- see also, Chester Township, New Jersey
Chester is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 1,635.
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.[7]
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).[8]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.5 square miles (4.0 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% |
| Est. 2007 |
1,640 |
[3] |
0.3% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[9] |
As of the census[4] 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/sq mi (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.
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.
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.
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.
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.[10]
As of 2008[update], the Mayor of Chester is Dr. Dennis S. Verbaro. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Robert Davis, Matt Finney, Timothy Iversen, Gary Marshuetz, Jim Robshaw and Valle Schloesser.[11]
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." [12]
Chester Borough was carved out of Chester Township in 1930 in an effort to control a water utility. Now that the two towns share a single water supply, that issue is moot. Governor Corzine's plan to reduce or eliminate state aid now has residents considering recombining towns. While the towns share schools, fire departments, and other municipal services, some residents are concerned about the unknown costs of a merger.[12]
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.[12]
Federal, state and county representation
Chester is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th Legislative District.[13]
New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District, covering western portions of Essex County, all of Morris County, and sections of Passaic County, Somerset County and Sussex County, is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 24th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Steve Oroho (R, Franklin) and in the Assembly by Gary R. Chiusano (R, Augusta) and Alison Littell McHose (R, Franklin).[14] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[15]
Morris County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two or three seats up for election each year.[16] As of 2008[update], Morris County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Margaret Nordstrom,[17] Deputy Freeholder Director Gene F. Feyl,[18] Douglas R. Cabana,[19] William J. Chegwidden,[20] John J. Murphy, James W. Murray[21] and Jack J. Schrier.[22][23]
Education
Students in grades K-8 attend the Chester Township Public School District, together with children from Chester Township.
Public school students in grades 9-12 attend West Morris Mendham High School, which is located in Mendham Borough and is part of the West Morris Regional High School District. Students in the district come from the surrounding Morris County school districts of Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township and from Washington Township.[24]
Transportation
New Jersey Transit local bus service is provided on the MCM4 and MCM5 routes.[25]
Points of interest
References
- ^ Administrator, Borough of Chester. Accessed November 21, 2008.
- ^ USGS GNIS: Borough of Chester, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
- ^ a b Census data for Chester borough, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 21, 2008.
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 192.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 110.
- ^ Chester Borough Government, Chester Borough. Accessed November 21, 2008.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 2008 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 55. Accessed September 30, 2009.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved 6 June 2008.
- ^ What is a Freeholder?, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed February 6, 2008.
- ^ Margaret Nordstrom
- ^ Gene F. Feyl
- ^ Douglas R. Cabana
- ^ William J. Chegwidden
- ^ James W. Murray
- ^ Jack J. Schrier
- ^ Meet the Freeholders, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed February 6, 2008.
- ^ West Morris Regional High School District 2006 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed January 30, 2008. "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."
- ^ Morris County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed June 21, 2007.
External links
