Wrightstown, New Jersey

Wrightstown is a borough in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the borough's population was 802DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Wrightstown borough, Burlington County, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 3, 2012.Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2010 for Wrightstown borough
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed September 3, 2012. reflecting an increase of 54 (+7.2%) from the 748 counted in the 2000 census, which had in turn declined by 3,095 (−80.5%) from the 3,843 counted in the 1990 census.

Wrightstown was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 4, 1918, from portions of New Hanover Township and North Hanover Township, based on the results of a referendum held on March 26, 1918.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 100. Accessed September 3, 2012. The borough was named for John Wright, an early settler who contributed the land that became the settlement of Wrightstown.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.85 square miles (4.79 km²), all of which was land.

The borough borders the Burlington County municipalities of New Hanover Township, North Hanover Township, Pemberton Township, and Springfield Township, as well as the McGuire AFB and Fort Dix entities of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

The borough is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering , that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve. Part of the borough is included in the state-designated Pinelands Area, which includes portions of Burlington County, along with areas in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties.

Demographics

Jozsef A. Farago, a former mayor of Wrightstown, criticized the 2000 Census data that showed that the borough's population had dropped 80%, to 748 from 3,843 a decade earlier, noting that the 1990 population had been inflated and that the conversion of Fort Dix to a reserve base had caused a decrease but that the borough's master plan showed a population of 838.

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $40,096 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,881) and the median family income was $38,438 (+/− $7,242). Males had a median income of $37,917 (+/− $22,280) versus $34,167 (+/− $13,020) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,231 (+/− $4,722). About 15.2% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.6% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States census there were 748 people, 312 households, and 181 families residing in the borough. The population density was 425.1 people per square mile (164.1/km²). There were 339 housing units at an average density of 192.7 per square mile (74.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 49.87% White, 30.21% African American, 0.53% Native American, 7.22% Asian, 7.22% from other races, and 4.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.23% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Wrightstown borough, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 3, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Wrightstown borough, Burlington County, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 3, 2012.

There were 312 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.2% were married couples living together, 25.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $27,500, and the median income for a family was $29,375. Males had a median income of $28,889 versus $25,417 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $14,489. About 22.8% of families and 24.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.8% of those under age 18 and 22.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Wrightstown is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a Mayor and a Borough Council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 43. The Borough form of government used by Wrightstown is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the Mayor of Wrightstown is Republican Donald Cottrell, who was appointed to serve a term of office ending December 31, 2024. Members of the Wrightstown Borough Council are Council President William L. Bird Jr. (R, 2023), Donna L. Carroll (R, 2022; elected to serve an unexpired term), Joseph Craig (R, 2023; elected to serve an unexpired term), Jeanie L. Knapp (R, 2022) and Laurance R. Lownds ( D, 2024), with one seat vacant.Mayor & Council
Wrightstown, New Jersey. Accessed July 25, 2022.November 2, 2021 Summary Report Burlington County Official Results
Burlington County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.November 3, 2020 Summary Report Burlington County Official Results
Burlington County, New Jersey, updated November 23, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.November 5, 2019 Summary Report Burlington County Official Results
Burlington County, New Jersey, updated November 16, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.November 6, 2018 General Election Summary Report Official Results
Burlington County, New Jersey, updated November 17, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2019.

After David Scott Timberman resigned from office in November 2021, the Borough Council selected Donald Cottrell from a list of three candidates to fill the seat expiring in December 2024.

In September 2019, the New Jersey State Comptroller referred a case involving Mayor Thomas Harper to the New Jersey Attorney General for possible criminal charges; it was alleged that the mayor had allowed a private company to dump of untreated septic tank waste into facilities operated by the borough's municipal utilities authority without the company having paid any fees. In September 2020, Mayor Harper was charged by the Attorney General's Office of Public Integrity and Accountability with lying to investigators, after he allegedly knowingly made false statements during the course of the Office of the Comptroller's investigation. Harper resigned from office later that month, but his named remained as the only candidate for mayor listed on the ballot in the November 2020 general election.

In July 2012, following the death of Brian Sperling in the previous month, the Borough Council selected William Bird to fill Sperling's vacancy on the council and picked Costic Michael Borsavage to take over his role as council president.

Jennifer Heisler, a councilmember who resigned in October 2010, was sentenced in November 2011 to five years of probation after pleading guilty to the theft of $20,000 from Wrightstown Volunteer Fire Company, of which she had been the treasurer.

Federal, state and county representation

Wrightstown is located in the 3rd Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 12th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District
New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Wrightstown had been in the 8th state legislative district.''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, p. 66, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015.

Burlington County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners comprised of five members who are chosen at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year; at an annual reorganization meeting, the board selects a director and deputy director from among its members.Board of County Commissioners
Burlington County, New Jersey. Accessed February 26, 2022. , Burlington County Board of County Commissioners are
Commissioner Director Daniel J. O'Connell ( D, Delran Township; term as commissioner ends December 31, 2024; term as director ends 2022)
Commissioner Deputy Director Tom Pullion (D, Edgewater Park, term as commissioner ends 2023; term as deputy director ends 2022),
Allison Eckel (D, Medford, 2022; appointed to fill an unexpired term),
Felicia Hopson (D, Willingboro Township, 2024) and
Balvir Singh (D, Burlington Township, 2023).
Burlington County's Constitutional Officers are
County Clerk Joanne Schwartz (R, Southampton Township, 2023),
Sheriff Anthony Basantis (D, Burlington Township, 2022) and
Surrogate Brian J. Carlin (D, Burlington Township, 2026).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 293 registered voters in Wrightstown, of which 75 (25.6% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 98 (33.4% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 120 (41.0% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.Voter Registration Summary - Burlington
New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 29, 2014. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 36.5% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 50.0% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 143 votes (63.6% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 76 votes (33.8% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 3 votes (1.3% vs. 1.0%), among the 225 ballots cast by the borough's 337 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.8% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 118 votes (54.6% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 92 votes (42.6% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 3 votes (1.4% vs. 1.0%), among the 216 ballots cast by the borough's 320 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.5% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 99 votes (49.5% vs. 52.9% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 93 votes (46.5% vs. 46.0%) and other candidates with 3 votes (1.5% vs. 0.8%), among the 200 ballots cast by the borough's 306 registered voters, for a turnout of 65.4% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63 votes (62.4% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 35 votes (34.7% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 1 votes (1.0% vs. 1.2%), among the 101 ballots cast by the borough's 312 registered voters, yielding a 32.4% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 62 votes (50.4% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 47 votes (38.2% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 3 votes (2.4% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 4 votes (3.3% vs. 1.2%), among the 123 ballots cast by the borough's 322 registered voters, yielding a 38.2% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

Students in public school for grades pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the New Hanover Township School District, a consolidated public school district that serves students from both New Hanover Township and Wrightstown. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 177 students and 23.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 7.5:1.District information for New Hanover Township
National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020. In the 2016–17 school year, the district had the 40th-smallest enrollment of any school district in the state.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students from both New Hanover Township and Wrightstown Borough attend Bordentown Regional High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship. The high school is part of the Bordentown Regional School District, a regional K–12 school district that serves students from Bordentown City, Bordentown Township and Fieldsboro Borough. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 770 students and 53.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.3:1.
Students from Wrightstown, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford Township and Westampton Township.

Economy and environmental protection

National concrete products supplier EP Henry operates a plant in Wrightstown. In 2019, it became the first customer for a reduced CO₂ cement which reduces carbon emissions by 70%.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Burlington County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The most significant highway serving Wrightstown is New Jersey Route 68. County Route 545 also passes through the borough.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service in the borough on the 317 route between Asbury Park and Philadelphia.

News coverage

Wrightstown and neighboring Cookstown were put in the national spotlight when six Islamic militants, dubbed "The Fort Dix Six", were arrested while trying to carry out an attack against Fort Dix on May 7, 2007. Heightened security around the bases affected the local economy based heavily in restaurants specializing in delivery to the base.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Wrightstown include:

* Daniel V. Asay (1847–1930), iceboat racer
* Samuel G. Wright (1781–1845), represented in 1845Samuel Gardiner Wright
''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress''. Accessed June 22, 2008.

References

External links

Wrightstown Borough website

New Hanover Township Public Schools
*

School Data for the New Hanover Township School
National Center for Education Statistics

Bordentown Regional High School

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1918 establishments in New Jersey
Borough form of New Jersey government
Boroughs in Burlington County, New Jersey
Populated places established in 1918
Populated places in the Pine Barrens (New Jersey)