Mansfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey

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Mansfield Township highlighted in Burlington County. Inset map: Burlington County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.

Mansfield Township is a Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 5,090.

Mansfield was first formed on November 6, 1688, and reformed by Royal Charter on May 9, 1770. Mansfield was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Fieldsboro (March 7, 1850, within township; became fully independent c. 1894), Bordentown Township (March 8, 1852) and Florence Township (March 7, 1872).^[1]

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Government
- 3.1 Local government
- 3.2 Federal, state and county representation
4 Education
5 Transportation
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 56.6 km² (21.9 mi²). 56.3 km² (21.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.64%) is water.

Mansfield Township encompasses the communities of Columbus (where the town hall is located), Georgetown, Hedding and Kinkora. The hamlets are Mansfield and Rising Sun Square (also known as Mansfield Square). "Homestead," a retirement village, consists of 1,200 homes in Columbus.

Mansfield Township borders Bordentown Township, Chesterfield Township, Springfield Township, and Florence Township.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	1,709		–
1940	1,642		-3.9%
1950	1,907		16.1%
1960	2,084		9.3%
1970	2,597		24.6%
1980	2,523		-2.8%
1990	3,874		53.5%
2000	5,090		31.4%
Est. 2005	7,921	^[2]	55.6%
Population 1930 - 1990^[3]

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 5,090 people, 2,077 households, and 1,561 families residing in the township. The population density was 90.5/km² (234.3/mi²). There were 2,122 housing units at an average density of 37.7/km² (97.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.42% White, 1.91% African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.

There were 2,077 households out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.4% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the township the population was spread out with 18.7% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 31.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $50,757, and the median income for a family was $59,040. Males had a median income of $45,560 versus $40,968 for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,559. About 2.9% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

The Township Committee is the governing body established by State law for the Township form of government. Mansfield has five members who are elected to serve as Township Committee members. The terms of the members are for three years staggered so that at least one member is up for election every year. One member is chosen annually to serve as Mayor and another is selected as Deputy Mayor. The Mayor presides at the meetings and votes as a member of the Committee. All formal legislative and executive powers are exercised by the Committee as a whole.

The Township Committee has allocated coordination of administrative and departmental functions among its members. Every Township board and department has at least one member of Committee as a liaison.

Members of the Mansfield Township Committee are Mayor Arthur Puglia, Deputy Mayor LaVerne Cholewa, Kenneth Denti, Robert Higgins and Terri Tallon-Hammill.^[4]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Mansfield Township is in the Fourth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 8th Legislative District.^[5]

New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Mercer County, Monmouth County and Ocean County, is represented by Christopher Smith (R). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 8th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Martha W. Bark (R, Mount Laurel) and in the Assembly by Francis L. Bodine (R, Mount Laurel) and Larry Chatzidakis (R, Mount Laurel). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Burlington County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Burlington County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director James K. Wujcik, Deputy Freeholder Director William S. Haines, Jr., Dawn Marie Addiego, Vincent R. Farias and Aubrey A. Fenton.

[edit] Education

Children in grades K - 6 attend the Mansfield Public Schools, attending John Hydock Elementary School, serving grades Pre-K through 2 "Home of the Cougars" or Mansfield Township Elementary School serving Grades 3-6 "Home of the Mustangs."

Children in grades 7 - 12 attend the schools of the Northern Burlington County Regional School District, which also serves students from Chesterfield Township, North Hanover Township and Springfield Township. Students in grades 7 and 8 attend the Northern Burlington County Regional Middle School (721 students) and those in grades 9 - 12 attend Northern Burlington County Regional High School (1,194 students). Both schools are located in Columbus (in Mansfield Township).

[edit] Transportation

Interstate 95 and Interstate 295 pass through the township, as do U.S. Route 206 and Route 68. Mansfield Township houses New Jersey Turnpike Interchange 6, which connects to the Pennsylvania Extension, and US 130. The 6 toll gate is located further west on the Penn Ext. in Florence Twp. The Turnpike Authority is planning to widen the Turnpike from Exit 8A in Monroe Township to Exit 6 in Mansfield Township. This widening would change the current configuration (from 3-3) to "3-3-3-3."

[edit] References

^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 96.
^ Census data for Mansfield township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
^ Mansfield Township Committee Members, accessed March 4, 2007
^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 60, accessed August 30, 2006

[edit] External links

v • d • e Municipalities of Burlington County, New Jersey (County seat: Mount Holly Township)
Boroughs	Fieldsboro \| Medford Lakes \| Palmyra \| Pemberton \| Riverton \| Wrightstown
Cities	Beverly \| Bordentown \| Burlington
Townships	Bass River \| Bordentown \| Burlington \| Chesterfield \| Cinnaminson \| Delanco \| Delran \| Eastampton \| Edgewater Park \| Evesham \| Florence \| Hainesport \| Lumberton \| Mansfield \| Maple Shade \| Medford \| Moorestown \| Mount Holly \| Mount Laurel \| New Hanover \| North Hanover \| Pemberton \| Riverside \| Shamong \| Southampton \| Springfield \| Tabernacle \| Washington \| Westampton \| Willingboro \| Woodland
CDPs and other communities	Browns Mills \| Chatsworth \| Country Lake Estates \| Florence-Roebling \| Fort Dix \| Leisuretowne \| Marlton CDP \| McGuire Air Force Base \| Moorestown-Lenola \| \|New Gretna \| Pemberton Heights \| Presidential Lakes Estates \| Ramblewood