Ridgefield Park, New Jersey

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Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
—  Village  —
Map highlighting Ridgefield Park's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°51′17″N 74°1′13″W / 40.85472°N 74.02028°W / 40.85472; -74.02028Coordinates: 40°51′17″N 74°1′13″W / 40.85472°N 74.02028°W / 40.85472; -74.02028
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Bergen
Settled 1685
Incorporated 1892
Government
 • Type Walsh Act (New Jersey)
 • Mayor George D. Fosdick (2012)[1]
Area
 • Total 1.9 sq mi (5.0 km2)
 • Land 1.7 sq mi (4.5 km2)
 • Water 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2)
Elevation[2] 59 ft (18 m)
Population (2010 Census)[3]
 • Total 12,729
 • Density 6,699.5/sq mi (2,545.8/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 07660
Area code(s) 201
FIPS code 34-62940[4][5]
GNIS feature ID 0885368[6]
Website http://www.ridgefieldpark.org

Ridgefield Park is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The population was 12,729 at the 2010 United States Census. Of 566 municipalities statewide, Ridgefield Park is only one of three with a village type of government in New Jersey, along with Loch Arbour and Ridgewood.

The village's Fourth of July Parade, first established in 1894, is said to be the longest continuously celebrated such event in New Jersey and one of the oldest in the country.[7] The village eliminated its July 4 fireworks in 2009, citing the $50,000 cost in the face of the difficult economy, but committed to retain its parade.[8]

Contents

[edit] Geography

Ridgefield Park is located at 40°51′26″N 74°01′27″W / 40.857119°N 74.024272°W / 40.857119; -74.024272 (40.857119, -74.024272).[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.9 square miles (5.0 km2), of which, 1.7 square miles (4.5 km2) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2) of it (9.90%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1900 1,987
—
1910 4,512 127.1%
1920 8,575 90.0%
1930 10,764 25.5%
1940 11,277 4.8%
1950 11,993 6.3%
1960 12,701 5.9%
1970 13,990 10.1%
1980 12,738 −8.9%
1990 12,454 −2.2%
2000 12,873 3.4%
2010 12,729 −1.1%
Population 1930 - 1990.[3][10][11][12]

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 12,873 people, 5,012 households, and 3,242 families residing in the village. The population density was 7,435.7 people per square mile (2,873.0/km2). There were 5,134 housing units at an average density of 1, 145.8/km2 (2,965.5/sq mi). The racial makeup of the village was 78.20% White, 4.10% African American, 0.22% Native American, 7.85% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.50% from other races, and 3.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.24% of the population.[12]

There were 5,012 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.24.[12]

In the village the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.[12]

The median income for a household in the village was $51,825, and the median income for a family was $62,414. Males had a median income of $44,507 versus $35,217 for females. The per capita income for the village was $24,290. About 4.7% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.[12]

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Ridgefield Park has been governed under the Walsh Act since 1912.[13] The Board of Commissioners consists of five members, elected at large in non-partisan elections to serve four-year terms on a concurrent basis. The commissioners elect one commissioner as mayor, however the mayor is only responsible for his or her departments and serves as the chair of the commission.[14]

The members of the Ridgefield Park Board of Commissioners, whose terms of office all end in 2012, are:[15]

In elections held on May 13, 2008, the four incumbents running for re-election — George D. Fosdick (1,210 votes), Maggie Boyd (1,142), John H. Anlian (1,063) and Hugo R. Poli (1,006) — all won new terms in office. Challenger Adam MacNeill received 1,037 votes to win the seat vacated by Joseph Storer, with Frank Scerbo (653) and Junior Hernandez (458) falling short.[16]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Ridgefield Park is in the Ninth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 37th state legislative district.[17] The village was relocated to the 36th state legislative district by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission based on the results of the 2010 Census.[3] 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.[17]

New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District is represented by Steve Rothman (D, Fair Lawn). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 37th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Loretta Weinberg (D, Teaneck) and in the General Assembly by Valerie Huttle (D, Englewood) and Gordon M. Johnson (D, Englewood).[18] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[19] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[20]

Bergen County's County Executive is Kathleen Donovan (R, Rutherford; term ends December 31, 2014).[21] The Board of Chosen Freeholders is the county's legislative body and its seven members are elected at-large in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year.[22] As of 2012, Bergen County's Freeholders are Freeholder Chairman John D. Mitchell (R, 2013; Cliffside Park),[23] Freeholder Vice Chairman John A. Felice (R, 2013; River Edge),[24] Maura R. DeNicola (R, 2013; Franklin Lakes),[25] John Driscoll, Jr. (R, 2012; Paramus),[26] David L. Ganz (D, 2014; Fair Lawn),[27] Robert G. Hermansen (R, 2012; Mahwah)[28] and Joan Voss (D, 2014; Fort Lee).[29] Other countywide constitutional officials are Sheriff Michael Saudino (R), Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill) and County Clerk John S. Hogan (D, Northvale).[30]

[edit] Politics

Municipal building in Ridgefield Park on Main Street.

Out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 11,005 in Ridgefield Park, there were 5,434 registered voters (49.4% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 1,364 (25.1% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,142 (21.0% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 2,927 (53.9% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There was one voter registered to another party.[31]

[edit] Education

The Ridgefield Park Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[32]) are three K-6 elementary schools – Grant School (201 students), Lincoln School (376) and Roosevelt School (389) – and Ridgefield Park High School for grades 7-12 (1,197). Students from Little Ferry attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Little Ferry Public Schools that has been in place since 1953.[33][34]

[edit] Transportation

New Jersey Transit bus routes 155, 157, 161, 165, 167 and 168 provide service between Ridgefield Park and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, and the 83 route provides service to Hackensack and the Journal Square Transportation Center in Jersey City.[35]

Interstate 80, Interstate 95 (the New Jersey Turnpike), and U.S. Route 46 pass through Ridgefield Park, where a 12-screen movie theater owned by AMC as well as numerous businesses such as Samsung are located.

[edit] Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Ridgefield Park include:

[edit] References

  1. ^ 2011 New Jersey Mayors Directory, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed July 12, 2011.
  2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Village of Ridgefield Park, Geographic Names Information System, accessed December 26, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c 2011 Apportionment Redistricting: Municipalities sorted alphabetically, New Jersey Department of State, p. 9. Accessed July 12, 2011.
  4. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  5. ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
  6. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  7. ^ Klein, Alvin; and Emblen, Mary L. New Jersey Guide, The New York Times, July 3, 1994. Accessed July 12, 2011. "Ridgefield Park will strike up the band with extra gusto at this year's Fourth of July parade tomorrow because it is the 100th and, the sponsors assert, the longest consecutively produced one in the nation. Residents of the village took seriously the suggestion made years before by John Adams that the nation's citizenry to celebrate independence with parades, fireworks and joyous gatherings. Volunteer committees have put together an observance every year since 1894 in spite of two World Wars, the Great Depression and other distractions."
  8. ^ Kocieniewski, David. "Bad Economy Dampens Celebrations for July 4th", The New York Times, June 21, 2009. Accessed July 12, 2011. "But in Ridgefield Park, N.J., home of the state’s oldest Fourth of July celebration, village leaders decided this year that because of the exceptionally bleak economic outlook, they could not afford to put on their traditional show, which costs about $50,000. “I’m not going to say it’s a luxury, because fireworks are a very important tradition, and Fourth of July is a very important day,” said Ridgefield Park’s mayor, George D. Fosdick. “But if you’re confronting a situation where you’re afraid you may have to lay people off and cost a family its livelihood, then it’s a decision that you have to make.” Mr. Fosdick said the village would hold the rest of its Independence Day celebration, including its home- and business-decorating contest and two parades."
  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 12, 2011.
  11. ^ Historical Population Trends in Bergen County (1900 - 2000), Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed December 23, 2007.
  12. ^ a b c d e Census 2000 Demographic Profile Highlights for Ridgefield Park village, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 12, 2011.
  13. ^ The Commission Form of Municipal Government, p. 53. Accessed August 11, 2007.
  14. ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 157.
  15. ^ The Board of Commissioners, Village of Ridgefield Park. Accessed May 12, 2011.
  16. ^ Fabiano, Giovanna; and Lamb, William. "May 13 town election results - Ridgefield Park", The Record (Bergen County), May 13, 2008. Accessed July 8, 2008. "The four incumbents were easily re-elected. MacNeill was elected to the seat being vacated by Commissioner Joseph Storer."
  17. ^ a b 2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 63. Accessed July 12, 2011.
  18. ^ Legislative Roster 2012-2013 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 11, 2012.
  19. ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
  20. ^ "About the Lieutenant Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/lt/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
  21. ^ Bergen County Executive, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed January 10, 2012.
  22. ^ What Is a Freeholder?, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed January 10, 2012.
  23. ^ John D. Mitchell, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed January 10, 2012.
  24. ^ John A. Felice, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed January 10, 2012.
  25. ^ Maura R. DeNicola, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed January 10, 2012.
  26. ^ Freeholder John Driscoll, Jr., Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed January 11, 2011.
  27. ^ Freeholder David L. Ganz, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed January 10, 2012.
  28. ^ Freeholder Robert G. Hermansen, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed January 11, 2011.
  29. ^ Freeholder Home Page, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed January 10, 2012.
  30. ^ Constitutional Officers, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed January 10, 2012.
  31. ^ "County of Bergen: Voter Statistics by Municipality, Ward & District," dated April 1, 2006.
  32. ^ Data for the Ridgefield Park Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed July 12, 2011.
  33. ^ Little Ferry Public Schools 2010 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 12, 2011. "The Little Ferry Public School district is a unique district nestled in Southern Bergen County. We enjoy the full support of our board of education, governing body, parents, and the community at large. We have just shy of 1,000 students in our Pre-K – 8th Grade setting, and are responsible for over 400 high school students who we send to either Ridgefield Park Jr.-Sr. High School or the Bergen County Vocational Technical High School and Academy."
  34. ^ James, George. "School Districts' Battle On Tuition Goes to Court", The New York Times, December 16, 1989. Accessed May 27, 2008. "Little Ferry, a borough of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) and 9,900 people, has sent its high school students to this neighboring 1.92-square-mile (5.0 km2) village of 12,000 people, since 1953."
  35. ^ Routes by County: Bergen County, New Jersey Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed July 12, 2011.
  36. ^ Overbye, Dennis. "John Huchra Dies at 61; Maps Altered Ideas on Universe", The New York Times, October 13, 2010. Accessed October 14, 2010.
  37. ^ Fosdick, George. History of Ridgefield Park High School, Ridgefield Park Jr. / Sr. High School Alumni Association. Accessed March 21, 2008. "Bud Lewis '37 was the co-pilot of the Enola Gay Aircraft which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, leading to the end of World War II, a war in which over 1,000 RPHS graduates served."
  38. ^ Fosdick, George. History of Ridgefield Park High School, Ridgefield Park Jr. / Sr. High School Alumni Association. Accessed March 21, 2008. "Among those who rose to national prominence are Ozzie Nelson ’23, a radio and television performer who often mentioned his RPHS experiences on his radio and television programs."
  39. ^ Levin, Jay. "Their lives made ours a little richer", The Record (Bergen County), January 1, 2008. Accessed May 27, 2008.

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