 29 votes (1.1% vs. 1.3%), among the 2,540 ballots cast by the borough's 3,518 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.2% (vs. 76.3% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 76.2% of the vote (1,432 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 21.2% (398 votes), and other candidates with 2.7% (50 votes), among the 1,924 ballots cast by the township's 4,652 registered voters (44 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 960 votes here (57.6% vs. 61.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 482 votes (28.9% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 167 votes (10.0% vs. 9.8%) and other candidates with 22 votes (1.3% vs. 1.5%), among the 1,666 ballots cast by the borough's 3,646 registered voters, yielding a 45.7% turnout (vs. 49.6% in the county).

Education

Students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade attend public school in the Washington Township School District. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its two schools had an enrollment of 521 students and 52.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.0:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Port Colden School (190 students in grades 1-3) and Brass Castle School (327 students in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and grades 4-6).

Public school students in seventh through twelfth grades attend the schools of the Warren Hills Regional School District, which also serves students from the municipalities of Franklin Township, Mansfield Township and Washington Borough, along with those from Oxford Township who attend for grades 9-12 only. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Warren Hills Regional Middle School (grades 7 and 8; 663 students) located in Washington Borough and Warren Hills Regional High School (grades 9 - 12; 1,276 students) located in Washington Township.

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 65.77 miles (105.85 km) of roadways, of which 35.61 miles (57.31 km) were maintained by the municipality, 22.92 miles (36.89 km) by Warren County and 7.24 miles (11.65 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Notable people

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

Wineries

Surrounding communities

Also, the township completely surrounds the borough of Washington.