Long Hill Township, New Jersey

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Long Hill Township, New Jersey
settlement_type = Township
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

mapsize = 250 px
map_caption = Long Hill Township highlighted in Morris County. Inset



mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Morris
government_footnotes =
government_type = Township
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = George Vitureira (R, 2008)
leader_title1 = Administrator
leader_name1 = Richard Sheola [ [http://www.longhillnj.org/departments/administrator/administrator.html Administrator & Staff] , Long Hill Township. Accessed December 19, 2007.]
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = March 23, 1866 as Passaic Twp.
established_title1 = Name changed
established_date1 = November 3, 1992 as Long Hill Twp.

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 31.3
area_land_km2 = 31.3
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 12.1
area_land_sq_mi = 12.1
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_total = 8785
population_density_km2 = 280.6
population_density_sq_mi = 726.8

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|882196|Township of Long Hill, Geographic Names Information System, accessed December 19, 2007.]
elevation_m = 71
elevation_ft = 233
latd = 40 |latm = 40 |lats = 34 |latNS = N
longd = 74 |longm = 29 |longs = 41 |longEW = W

postal_code_type =
postal_code =
area_code =
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-41362GR|2 [ [http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/webrepts/commoncodes/ccc_nj.html A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey] , Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.]
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0882196GR|3
website = http://www.longhillnj.org/
footnotes =

Long Hill Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 8,777.

Long Hill Township was incorporated as "Passaic Township" on March 23, 1866. On September 1, 1922, part of what was then Passaic Township was taken to form Harding Township. ["The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 193 (re Harding) and 195 (re Long Hill)] On November 3, 1992, by a 1,901-1,821 margin, the voters elected to change the name of the municipality to "Long Hill Township", a change largely driven by the desire to avoid confusion with the City of Passaic, some 22 miles away. ["How Green Was My Passaic, Now Long Hill', "The New York Times", December 3, 1992. pg. B.1] [ [http://www.longhillnj.org/about/generalinfo.html Long Hill Township: General Information] , accessed December 27, 2006]

The township consists of four communities: the enclaves of Gillette, Millington, and Stirling, and the hamlet of Meyersville. Homestead Park is the name of the first subdivision in the township, developed in the 1920s.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 12.1 square miles (31.3 km²), all of it land.

Long Hill Township is located in the most southern part of Morris County. It is bounded by the Passaic River on the south and west and by the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge on the north. It borders both Union and Somerset counties.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930=2149
1940=2664
1950=3429
1960=5537
1970=7393
1980=7275
1990=7826
2000=8777
estimate= 8785
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US3454660&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C16000US3454660&_street=&_county=long+hill&_cityTown=long+hill&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for Long Hill township] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2007.]
footnote=Population 1930 - 1990. [ [http://www.wnjpin.net/OneStopCareerCenter/LaborMarketInformation/lmi01/poptrd6.htm New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990] , Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 8,777 people, 3,139 households, and 2,457 families residing in the township. The population density was 726.8 people per square mile (280.5/km²). There were 3,206 housing units at an average density of 265.5/sq mi (102.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 92.75% White, 0.39% African American, 0.17% Native American, 4.79% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.45% of the population.

There were 3,139 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the township the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $84,532, and the median income for a family was $103,037. Males had a median income of $71,827 versus $46,100 for females. The per capita income for the township was $42,613. About 2.3% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Long Hill 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."2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book", Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 94.] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.

Members of the township committee are Mayor George Vitureira (R; term ends December 31, 2008), Deputy Mayor Jerry Aroneo (R; 2009), Mead Briggs III (R; 2009), Chris Collins (D; 2008) and Mike Mazzucco (R; 2010). [ [http://www.longhillnj.org/departments/twpcomm/twpcomm.html 2007 Township Committee Members] , Long Hill Township. Accessed February 6, 2007.]

Federal, state, and county representation

Long Hill Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 21st Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 60. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

The Long Hill Township School System serves public school students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics [ [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3412660 Data for the Long Hill Township School System] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 28, 2008.] ) are [http://www.longhill.org/gillette/index.html Gillette School] (Grades K-1, 233 students, Principal: Joanna Hughes), [http://www.longhill.org/millington/index.html Millington School] (Grades 2-5, 505 students, Principal: Jennifer Dawson) and [http://www.longhill.org/central/index.html Central Middle School] (Grades 6-8, 357 students, Principal: Richard Cimino).

Long Hill Township's high school students in public school attend Watchung Hills Regional High School in Warren Township. Students from Long Hill Township and from the neighboring communities of Green Brook Township, Warren Township, and Watchung (in Somerset County) attend the school. [ [http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/schools/districts.htm Somerset County School Districts-Sending/Receiving/Regional] , Somerset County Superintendent of Schools. Accessed April 27, 2008.] . As of the 2006-2007 school year, there were over 2,100 students attending.

[http://www.stvdp.org/ St. Vincent de Paul School] is a Catholic school operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. [ [http://www.patersondiocese.org/moreinfo.cfm?Web_ID=43 Morris County Elementary / Secondary Schools] , Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. Accessed July 26, 2008.]

Library

The Long Hill Township Library began about 1880 in what was then known as Passaic Township. At the time a group of women in Millington formed a reading club purchasing a small number of books to trade amongst themselves. A similar group was established in Meyersville. In 1920 when the [http://www.mclib.info Morris County Library] was built the groups joined the county system and books on loan from the county were housed in the homes of the associations’ members.

By the nineteen fifties the Millington Association’s Library had relocated to the Town Hall and the Meyersville group occupied one room in the town’s Central School. In 1956, however, the Township asked the Millington Association to find other quarters, and the Central School location had steadily become less than satisfactory due to increasing enrollment. A referendum in the amount of $25,000 for the construction of a new building was submitted to the community. The measure passed by two votes. The new library opened in 1958 on Central Avenue in Stirling as the Passaic Township Free Public Library with a paid director and several volunteers.

By 1968 the library’s collection had grown substantially and plans were made for a new addition to the building. Another $25,000 was raised and the addition was completed in 1972. A later addition followed in the nineteen eighties. The library remained on Central Avenue until 2005 when an entirely new building was dedicated in April of that year. In the meantime, in 1992, the township had formally changed its name to Long Hill Township and the Passaic Township Free Public Library duly became the Long Hill Township Free Public Library.

The [http://www.longhilllibrary.org Long Hill Township Library] now occupies a site in Gillette, NJ, adjacent to Town Hall. The library contains 16,000 square feet of space and has a capacity for 72,000 books. The library is a member of the Morris Automated Information Network consortium. Through this consortium residents of Long Hill Township have access to library materials at 37 area libraries.

Communications

Long Hill is in the 908 Area Code. The legacy exchange is 908-647 (MIllington-7). It was one of the last exchanges in New Jersey to be converted from manual to dial operation. Current exchanges serving Long Hill Township (and adjacent areas of Bernards and Warren Townships in Somerset County) are 350, 360, 394, 484, 495, 504, 542, 563, 580, 604, 605, 607, 626, 647, 649, 660, 762, 860, 877, 903, and 991.

The current cable company servicing the area is Comcast which provides local TV, internet, and phone service. Most of Long Hill now also has access to Verizon's FiOS service. Patriot Media no longer serves in the area because it was sold to Comcast in early 2008.

Long Hill Township operates a public service television channel on Patriot (Ch 25) and Verizon (Ch 37).

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Long Hill Township include:
*Gina Genovese (born 1959), businesswoman and politician who has served as mayor of the township and recently ran for state senator
*Jack H. Jacobs (born 1945), Medal of Honor recipient in 1969 for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War. [James, George. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE0D8173DF93BA15756C0A9669C8B63 "COMMUNITIES; Those Whom We Honor"] , "The New York Times", May 28, 2000. Accessed December 19, 2007. "Especially now," said Jack H. Jacobs, who received his medal for his service in Vietnam, as he recently sat sipping coffee in the kitchen of his big Victorian house in Millington."]

References

External links

* [http://www.longhillnj.org/ Long Hill Township website]
* [http://www.longhill.org/ Long Hill Township School System]
*NJReportCard|27|4000|0|Long Hill Township School System
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3412660 Data for the Long Hill Township School System] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.whrhs.org Watchung Hills Regional High School website]