Midland Park, New Jersey

Midland Park, New Jersey

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Midland Park, New Jersey

Midland Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the borough's population was 6,947.

Midland Park was incorporated as a borough on September 6, 1894, at the height of the Boroughitis craze then sweeping through Bergen County that led to the creation of over two dozen new municipalities in the county in that one year alone. The new borough consisted of portions of both Franklin Township and Ridgewood Township. The borough expanded in April 1920, by adding an additional part of Franklin Township. In a referendum held on June 9, 1931, Midland Park acquired additional land from Wyckoff Township (which until 1926 had been known as Franklin Township).^[1]^[2]

Geography
Demographics
Government

Local government
Federal, state and county representation
Politics

Education
Transportation
Noted residents
References
External links

Geography

Midland Park is located at (40.993120, -74.142869).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,947 people, 2,613 households, and 1,883 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,439.5 people per square mile (1,719.4/km²). There were 2,650 housing units at an average density of 1,693.5/sq mi (655.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.81% White, 0.43% African American, 0.06% Native American, 2.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.76% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.69% of the population.

There were 2,613 households out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the borough the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $76,462, and the median income for a family was $83,926. Males had a median income of $55,044 versus $39,142 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,284. About 1.0% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Midland Park 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 and only votes to break a tie. 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.^[3]

The Mayor of Midland Park Borough is Joseph Monahan (I, term of office ends on December 31, 2011). Members of the Midland Park Borough Council are Bernard Holst (R, 2009), Ken Kruis (R, 2008), Patrick O'Hagan (R, 2010), Nancy Cronk Peet (R, 2010), Marion Plumley (D, 2008) and Scott Pruiksma (R, 2009).^[4]^[5]

Plumley is a Democrat who was elected to office on November 8, 2005, after seven previous unsuccessful attempts, defeating long-time Republican Councilwoman Betty Sullivan. Plumley became only the third Democrat ever elected to council in Midland Park's 152-year history. Two were previously elected in the 1980s.

In elections held on November 6, 2007, 48% of registered voters turned out to fill a four-year term for mayor and two three-year seats on the Borough Council. Independent Joseph Monahan (1,011) unseated incumbent Republican Mayor Ester Vierheilig (722), with Democratic councilmember Marion Plumley (373) a distant third. Republican incumbents Nancy Peet (1,244) and Patrick O'Hagan (1,091) won re-election to the council, defeating Democrats Donald J. Allen (861) and John Torry (661).^[6]^[7]^[8]

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, voters filled two three-year seats on the borough council and voted on two ballot questions: to renew an open space tax of one cent per $100 in assessed value to be used for acquisition and maintenance of land for conservation and recreation, and another asking if the borough should borrow $3.45 million to be used for construction of a community center. As of Election Day, the council was composed of five Republicans and one Democrats, in a community in which registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by a nearly 4-1 margin. With 62% of registered voters turning out, incumbent Republicans Scott Pruiksma (1,613 votes) and Bernard Holst (1,551) won re-election to a fourth and second full term respectively, outpacing Democratic challenger Donald J. Allen (1,402). Voters approved the renewal of the Open Space trust fund tax by a 1,450-1,169 margin, while the effort to obtain approval to borrow funds for a community center failed despite the support of all three candidates, losing by a 1,963-786.^[9]^[10]^[11]

Federal, state and county representation

Midland Park is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 40th Legislative District.^[12]

Politics

As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 6,953 in Midland Park, there are 4,684 registered voters (67.4% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 496 (10.6% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,866 (39.8% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 2,320 (49.5% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There were two voters registered to other parties.^[13]

On the national level, Midland Park leans strongly toward the Republican Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 61% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received around 38%.^[14]

Education

Students in public school for grades K through 12 attend the Midland Park School District. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics^[15]) are Godwin School (K-2), Highland School (grades 3 - 6; 604 students) and Midland Park High School for grades 7 - 12 (499). Longtime Superintendent of Schools August DePreker retired in December 2007. The new Superintendent of Schools is William Heebink.