Ridgewood, New Jersey

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Image:Njmap-0251.png Ridgewood is a village located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the village had a total population of 24,936.

Out of 566 municipalities statewide, Ridgewood (despite its size) is only one of four villages in New Jersey, joining Loch Arbour, Ridgefield Park and South Orange.

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

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Geography

Ridgewood is located at 40°59'2" North, 74°6'52" West (40.983997, -74.114386)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 15.1 km² (5.8 mi²). 15.0 km² (5.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.86% water.

Ridgewood is adjacent to eight municipalities, seven in Bergen County -- Paramus, Washington Township, Ho-Ho-Kus, Waldwick, Midland Park, Wyckoff and Glen Rock -- and one in Passaic County (Hawthorne).

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Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there are 24,936 people, 8,603 households, and 6,779 families residing in the village. The population density is 1,662.8/km² (4,308.9/mi²). There are 8,802 housing units at an average density of 587.0/km² (1,521.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the village is 87.82% White, 1.64% African American, 0.04% Native American, 8.67% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. 3.78% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 8,603 households out of which 44.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.4% are married couples living together, 7.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% are non-families. 18.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.87 and the average family size is 3.30.

In the village, the population is spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.5 males.

The median income for a household in the village is $104,286, and the median income for a family is $121,848. Males have a median income of $90,422 versus $50,248 for females. The per capita income for the village is $51,658. 3.0% of the population and 1.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.5% of those under the age of 18 and 4.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

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Government

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Local government

In 1970, Ridgewood recognized the need to professionalize municipal management and adopted the more modern Council-Manager plan under the Faulkner Act. Under this form, the public elects five Council Members who act as a Board of Directors. Their principal responsibility is to hire and oversee a professional Village Manager who has full executive power for all departments.

The Village Council is the governing body of the Village of Ridgewood. There are five Council members who are elected at large, on a non-partisan basis. The Municipal Election for Village Council takes place on the second Tuesday in May, in even numbered years. The term of a Council member is four years. The Mayor is chosen by the Village Council every two years, after a Municipal Election. The Reorganization meeting, which is when the new Council members take office, is held on July 1st, and is when the Council selects a mayor and deputy mayor from among its members. The Mayor presides over Council meetings, but has no executive authority.

The Village Council appoints a Village Manager to oversee the day to day operations of the Village, to handle personnel, citizen inquiries and complaints, and to handle the administrative duties of the Village. The Village Council passes local laws, makes appointments to various Boards and Committees, and awards various contracts for purchases of goods and services used by the Village. They also review, amend, and adopt the annual budget for the Village prepared by the Village Manager and Chief Financial Officer.

Members of the Ridgewood Village Council are Mayor David T. Pfund, Deputy Mayor Betty G. Wiest, Jacques Harlow, Patrick A. Mancuso and Kim Ringler Shagin

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Federal, state and county representation

Ridgewood is part of New Jersey's 40th Legislative District and is in the Fifth Congressional 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 (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken) and Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park).

The 40th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Henry McNamara (R, Wyckoff) and in the Assembly by Kevin J. O'Toole (R, Wayne) and David C. Russo (R, Midland Park).

Bergen County's County Executive is Dennis McNerney. The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairwoman Bernadette P. McPherson of Rutherford, Vice-Chairman David L. Ganz of Fair Lawn, Elizabeth Calabrese of Wallington, James M. Carroll of Demarest, Tomas J. Padilla of Park Ridge, Elizabeth Randall of Westwood and Valerie Vainieri Huttle of Englewood.

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Education

The Ridgewood Board of Education operates nine public schools and one additional school facility, which houses a BOE-run pre-school program and a private day care center:

Pre-School