An Overview of Somerset County, New Jersey
Somerset County is at the
hub of Central New Jersey. Its 21 municipalities, which encompass 305 square
miles, contain a diversity of landscape, population and development that
reflects the varied lifestyles of its estimated 315,850 residents.
As one of America's oldest counties, Somerset is steeped in colonial and
Revolutionary War history. The County was established by charter on May 22,
1688, with land conveyances dating to 1651. Historic sites, monuments and
buildings are found in virtually every town, preserved for future
generations.
Located in the heart of the nation's largest metropolitan area, Somerset
County contains a balance between urban and suburban neighborhoods and rural
country sides. Fine residential communities, beautiful parks, excellent
shopping areas, extensive farmlands, numerous historic sites and outstanding
business and industry all make Somerset a desirable place to live, work and
play.
The County's 9,506 acres of parkland include golf courses, picnic
areas, hiking and bicycling trails, stables, a swimming pool, an
Environmental Education Center and the County Fairgrounds, which each year
hosts the Somerset County 4 H Fair. The County has preserved more than 4,600
acres of farmland through its Agriculture Development Program.
Our educational facilities
Raritan Valley Community College,
Somerset County Vocational High School
and Technical Institute are among the finest in
the state. The college, a two year school in Branchburg Township, includes a
library/theater complex and a planetarium.
Many
boards,
commissions and advisory groups help the
Freeholders determine priorities and procedures in areas ranging from
farmland preservation to human services delivery. Members, who serve without
compensation, perform a valuable service to their community.
Environmental protection, conservation of resources, shared services and
proper planning for future growth and development all are major goals for
County government.
The Board of Chosen
Freeholders remains dedicated to
serving the residents of Somerset County and to maintaining the county's
nationwide reputation for excellence.
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About Somerset County, New Jersey.
An Overview of
Somerset County Government
Programs & Services
2005
A Distinguished Past...A Dynamic Future
HISTORY OF SOMERSET COUNTY.
.. New Jersey is the only state where elected county officials are
called “freeholders” (most other states elect a county commission or county
council).
.. The term “freeholder” is a carryover from colonial days, when only
property owners -- then known as freeholders -- were entitled to vote.
.. Originally, one freeholder represented each municipality. As counties
grew, this became too unwieldy. Today, Somerset County has five freeholders
elected at-large for three-year terms. Each freeholder represents the entire
county. Somerset County currently has about 314,620 residents.
WHAT DOES A FREEHOLDER DO?
.. Freeholders elect from among themselves a freeholder director (Rick
Fontana - 2005) who conducts their meetings and serves as spokesperson for
the board. In Somerset County, the position of freeholder director is
rotated each year.
.. Each freeholder in Somerset County chairs a standing committee:
.. Human Services (Peter S. Palmer - 2005),
.. Finance & Administrative Services (Denise Coyle - 2005),
.. Public Works I (Bob Zaborowski - 2005),
.. Public Works II (Ken Scherer - 2005).
The freeholder director and county administrator serve as ex-officio members
of each committee.
.. The Board of Freeholders is the policy-making body of county government.
They ensure compliance with state mandates, such as recycling and the
provision of facilities for the courts and the county jail.
.. They also fund many human and social service programs, such as Senior
Centers, Home-Delivered Meals, a community Mental Health Center, the
county’s Eldercare Initiative (“Partnering for Our Aging Future”), and the
Office of Veterans Services, among others.
SOMERSET COUNTY TODAY.
.. Population: Approximately 314,620
.. Households: Approx. 115,000
.. Square Miles: 305
.. Location: Central New Jersey - one of only two “land-locked” counties in
New Jersey (Morris County is the other)
.. 21 Municipalities:
Bedminster, Bernards, Bernardsville, Bound Brook, Branchburg, Bridgewater,
Far Hills, Franklin, Green Brook, Hillsborough, Manville, Millstone,
Montgomery, North Plainfield, Peapack-Gladstone, Raritan, Rocky Hill,
Somerville, South Bound Brook, Warren & Watchung.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
6 (Rep. Frank Pallone), 7 (Rep. Michael Ferguson), 11 (Rep. Rodney
Frelinghuysen) and 12 (Rep. Rush Holt)
.. Legislative Districts:
16 (Sen. Walter Kavanaugh, Assem. Christopher “Kip” Bateman, Assem. Peter
Biondi),
17 (Sen. Bob Smith, Assem. Joseph Egan, Assem. Upendra Chivukula),
21 (Sen. Thomas Kean, Jr., Assem. Eric Munoz, Assem. Jon Bramnick)
22 (Sen. Nicholas Scutari, Assem. Gerald Green, Assem. Linda Stender)
PRESERVED OPEN SPACE.
.. Parkland: Approx. 9,346 acres [of a total goal of 20,500 by the year
2010]
.. Greenways: About 2,013 acres through the County/Municipal Open Space
Partnership
.. Farmland: More than 4,500 acres [of a total goal of 16,000]
COUNTY PROGRAMS & SERVICES.
The Somerset County Board of Freeholders is responsible for a wide variety
of services. For example, Somerset County: .. maintains and repairs 260
miles of county roads and 750 county owned bridges.
SOMERSET COUNTY.
.. collects approx. 37,000 tons of recyclables a year from about 115,000
households via curbside pickups; estimated income from the sale of
recyclable materials in 2004 was $2,848,000, which was used to fund the
program. More than 35,000 tons of waste were diverted from landfills in
2004.
.. provides approx. 160,000 meals a year to senior citizens and people with
disabilities, many at our eight senior centers around the county, and more
than half to homebound residents.
.. provides close to 393,000 trips a year to senior citizens and persons
with disabilities, through our Transportation Division. Our Transportation
Division also operates two bus shuttles: SCOOT (for the general public) and
DASH (for people who work in the Davidson Avenue area of Franklin Township),
which provides approx. 68,400 additional public transit trips.
.. holds six Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off programs each year that draw
thousands of residents; in 2004 we collected more than 110 tons of hazardous
materials for safe disposal.
.. holds First Saturday of the Month programs and properly disposes of tires
and used consumer electronics; in 2004 we collected 20,000 tires and more
than 205 tons of used consumer electronics.
.. sponsors or co-sponsors special events, such as the annual 4-H Fair
(county government has some 30 displays at the fair each year) and the
annual Somerset County Teen Arts Festival (for 1,000 teens from all over the
county).
DISASTER ASSISTANCE.
.. In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, our Office of Emergency Management
mobilized local fire companies and first aid squads that assisted in the
rescue efforts at the World Trade Center.
.. Also, our human and social services staffs provided free counseling to
any county resident affected directly or indirectly by the tragedy.
SPECIAL
PROGRAMS.
The County also funds other special programs that benefit communities
throughout the county. For example:
.. Raritan Valley Community College and the Vo-Tech Schools
.. Somerset County Business Partnership (founded in January 2001) to enhance
the county’s attraction and retention of business
.. Regional Center Partnership to focus on revitalizing the
Somerville-Raritan-Bridgewater area (a state-designated Regional Center as
of 1996)
.. Economic Incentive Grant Program to help older boroughs with development
and redevelopment (approx. $8 million in grants has been awarded since the
program’s inception in 1998)
.. Commerce Bank Ballpark has drawn visitors to central Somerset County for
the ballgames and for shopping, restaurants, etc. The ballpark also is a
good example of appropriate redevelopment of a Brownfield site (the former
American Cyanamid property).
COUNTY DEPARTMENTS & DIVISIONS.
Somerset County Government has three main “umbrella” departments that
oversee a number of divisions:
.. Finance & Administrative Services Adjuster, Consumer Affairs/Weights &
Measures, Finance, Human Resources, MIS, Purchasing, Records Management and
Telephone Services
.. Human Services Office on Aging, Community Development, Office for the
Disabled, Human Services, Juvenile Institutional Services, Mental Health
Center, Rutgers Cooperative Research Extension, Veterans Services, Volunteer
Services and Youth Services
.. Public Works Bridges, Emergency Management, Engineering, Soil
Conservation, Facilities & Services, Fleet Management, Recycling, Roads,
Traffic Safety, Planning, Cultural & Heritage Commission, Transportation,
Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance, Solid Waste Management and the Health
Department Policy & Organizational Development, which includes Public
Information.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
The County Administrator, Clerk of the Board and County Counsel all
report directly to the Board of Freeholders. There also are a number of
independent commissions and agencies that receive support from the
Freeholders but have their own boards:
Park Commission, Library, Vo-Tech Schools, Raritan Valley Community College,
Commission on the Status of Women, Board of Elections, Superintendent of
Schools, Prosecutor and Board of Social Services.
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.
Somerset County has three elected constitutional officers who provide their
own specialized services to residents:
COUNTY CLERK - records deeds, takes passport applications, issues county ID
cards, handles absentee ballots
SHERIFF – operates the county jail, serves summonses, provides security for
the county courthouse and complex, assists municipal police departments
SURROGATE - probates wills, handles adoptions and trusts for minors.
SHARED SERVICES.
The County has joined with various municipalities to provide shared services
that save tax dollars. Examples include:
.. the 911 emergency communications system
.. regional land use planning, provided through the County Planning Board
.. cooperative purchasing
.. engineering services
.. fuel and vehicle repairs
.. traffic signal maintenance and road striping
.. computerized payroll processing
.. employee training programs
.. Youth Services Commissions and Municipal Alliances
.. Facility maintenance and repairs, infrastructure maintenance & repairs.
CENSUS 2000 FIGURES.
.. According to the 2000 Census, Somerset County was the fastest growing
county in New Jersey from 1990 to 2000, with a population growth rate of
23.8 percent. We gained 57,211 new residents during that period, which put
us at 3.5 percent of the state’s total population.
.. Seniors age 65 and up now account for 11.2 percent of our population, up
from 10.8 percent in 1990. However this number is expected to increase
dramatically in the years to come, as the “baby boomer” generation moves
into its senior years.
.. The projected population for Somerset County in 2015 is 345,290, or
almost a 9 percent increase – a more moderate rate of growth than we saw
from 1990 to 2000.
.. The recent and projected population increases translate to increased
demand for governmental facilities and services, many of which Somerset
County already provides.
SOMERSET COUNTY RANKINGS.
Somerset County is …
.. Ranked 190th out of 3,141 counties nationwide in terms of population size
according to Census 2000.
.. Ranked 13th out of 21 counties in New Jersey in terms of both population
and land area.
.. One of only 43 counties (less than 2 percent) nationwide, out of more
than 3,000, that hold a triple-A bond rating. This ensures we get the best
possible interest rates on money we borrow for major projects that benefit
all county citizens.
SOMERSET COUNTY BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP.
The (www.bpofsc.com) provides the following rankings for our County:
Somerset County is …
.. One of the country’s “Most Livable” Communities (2000), according to
Partners for Livable Communities, which is based in Washington, D.C.
.. Ranked second for wealth and third for low crime rate by the Year 2000
ReliaStar Study, “The Best Cities to Earn and Save Money”
.. A leader in private-sector employment growth (22.1 percent from 1990-
1998) – more than five times the State’s growth rate
.. Ranked sixth by Forbes Magazine (May 1999) among the “Best Places” to
live and work in the nation
.. The Most Affluent county in the United States. The median household
income was $89,289 in 2003 according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2003
American Community Survey.
.. Consistently among counties with the highest employment rate in the State
(97 percent as of 2001).
.. First nationwide with the most scientists per capita, and seventh
nationally in the number of biological scientists in the workforce.
Learn more by visiting the Somerset County Web Site:
www.co.somerset.nj.us
“An Overview of Somerset County Government Programs & Services”
Compiled by the S.C. Public Information Office
908-231-7020 / publicinfo@co.somerset.nj.us
March 2005
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Somerset County Quick
Facts.
The data
presented below is derived from various sources, including the
U.S. Census Bureau, 2003 American Community Survey (ACS), Annual Survey of
Counties and Municipalities; the New Jersey Home Builders Association 4th
Quarter Average and Median New Sales Prices for 2004; Trends in Employment
and Wages Covered by Unemployment Insurance for NAICS 2002 New Jersey
Unemployment Compensation Law; the Somerset County Park Commission and the
Somerset County Planning Board.
1. What is the County
population?
·
307,143 (2003
ACS population estimate)
. 315,850
(2005
County Planning estimate)
2. What is the total
number of dwelling units, and households in the County?
·
Dwelling unit –
117,122 (2003)
· Households
- 115,105 (2003)
3. What was the racial
composition of the County including Hispanic and non-Hispanic in 2003?
·
White – 236,996
(77.2%)
·
Black – 25,550
(8.3%)
·
American Indian
–544 (0.20%)
·
Asian – 33,394
(10.9%)
·
Pacific Islander
–535 (.2%)
·
Other races –
7298 (2.4%)
· Hispanic
population, which includes persons of any race – 31,464 (10.2%) and
Non-Hispanic – 275,679 (89.6%) (2003)
4. What are the County’s
median household income, per capita income and poverty rates?
·
Median household
income - $89,289 (2003)
·
Per capita income
- $40,828 (2003)
·
Poverty rate –
1,608 families countywide. (2003)
5.
What ancestries do County residents claim?
·
Total number of
different ancestries reported - 271,151 (2003)
6. What is the County
population under 19 and over 65 years of age?
·
19 years old and
under – 86,564 persons (2003)
·
Over 65 – 32,633
persons (2003)
7. What is the total
number of employees working in the private sector covered by unemployment
insurance? What is the total number of local, county, state and federal
government workers?
·
Private sector
employees –155,732 (2002)
·
Government
employees (2002):
Ø
Local government
–13,216
Ø
State government –
1,000
Ø
Federal government
– 1,611
8. What is the land area
and population density of the County?
·
Land area - 305.5
square miles
·
Population
density – 1,005.38 persons per square mile (2003)
9. How much does new
housing cost in Somerset County?
·
Average new sales
price - $536,864 (2004)
· Median new sales
price - $478,391 (2004)
10. What is the County’s
level of educational attainment? How many residents have high school,
bachelor and advanced college degrees?
·
Residents held
various educational degrees in 2003:
Ø High school -
(92.05%)
Ø
Bachelor degree -
(48.2%)
Ø Advanced
college degrees - (19.9%)
11. Where can I find
statistics describing schools in the County?
·
http://www.state.nj.us/njded.data
12. How many acres of
parkland and preserved farms are in Somerset County?
·
Within the County
Park system – 9,436 acres (2005)
·
Preserved
farmland - approximately 3,939+ acres (2004)
13. How many
low-and-moderate income qualified housing units are there countywide?
·
Approximately
3,931 housing units (2003)
Additional
information on affordable housing can be found at:
http://www.sccoah.org
14. How long is the
average work trip?
· 28.0 minutes
(2003)
15. What percentage of
county residents drive alone to work?
· Approximately
81.6 % (2003)
To access
additional county and municipal census and demographic data,
please visit the State Data Center Web site:
www.state.nj.us/labor/lra
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