Jefferson Township, New Jersey


Jefferson Township is the northernmost township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 21,314, having increased by 1,597 from the 19,717 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,892 from the 17,825 counted in the 1990 Census.
Jefferson Township was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 11, 1804, from portions of Pequannock Township and Roxbury Township. The township was named after Thomas Jefferson, the President of the United States at the time the Township was created.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 43.108 square miles, including 39.132 square miles of land and 3.976 square miles of water.
The township borders Mount Arlington, Rockaway Township, Roxbury Township and Wharton in Morris County; West Milford Township in Passaic County; and Hardyston Township, Hopatcong and Sparta Township in Sussex County.
The township has two large divisions, Milton and Lake Hopatcong. Each half has its own first-aid squad, fire department substation and set of elementary schools. Addresses in the Milton section of the township are classified under the Oak Ridge mailing city, which is shared with a portion of West Milford Township, or in the Newfoundland mailing area, shared with a portion of West Milford and Rockaway Township. Addresses in Lake Hopatcong use either Lake Hopatcong or Wharton as their mailing city. In 2016, there was an effort to change the mailing address for the Lake Shawnee section of town from a Wharton, NJ 07885 ZIP code, to a Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 ZIP code. The effort was narrowly defeated. In 2026, a new effort will be made to change the mailing address ZIP code to Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849. The Jefferson Township Municipal Building, Middle School, High School, Recycling Center and school bus depot are positioned at the boundary between the two halves of the township.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Berkshire Valley, Bowling Green Mountain, Cozy Lake, Espanong, Ford, Halsey Island, Hopatcong Station, Hopewell, Hurdtown, Lake Hopatcong, Lake Swannanoa, Longwood Mountains, Lower Longwood, Minisink, Moosepac Pond, New Russia, Newfoundland, Nolans Point, Oak Ridge, Petersburg, Prospect Point, Raccoon Island, Russia, Tierneys Corner, Upper Longwood, Weldon, Woodport and Woodstock.
Portions of the township are owned by the City of Newark, Essex County, for its Pequannock River Watershed, which provides water to the city from an area of that also includes portions of Hardyston Township, Kinnelon, Rockaway Township, Vernon Township and West Milford.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $92,095 and the median family income was $102,324. Males had a median income of $73,152 versus $51,933 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $37,912. About 2.6% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 19,717 people, 7,131 households, and 5,448 families residing in the township. The population density was 485.3 people per square mile. There were 7,527 housing units at an average density of 185.2 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 96.14% White, 0.83% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.41% of the population.
As of the 2000 Census, 25.7% of residents identified their ancestry as Italian, 22.9% Irish, 21.7% German, 11.6% English and 10.0% Polish.
There were 7,131 households out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.6% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% 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 3.17.
In the township the age distribution of the population shows 26.9% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $68,837, and the median income for a family was $76,974. Males had a median income of $51,359 versus $37,849 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,950. About 1.0% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Every year, the weekend following Independence Day, The Jefferson Arts Committee hosts a day of celebration known as Jefferson Township Day. Throughout the entire day, entertainment and festivities at the Jefferson Township High School are provided. Up until 2012 there would be a morning parade featuring the town's fire trucks, high school marching band and other local groups march down Weldon Road. Starting in 2013 the parade has been substituted with various activities such as a fishing contest, kids kart race and a road bowling tournament. There are a variety of activities set up on the Jefferson Township High School grounds for participants of Jefferson Day, including children's games, food and craft vendors, and performances at two stages. At night, the , directed by Peter Tummillo Jr., performs before the display of fireworks. Township resident Bill Child wrote an original song back in September 2006, "My Sweet Home Jefferson", that has been sung at many of the recent Jefferson Day celebrations.

Government

Local government

Jefferson Township is governed under a Mayor-Council system of municipal government under the Faulkner Act. The township is one of 71 of 565 municipalities statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is consists of the Mayor and the five-member Township Council. All governing body officials are elected at-large in partisan elections to serve four-year terms on a staggered basis, with either three council seats or two council seats and the mayoral seat coming up for election in even-numbered years as part of the November general election.
, the Mayor of Jefferson Township is Republican Eric Wilsusen, whose term of office ends December 31, 2022. Members of the Jefferson Township Council are Council President Kimberly Finnegan, Council Vice-President Melissa Senatore, Robert Birmingham, Jay Dunham and Debi Merz.<
In May 2017, Michael J. Sanchelli resigned from his seat expiring in December 2018, after being mandated to leave office due to issues related to his state pension which require him to be out of office for 180 days.
In April 2016, the Township Council selected Kimberly Finnegan from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Richard W. Yocum until his resignation.

Federal, state and county representation

Jefferson Township is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 26th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Jefferson Township had been in the 25th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 13,142 registered voters in Jefferson Township, of which 2,395 were registered as Democrats, 4,347 were registered as Republicans and 6,392 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 8 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 58.2% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.7%, and other candidates with 1.0%, among the 9,279 ballots cast by the township's 13,742 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 57.2% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.0% and other candidates with 1.1%, among the 10,564 ballots cast by the township's 13,631 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.5%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 61.9% of the vote, outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 36.9% and other candidates with 0.8%, among the 9,605 ballots cast by the township's 12,847 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 74.8.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.6% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.9%, and other candidates with 1.6%, among the 5,789 ballots cast by the township's 13,715 registered voters, for a turnout of 42.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.4% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 26.8%, Independent Chris Daggett with 8.5% and other candidates with 0.8%, among the 6,738 ballots cast by the township's 13,397 registered voters, yielding a 50.3% turnout.

Education

The Jefferson Township Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprising seven schools, had an enrollment of 2,926 students and 267.5 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.9:1. Schools in the district are
Milton School with 175 students in grades PreK-K,
Ellen T. Briggs School with 278 students in grades K-2,
Cozy Lake School with 173 students in grades 1-2,
Arthur T. Stanlick School with 280 students in grades 3-5,
White Rock Elementary School with 325 students in grades 3-5,
Jefferson Township Middle School with 728 students in grades 6-8 and
Jefferson Township High School with 937 students in grades 9-12.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Morris County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
A few major roads pass through Jefferson. Interstate 80 passes through very briefly in the southern tip without any interchanges; the closest exits are 33 and 34 in neighboring Wharton. State routes include Route 15 in the southwest, Route 23 in the northeast and Route 181 in the southwest. Green Pond Road, officially CR 513, is the only major county road that passes through for a short stretch in the northeast section.

Public transportation

had provided local bus service on the 967 and MCM7 routes, which was terminated in 2010 after subsidies to local route operators were eliminated as part of budget cuts.
Lakeland Bus Lines provides service along Interstate 80 operating between Newton and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

Notable people

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