Bass River Township, New Jersey
Bass River Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 1,443, reflecting a decline of 67 from the 1,510 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 70 from the 1,580 counted in the 1990 Census.
Bass River was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 30, 1864, from portions of Little Egg Harbor Township and Washington Township.
The township's name derives from the Bass River, a tributary of the Mullica River, that was in turn named for Jeremiah Basse, who served as governor of both West Jersey and East Jersey.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 78.265 square miles, including 75.040 square miles of land and 3.225 square miles of water.Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Allens Bridge, Bass River State Forest, Calico, Charcoal Landing, Doctors Point, Frogtown, Harrisville, High Bridge, Leektown, Martha, Merrygold, Munion Field, New Gretna, Oak Island, Oswego Lake, Sim Place, State Forest and Wading River.
The township borders Washington Township and Woodland Township in Burlington County; Galloway Township and Port Republic in Atlantic County; and both Barnegat Township and Little Egg Harbor Township in Ocean County.
The township is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering, that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve. All of the township is included in either the state-designated Pinelands area or the Pinelands National Reserve, which includes portions of Burlington County, along with areas in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties.
Demographics
Census 2010
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $64,185 and the median family income was $66,364. Males had a median income of $50,625 versus $48,950 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,440. About 9.4% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 27.8% of those age 65 or over.Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 1,510 people, 548 households, and 409 families residing in the township. The population density was 19.9 people per square mile. There were 602 housing units at an average density of 7.9 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 98.87% White, 0.07% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.There were 548 households out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 19.3% 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 2.76 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $47,469, and the median income for a family was $51,167. Males had a median income of $35,179 versus $27,222 for females. The per capita income for the township was $20,382. About 2.4% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Since 1972, Bass River Township has been governed under the Walsh Act by a three-member commission. The township is one of 30 municipalities statewide that use the commission form of government. The governing body consists of three commissioners, who are elected at-large in non-partisan elections held every four years as part of the May municipal election to serve four-year terms of office on a concurrent basis. Each of the Commissioners is designated as the head of a designated department, with the mayor presiding over meetings but having no executive role.and continuing through May 15, 2020, members of the Bass River Township Board of Commissioners are
Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope,
Deputy Mayor Nicholas Capriglione and
Louis Bourguignon.
Emergency services
Like other municipalities in New Jersey without a local police department, Bass River Township is served by troopers from the New Jersey State Police Troop C which maintains a barrack in Tuckerton. The New Jersey State Park Police, which operates a station in Washington Township, is responsible for any matters occurring within state forests.The New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company provides fire protection for all of Bass River Township. Additionally the Fire Company provides rescue services and operates an EMS First Response vehicle for medical emergencies.
Bass River Township is served by Great Bay Regional Volunteer EMS, which also provides primary 911 emergency medical services for the residents of Little Egg Harbor Township and Eagleswood Township.
Federal, state and county representation
Bass River Township is located in the 2nd Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 9th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Bass River Township had been part of the, 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.Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 892 registered voters in Bass River Township, of which 187 were registered as Democrats, 291 were registered as Republicans and 413 were registered as Unaffiliated. There as one voter registered to another party. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 61.8% were registered to vote, including 77.4% of those ages 18 and over.In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 371 votes, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 236 votes and other candidates with 15 votes, among the 629 ballots cast by the township's 945 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 423 votes, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 260 votes and other candidates with 12 votes, among the 698 ballots cast by the township's 917 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.1%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 408 votes, ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 240 votes and other candidates with 9 votes, among the 660 ballots cast by the township's 892 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.0%.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 314 votes, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 100 votes and other candidates with 13 votes, among the 433 ballots cast by the township's 964 registered voters, yielding a 44.9% turnout. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 298 votes, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 140 votes, Independent Chris Daggett with 34 votes and other candidates with 5 votes, among the 480 ballots cast by the township's 920 registered voters, yielding a 52.2% turnout.
Education
The Bass River Township School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at Bass River Township Elementary School. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprising one school, had an enrollment of 106 students and 12.8 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 8.3:1. In the 2016–17 school year, Bass River had the 10th-smallest enrollment of any school district in the state, with 102 students.Students in seventh through twelfth grades attend the schools of the Pinelands Regional School District, which also serves students from Eagleswood Township, Little Egg Harbor Township and Tuckerton Borough. Schools in the district are
Pinelands Regional Junior High School with 811 students in grades 7-9 and
Pinelands Regional High School with 744 students in grades 10–12. The district's board of education includes nine members directly elected by the residents of the constituent municipalities to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year. Bass River Township is allocated one of the nine seats.
Students from Bass River Township, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton Township.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Burlington County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.Bass River Township is the only municipality in Burlington County that hosts both U.S. Route 9 and the Garden State Parkway. Two interchanges on the parkway are located in Bass River that connect with Route 9 and New Gretna, as well as a toll gate tolling motorists heading northbound.
Other state and county-maintained roads that pass through include Route 167 and County Route 542.