Chester Borough, New Jersey

see also, Chester Township, New Jersey

Chester
—  Borough  —
Borough of Chester
Chester Borough highlighted in Morris County. Inset: Location of Morris County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Chester Borough, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°47′09″N 74°41′35″W / 40.78583°N 74.69306°W / 40.78583; -74.69306Coordinates: 40°47′09″N 74°41′35″W / 40.78583°N 74.69306°W / 40.78583; -74.69306
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Morris
Incorporated	April 3, 1930
Government
– Type	Borough
– Mayor	Robert L. Davis (2014)[1]
– Administrator	Valerie A. Egan[2]
Area
– Total	1.5 sq mi (4.0 km2)
– Land	1.5 sq mi (4.0 km2)
– Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation[3]	856 ft (261 m)
Population (2010 Census)[4]
– Total	1,649
– Density	1,099.3/sq mi (412.3/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	07930
Area code(s)	908
FIPS code	34-12580[5][6]
GNIS feature ID	0885184[7]
Website	http://www.chesterborough.org

Chester is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,649.

Chester Township was established as a separate political entity on April 1, 1799, including the area of both the Township and the downtown Village area which came to be the Borough. The Borough of Chester was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 3, 1930, based on the results of a referendum held on April 25, 1930, and is today a separate municipality surrounded entirely by Chester Township.^[8]

Geography

Chester is located at 40°47′10″N 74°41′34″W / 40.785999°N 74.692904°W / 40.785999; -74.692904 (40.785999, -74.692904).^[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1940	650		—
1950	754		16.0%
1960	1,074		42.4%
1970	1,299		20.9%
1980	1,433		10.3%
1990	1,214		−15.3%
2000	1,635		34.7%
2010	1,649		0.9%
Population sources: 1940 - 1990.[10] 2000[11] 2010[4]

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 1,635 people, 609 households, and 426 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,063.0 people per square mile (409.9/km²). There were 627 housing units at an average density of 407.6 per square mile (157.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.68% White, 0.80% African American, 1.71% Asian, 2.02% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.85% of the population.^[11]

There were 609 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.15.^[11]

In the borough the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.^[11]

The median income for a household in the borough was $80,398, and the median income for a family was $106,260. Males had a median income of $76,772 versus $45,833 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $42,564. About 2.1% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.5% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.^[11]

Government

Local government

Chester is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.^[12]

As of 2011^[update], the Mayor of Chester Robert L. Davis. Members of the Chester Borough Council are Matthew Finney, Janet Hoven, Timothy Iversen, Gary Marshuetz, Jennifer Cooper Napolitano and James Robshaw.^[13]

Merger discussion with Chester Township

In 2007, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine created incentives for small towns of less than 10,000 inhabitants to combine with other cities. The goal was to reduce the overall cost of government and thereby offer some tax relief. "New Jersey has 21 counties, 566 municipalities and 616 school districts, and property taxes average $6,800 per homeowner, or twice the national average." ^[14]

Chester Borough split from Chester Township in 1930 over the creation of sewer and water infrastructure in the more densely settled center of the municipality. The residents of the rural portions of the Township did not wish to financially support the construction and maintenance of a public sewer or water utility. Since that time rural Chester Township has relied upon individual private wells for water and septic systems for wastewater treatment while the Borough is primarily, although not entirely, served by public sewer and water. Concerns over the extension of utilities into the rural Township with the resultant potential for large scale growth served as an impediment to consolidation. The prohibition of utility extensions supported by the NJ State Plan and codified in the Highlands Water Protection Act, along with the development restrictions contained in the Highlands Act have lessened those concerns. Additionally, an aggressive land conservation program in the Township has resulted in over 40% of the 29-square-mile (75 km²) Township being placed into permanent preservation, further lessening worries about potential over-development. The two municipalities currently share a common K-8 school district, volunteer fire department, library, first aid squad and other municipal services. Residents are concerned about the unknown costs of a merger and a disproportionate allocation of those costs.^[14]

The two mayors have publicly endorsed a cost/benefit analysis of a merger. Two past efforts failed so the towns are taking a slow and deliberate approach to determine the savings, if any.^[14]

Federal, state and county representation

Chester Borough is in the 11th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.^[15] The borough was relocated to the 25th state legislative district by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission based on the results of the 2010 Census.^[4] The new district is in effect for the June 2011 primary and the November 2011 general election, with the state senator and assembly members elected taking office in the new district as of January 2012.^[15]

New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

24th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Steve Oroho (R, Franklin) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Gary R. Chiusano (R, Augusta) and Alison Littell McHose (R, Franklin).^[16] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).^[17] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).^[18]

Morris County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who 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.^[19] As of 2011, Morris County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director William J. Chegwidden (Wharton),^[20] Deputy Freeholder Director Douglas R. Cabana (Boonton Township),^[21] Gene F. Feyl (Denville),^[22] Ann F. Grassi (Parsippany-Troy Hills),^[23] Thomas J. Mastrangelo (Montville),^[24] John J. Murphy (Morris Township)^[25] and Margaret Nordstrom (Washington Township).^[26][27]

Politics

In recent years, on the national and state levels, Chester Borough leans very strongly toward the Republican Party. In the 2008 Presidential Election, Republican John McCain received 61% of the vote, defeating Democrat Barack Obama, who received around 38%.^[28] In the 2009 Gubernatorial Election, Republican Chris Christie received 70% of the vote, defeating Democrat Jon Corzine, who received around 22%.^[29]

Education

Students in grades K-8 attend the Chester Township Public School District, together with children from Chester Township. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics^[30]) are Dickerson Elementary School (grades K-2; 413 students), Bragg Intermediate School (3-5; 465), and Black River Middle School (6-8; 499). Dickerson and Bragg Schools are located on County Route 510, east of Chester Borough; Black River Middle School is on County Route 513 (North Road), north of Chester Borough.

Students in public school for grades nine through twelve in both communities attend West Morris Mendham High School, part of the West Morris Regional High School District, which serves students from the surrounding Morris County school districts of Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township and from Washington Township.^[31]

Transportation

New Jersey Transit local bus service was provided on the MCM4 and MCM5 routes until June 2010, until NJ Transit pulled the subsidy.^[32]

Chester is located at the point where County Route 513 (also known as old Route 24) and U.S. Route 206 intersect.^[33]

Points of interest

• Willowwood Arboretum

References

1. ^ 2011 New Jersey Mayors Directory, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed July 19, 2011.
2. ^ Administrator, Borough of Chester. Accessed July 19, 2011.
3. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Borough of Chester, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
4. ^ ^{a b c} 2011 Apportionment Redistricting: Municipalities sorted alphabetically, New Jersey Department of State, p. 2. Accessed July 19, 2011.
5. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
6. ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
7. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
8. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 192.
9. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
10. ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 2, 2009. Accessed July 19, 2011.
11. ^ ^{a b c d e} Census 2000 Demographic Profile Highlights: Chester borough, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 19, 2011.
12. ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 110.
13. ^ Mayor & Council, Borough of Chester. Accessed July 19, 2011.
14. ^ ^{a b c} Van Dyke, Meghan (2008). "The Chesters look at forming one community". The Daily Record. http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080501/COMMUNITIES11/805010324. Retrieved 2008-06-04. 
15. ^ ^{a b} 2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 56. Accessed July 19, 2011.
16. ^ "Legislative Roster: 2010-2011 Session". New Jersey Legislature. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp. Retrieved 2010-08-04. 
17. ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
18. ^ "About the Lieutenant Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/lt/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
19. ^ What is a Freeholder?, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed January 5, 2011.
20. ^ William J. Chegwidden, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2011.
21. ^ Douglas R. Cabana, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2011.
22. ^ Gene F. Feyl, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2011.
23. ^ Ann F. Grossi, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2011.
24. ^ Thomas J. Mastrangelo, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2011.
25. ^ John J. Murphy, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2011.
26. ^ Margaret Nordstrom, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2011.
27. ^ Meet the Freeholders, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2011.
28. ^ "Presidential Election Results Morris County". State of New Jersey. 2009. http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/08-gen-elect-presidential-results-morris.pdf. Retrieved 2010-04-23. 
29. ^ "Governor Morris County". State of New Jersey. 2009. http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2009-governor_results-morris.pdf. Retrieved 2010-04-23. 
30. ^ Data for the Chester Township Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed July 19, 2011.
31. ^ West Morris Regional High School District 2010 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 19, 2011. "Established in 1958, the West Morris Regional High School District operates two schools, West Morris Central High School and West Morris Mendham High School. The district serves the students of five Morris County communities, Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township and Washington Township, in grades 9 through 12. Students from Washington Township attend West Morris Central High School, and students from the Chesters and the Mendhams attend West Morris Mendham High School."
32. ^ Morris County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed June 21, 2007.
33. ^ Town Information, Borough of Chester. Accessed July 19, 2011.

External links

• Chester Borough website
• Chester Township Public School District
• Chester Township Public School District's 2009–10 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
• Data for the Chester Township Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics
• West Morris Mendham High School
• West Morris Regional High School District
• Regional area newspaper