West Deptford Township, New Jersey

West Deptford, New Jersey
—  Township  —
West Deptford Township highlighted in Gloucester County. Inset map: Gloucester County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of West Deptford Township, New Jersey
Coordinates: 39°50′33″N 75°10′26″W / 39.8425°N 75.17389°W / 39.8425; -75.17389Coordinates: 39°50′33″N 75°10′26″W / 39.8425°N 75.17389°W / 39.8425; -75.17389
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Gloucester
Incorporated	March 1, 1871
Government
- Type	Township (New Jersey)
- Mayor	Anna Docimo (D)
Area
- Total	17.8 sq mi (46.0 km2)
- Land	15.9 sq mi (41.2 km2)
- Water	1.9 sq mi (4.8 km2)
Elevation[1]	26 ft (8 m)
Population (2009)[2]
- Total	21,763
- Density	1,218.4/sq mi (470.4/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	08051,08063,08066,08086,08093,08096
Area code(s)	856
FIPS code	34-78800[3][4]
GNIS feature ID	0882148[5]
Website	http://www.westdeptford.com

West Deptford Township is a Township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 19,368.

West Deptford Township was formed as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1871, from portions of Deptford Township. Portions of the township were taken to form National Park (April 15, 1902) and Westville (April 7, 1914).^[6]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 17.8 square miles (46 km²), of which, 15.9 square miles (41 km²) of it is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²) of it (10.47%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census ^[7] of 2000, there were 19,368 people, 7,719 households, and 5,125 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,218.4 people per square mile (470.3/km²). There were 7,999 housing units at an average density of 503.2 per square mile (194.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 92.29% White, 5.08% Black, 0.23% Native American, 1.13% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.76% of the population.

There were 7,719 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the township the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $50,583, and the median income for a family was $64,477. Males had a median income of $42,711 versus $30,621 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,219. About 3.0% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

West Deptford Township is governed under the Township form of government with a five-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year.^[8] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor. The Township Committee is the legislative branch of the Township government, developing and adopting ordinances that become the laws of the township.

As of 2011^[update], the Mayor of West Deptford Township is Anna Docimo.^[9] Other members of the West Deptford Township Committee (with committee chairmanships listed in parentheses) are Deputy Mayor Len E. Daws (D, Administration), Hugh Garrison (D, Public Works), Sean Kilpatrick (R, Utilities) and Donna Szymborski (D, Building & Grounds).^[10]

Federal, state and county representation

West Deptford Township is in the 1st Congressional district. New Jersey's First Congressional District is represented by Rob Andrews (D, Haddon Heights). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

West Deptford is in the 3rd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Stephen M. Sweeney (D, West Deptford Township) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by John J. Burzichelli (D, Paulsboro) and Celeste Riley (D, Bridgeton).^[11]

Gloucester County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year. Each year, the Board selects a Freeholder Director and Deputy Director from among its members. As of 2011, Gloucester County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger (D, West Deptford Township, 2012), Deputy Freeholder Director Dr. Warren S. Wallace (D, Washington Township, 2011), Giuseppe "Joe" Chila (D, Woolwich Township, 2012), Frank J. DiMarco (D, Deptford Township, 2011), Vincent H. Nestore, Jr. (R, Deptford Township, 2013), Heather Simmons (D, Glassboro Borough, 2011), Larry Wallace (R, Woolwich Township, 2013).^[12]

Education

The West Deptford Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics^[13]) are three K-4 elementary schools — Green-Fields Elementary School (514 students), Oakview Elementary School, which includes a preschool (347 students) and Red Bank Elementary School (298 students) — West Deptford Middle School for grades 5-8 (1,016 students) and West Deptford High School for grades 9-12 (1,111 students).

Transportation

Major roadways in and around West Deptford Township include Interstate 295, U.S. Route 130, Route 44, Route 45 and County Route 551. The New Jersey Turnpike passes through, but the nearest exits are Interchanges 3 and 2.

Community

West Deptford is host of the annual Senior Little League Baseball Eastern Regional Tournament. The winner of this tournament advances to the Senior League World Series in Bangor, Maine.^[14]

Notable residents

• Dan Baker (born 1946), sports announcer for the Philadelphia Eagles and Philadelphia Phillies.^[15]
• Jeremy Maclin, (born 1988), football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League.^{[citation needed]}
• Stephen M. Sweeney (born 1959), current President of the New Jersey Senate and the Gloucester County, union boss and Financial Secretary/Treasurer, Ironworkers Union Local 399 Board of Chosen Freeholders.^[16]
• Dajuan Wagner, (born 1983), former National Basketball Association player who was also the 2001 Naismith Prep Player of the Year at Camden High School.^[17]
• Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League.

References

1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Township of West Deptford, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
2. ^ Census data for West Deptford Township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 20, 2007.
3. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
4. ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
5. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
6. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 141.
7. ^ [1]
8. ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 19.
9. ^ Mayor's Office, West Deptford Township. Accessed June 27, 2011.
10. ^ Township Committee, West Deptford Township. Accessed June 27, 2011.
11. ^ "Legislative Roster: 2010-2011 Session". New Jersey Legislature. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp. Retrieved 2010-02-08. 
12. ^ Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Accessed May 27, 2011.
13. ^ Data for the West Deptford Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 27, 2008.
14. ^ Staff. "West Deptford set to host Senior Little League Regional", Gloucester County Times, August 7, 2009. Accessed June 27, 2011.
15. ^ Narducci, Marc. "His part-time jobs are full-time passions Dan Baker, public address announcer for the Phillies and Eagles, lives his lifelong dream, calling the action for 32 years.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 1, 2003. Accessed June 27, 2011. "West Deptford resident Dan Baker could probably retire now if he had a nickel for every time somebody told him they would love to have his part-time jobs. Then again, with these jobs, why would Baker or anybody else want to retire?"
16. ^ Freeholder Director Stephen M. Sweeney, Burlington County, New Jersey. Accessed July 2, 2008.
17. ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1108917/index.htm

External links

• West Deptford Township website
• West Deptford Public Schools
• West Deptford Public Schools's 2009–10 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
• Data for the West Deptford Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
• West Deptford Township Blog