ALLENDALE

Allendale is a borogh in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United Staes 2000 Census, the borough population was 6,699.

Allendale was formed on November 8, 1894 from portions of Franklin Township, Ho Ho Kus Township and Orvil Township at the height of the Boroughitis phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County.

Geography

Allendale is located at 41°01′58″N 74°08′02″W / 41.032713°N 74.133824°W / 41.032713; -74.133824 (41.032713, -74.133824).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.2 km2), of which, 3.1 square miles (8.1 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2) of it (0.95%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,699 people, 2,110 households, and 1,795 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,143.9 people per square mile (829.0/km2). There were 2,143 housing units at an average density of 685.8/sq mi (265.2/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 92.48% White, 0.39% African American, 0.06% Native American, 6.09% Asian, 0.46% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Lation of any race were 2.54% of the population.
There were 2,110 households out of which 47.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.5% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.9% were non-families. 13.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the borough the population was spread out with 30.4% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $105,704, and the median income for a family was $113,390. Males had a median income of $88,210 versus $50,781 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $47,772. About 1.6% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Allendale 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.

This governing body is empowered to enact local ordinances, to levy municipal taxes and conduct the affairs of our community. In almost all cases, it can review and approve the actions of other Borough of Allendale boards, committees and agencies. The Mayor and Borough Council conducts all of it business during monthly meetings open to the public. All Legislative powers of the Borough are exercised by the Mayor and Council. These powers can take the form of a resolution, ordinance or proclamation.

The Mayor presides at all meetings of the Council. At Workshop meetings, the governing body discusses and debates proposed resolutions, ordinances and other policy matters. These meetings are open to the public, and members of the public may participate at an appropriate time at the meeting.

Formal action (resolutions and ordinances, etc.) is reserved for regular sessions of the Council, which are usually held on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. All public meetings have time allotted for members of the public to speak on any issues they wish to address.

The Mayor of Allendale is Vincent J. Barra. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Robert Schoepflin (R, 2008), Ari Bernstein (R, 2010), Susan LaMonica (R, 2010), Fred Litt (R, 2008), Jim Strauch (R, 2009) and Liz White (R, 2009).

The the 2008 General Election, Republicans ran unopposed with Robert T. Schoepflin (2,014 votes) winning re-election and newcomer Amy E. Wilczynski (2,004) winning her first three-year term in office, replacing Fred Litt who did not run for another term.

In elections held on November 6, 2007, voters filled two seats on the Borough Council. Republican newcomers Ari Bernstein (808 votes) and Susan LaMonica (797) ran unopposed. When the two take office in January, the Republicans will retain their monopoly in the 2008 Council, in a community in which registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by a more than 3-1 margin.

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, Republicans ran unopposed and swept all three seats on the ballot, with Vincent J. Barra (1,661 votes) elected as Mayor, Jim Strauch (1,653) reelected to office, and Elizabeth M. White (1,637) taking the other council seat.Terms in office for all three started on January 1, 2007.

Federal, state and county representation

Allendale is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 39th Legislative District.

New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, covering the northern portions of Bergen County, Passaic County and Sussex County and all of Warren County, is represented by Scott Garrett. 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 39th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Gerald Cardinale (R, Demarest) and in the Assembly by John E. Rooney (R, Northvale) and Charlotte Vandervalk (R, Hillsdale). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Bergen County's County Executive is Dennis McNerney (D). The executive, along with the seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. As of 2008[update], Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairman James M. Carroll (D, Demarest), Vice-Chairwoman Julie O'Brien (D, Ramsey), Elizabeth Calabrese (D, Wallington), David L. Ganz (D, Fair Lawn), Bernadette P. McPherson (D, Rutherford), Tomas J. Padilla (D, Park Ridge) and Vernon Walton (D, Englewood).

Other countywide elected officials are Sheriff Leo McGuire (D), Surrogate Court Judge Mike Dressler (D, Cresskill) County Clerk Kathleen Donovan (R, Rutherford).

Politics

As of Election Day, November 4, 2008, there were 4,242 registered voters. Of registered voters, 846 (19.9% of all registered voters) were registered as Democrats, 1,659 (39.1%) were registered as Republicans and 1,737 (40.9%) were registered as Undeclared. There were no voters registered to other parties.

On the national level, Allendale leans toward the Republican Party. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 57.2% of the vote here, defeating Democrat Barack Obama, who received 42.2% of the vote, with 77.9% of registered voters participating. In the 2004 election, Republican George W. Bush received 59.6% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received 39.5%.

Education

Allendale has two public schools that are part of the Allendale School District. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics. are:
Hillside School served 420 students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Brookside School served 642 students from 4th to 8th grades.

Public school students in grades 9-12 attend Northern Highlands Regional High School, which serves students from Allendale, Upper Saddle River, and Ho-Ho-Kus, and part of Saddle River.

New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Northern Highlands Regional High School as the 8th best high school in New Jersey in its 2008 rankings of the "Top Public High Schools" in New Jersey.

Transportation

New Jersey Transit provides train service at the Allendale station located at Allendale Avenue, Myrtle Avenue, and Park Avenue. There are two ticket vending machines and the shelter at the southbound platform. There is also an underpass to transfer between the northbound and southbound platforms. The station provides service on both Main Line and Bergen County Line trains. The lines offer service to Hoboken Terminal, with transfers available at Secaucus Junction to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan and to most of New Jersey Transit's other train lines. There is no NJ Transit bus service in Allendale.

Allendale is easily accessible from Route 17. The main roads in Allendale are Franklin Turnpike, Allendale Avenue, Brookside Avenue, and Crescent Avenue.