Carneys Point Township, New Jersey


Carneys Point Township is a township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 8,049, reflecting an increase of 365 from the 7,684 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 759 from the 8,443 counted in the 1990 Census.
Upper Penns Neck Township was formed on July 10, 1721, when Penn's Neck Township was subdivided and Lower Penns Neck Township was also formed. The township was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's original group of 104 townships. Portions of the township were taken to form Oldmans Township and Penns Grove borough. The township was renamed Carneys Point Township based on the results of a Township meeting held on November 10, 1976, after voters approved a referendum held eight days earlier.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 17.739 square miles, including 16.864 square miles of land and 0.875 square miles of water. The Salem River flows along a portion of the township's southern boundary.
Carneys Point CDP is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located within Carneys Point Township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Biddles Landing, Helms Cove, Iddles Landing, Laytons Lake and Riddles Landing.
The township borders the Salem County municipalities of Mannington Township, Oldmans Township, Pennsville Township, Penns Grove and Pilesgrove Township.
Carneys Point Township is connected to the State of Delaware by the Delaware Memorial Bridges over the Delaware River.

Dupont Chambers Works

The township is home to the Dupont Corporation Chamber Works, a facility covering that was listed No. 4 on the Mother Jones top 20 polluters of 2010, legally discharging over of toxic chemicals into New Jersey and Delaware River waterways. In 2016, the township initiated a $1.1 billion lawsuit against the corporation, accusing it of divesting the Chambers Works to Chemours without first remediating the property as required by law to address the of pollutants emitted into the soil and water in the century that the facility has been in operation.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $51,277 and the median family income was $65,224. Males had a median income of $46,529 versus $39,722 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,020. About 4.3% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 7,684 people, 3,121 households, and 2,050 families residing in the township. The population density was 439.1 people per square mile. There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of 190.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 78.53% White, 16.27% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.10% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.98% of the population.
There were 3,121 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% 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 2.99.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $41,007, and the median income for a family was $52,213. Males had a median income of $39,861 versus $26,773 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,978. About 8.3% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Carneys Point Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 of 565 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are 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 as Deputy Mayor.
, members of the Carneys Point Township Committee are Mayor Kenneth H. Brown, Deputy Mayor Charles C. Newton Jr., Patrick D. Bomba, Marcus E. Dowe Jr. and Wayne D. Pelura.
After counting all ballots in the November 2014 general election, incumbent Democrat Charles C. Newton and his Republican challenger Joseph F. Racite were deadlocked at 1,001 votes for the second of two seats up for vote on the township committee, despite Newton's initial four-vote edge after the machine votes were counted. In a runoff election held on December 30, Racite prevailed and was elected to take the seat by a 660-585 margin.

Federal, state and county representation

Carneys Point Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 5,154 registered voters in Carneys Point Township, of which 1,587 were registered as Democrats, 927 were registered as Republicans and 2,640 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 64.0% were registered to vote, including 80.1% of those ages 18 and over.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 58.1% of the vote, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 40.6%, and other candidates with 1.4%, among the 3,429 ballots cast by the township's 5,397 registered voters, for a turnout of 63.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,138 votes, ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,494 votes and other candidates with 61 votes, among the 3,732 ballots cast by the township's 5,471 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 1,671 votes, ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 1,455 votes and other candidates with 28 votes, among the 3,177 ballots cast by the township's 4,886 registered voters, for a turnout of 65.0%.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.4% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 36.5%, and other candidates with 2.0%, among the 2,375 ballots cast by the township's 5,308 registered voters, for a turnout of 44.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 987 ballots cast, ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 926 votes, Independent Chris Daggett with 209 votes and other candidates with 47 votes, among the 2,312 ballots cast by the township's 5,406 registered voters, yielding a 42.8% turnout.

Education

Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School District, together with students from Penns Grove. Most students in grades 9 to 12 from Oldmans Township attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Oldmans Township School District, with the balance attending Woodstown High School in the Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional School District.
As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 2,185 students and 182.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1. Schools in the district are
Lafayette-Pershing School with 331 students in grades Pre-K to Kindergarten,
Field Street School with 480 students in grades 1 - 3,
Paul W. Carleton School with 355 students in grades 4 - 5,
Penns Grove Middle School with 465 students in grades 6 - 8 and
Penns Grove High School with 508 students in grades 9 - 12.

Transportation

Roads and highways

Carneys Point hosts various state routes, US routes, and limited access roads., the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Salem County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
The New Jersey Turnpike is the most significant highway to travel through the township, which houses Interchange 1 and its high-speed toll gate featuring E-ZPass Express Lanes, and a "lighthouse" to mark the gateway of New Jersey. Interstate 295 also passes through and two exits are within the township: Exits 2 and 4. U.S. Route 40 runs through the southern part of the municipality while U.S. Route 130 travels through the northwest and goes right into Carneys Point. For state roads, the township houses Route 48, Route 49 and Route 140. Two major county routes that pass through are County Route 540 and County Route 551.

Public transportation

offers bus service to Philadelphia on the 402 route, with local service offered on the 423 and 468 routes.

Notable people

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