Summit, New Jersey
Encyclopedia : S : SU : SUM : Summit, New Jersey
Summit is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 21,131. It has the ZIP code 07901.
Geography
Summit is located at (40.716201, -74.362459)[Geographic references#1GR1].According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.7 km² (6.1 mi²). 15.7 km² (6.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.33%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 21,131 people, 7,897 households, and 5,606 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,348.5/km² (3,490.7/mi²). There were 8,146 housing units at an average density of 519.9/km² (1,345.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.77% White, 4.33% African American, 0.09% Native American, 4.45% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.70% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.17% of the population.There were 7,897 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $92,964, and the median income for a family was $117,053. Males had a median income of $85,625 versus $46,811 for females. The per capita income for the city was $62,598. About 2.5% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Summit is governed under a Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) form of government, under New Jersey state law. The mayor is elected by the city for a four year term and is the city's official spokesman and chief elected official. The mayor can appoint various officials, including the Police Chief and the Board of Education. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of School Estimate and on various committees, and has the right to speak at Common Council meetings. The mayor can only vote to break ties in the Council and has the right to speak out on issues. This bully pulpit role is considered the mayor's strongest power.The Common Council has the chief policy making and administrative oversight role in city government. The Council approves all laws and adopts the city budget. The Council also oversees the work of city department heads. The Council consists of three members from Ward I and three members from Ward II and one member elected at-large. The six ward members serve three year terms and the at-large member serves a two year term. The Council elects from its membership a President for a one year term and a President Pro Tem for a one year term. The President presides at all Council meetings and the President Pro Tem presides in the President's absence. The President Pro Tem also serves as Acting Mayor in the absence of the Mayor.
Summit has been considered a stronghold for the Republican Party for years. From 1921 to 2001 no Democrats served in elective office and very few ran for office. The real elections occurred in the Republican Primary. In 2001, Michel Bitritto won a Council seat in Ward I and Jordan Glatt won the at-large council seat. Summit had never elected a Democratic Mayor until 2003, when Jordan Glatt was elected. Michel Bitritto was defeated for reelection in 2004.
Jordan Glatt is the current Mayor of Summit.
Members of the Common Council are:
- Frank Macioce is the at-large Councilman and President of the Common Council.
- Diane Klaif represents Ward I and is President Pro Tem of the Common Council.
- Cynthia Martin is a Ward I Councilwoman and former Council President.
- Thomas Getzendanner is a Ward I Councilman.
- P. Kelly Hatfield is a Ward II Councilwoman and former Council President.
- J. Andrew Lark is a Ward II Councilman.
- Michael Helmer is a Ward II Councilman.
Christopher Cotter is the City Administrator of Summit. In this role he directs day to day operations of city government and the city departments. He is a former Fire Chief and Director of Community Services.
Federal, state and county representation
Summit is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 21st Legislative District.New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District, covering portions of Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, Somerset County and Union County, is represented by Mike Ferguson (R). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Union City).
The 21st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Thomas Kean Jr. (R, Westfield) and in the Assembly by Jon Bramnick (R, Westfield) and Eric Munoz (R, Summit). Munoz is a Summit resident and former Councilman-at-Large. The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Union County is governed by a nine-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. As of the January 2006 reorganization, Union County's Freeholders are: Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella, Freeholder Vice Chairman Bette Jane Kowalski, Angel G. Estrada, Chester Holmes, Adrian O. Mapp, Rick Proctor, Deborah P. Scanlon, Daniel P. Sullivan and Nancy Ward.
Education
Students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade are educated by the Summit Public Schools. Schools in the district (with 2003-04 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are:Elementary Schools
- [Brayton School] with 443 students (K-5)
- [Franklin School] with 350 students (K-5)
- [Jefferson School] with 225 students (K-5)
- [Lincoln-Hubbard School] with 397 students (PK-5)
- [Washington School] with 342 students (PK-5)
- [Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School] with 841 students (6-8)
- Summit High School with 907 students (9-12)
Private Schools:
- Kent Place School (K-12)
- Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child (K-12)
- Oratory Preparatory School (7-12)
Culture
Landmarks
- The Summit Diner, located on the corner of Union Place & Summit Ave., is an O'Mahony diner that has wood paneled walls, eight booths and 20 stools. It is an historic diner known for its Taylor Ham, Egg & Cheese sandwiches. Local legend says author Ernest Hemingway visited the diner and later used it as a setting for his short story "The Killers".
- Newman Hall is one of Summit's first mansions, built in the late 1800's. Its grounds were referred to as "The Park".
Sports
Information about all of Summit High School's sports teams as well as several local youth athletic associations is available at [link]Notable natives
- Actor Danny Devito boarded at Oratory Preparatory School, graduating in 1961.
- Mark Donohue, NASCAR driver
- Rapper Ice-T resided in Summit as a child, on Park Avenue. He attended the Brayton Elementary School, and moved to Los Angeles to live with family members after the death of his parents.
- Mathematician Holbrook Mann MacNeille grew up in Summit and went on to develop radar systems for the Office of Scientific Research and Development in England during World War II
- Meryl Streep, actress.
- The Velvet Underground played their first paid concert at Summit High School Prom.
- Willie Wilson, a professional baseball player with the Kansas City Royals (1976-1990), Oakland Athletics (1991-1992) and Chicago Cubs (1993-1994). He was a 2-time All-Star and won the AL batting title in 1982 with a .332 average.
Notable residents
- Noted censor Anthony Comstock lived in Summit during part of his career.
- Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine.
- James Cramer, stock trader and CNBC's former Kudlow & Cramer and present Mad Money anchor
- LeRoy Horn, a college baseball star who made it into the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system, coaches the freshman baseball team at the Summit High School.
- John Kerry owned a house on Hillcrest Avenue until selling it in 1992.
- William "Bill" Larned, a professional tennis player who won the U.S. Open several times around the turn of the century was a Summit resident. Larned Road, which runs by municipal tennis courts at Memorial Field, is named for both him and his father, who once owned the land.
- Warner LeRoy, founder of Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey; owned and operated Tavern on the Green and the Russian Tea Room.
- Worthington Whittredge, an American landscape artist and important member of the Hudson River School, lived and worked in Summit from 1880 until his death in 1910. (Another street in town, Whittredge Road, is named for him).
Points of interest
See Also
External links
- [The Official City of Summit Website]
- [The Summit Public Schools Website]
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- [National Center for Education Statistics data for the Summit Public Schools]
- [The Official Summit Police Website]
- [The Official Summit Chamber of Commerce Website]
- [Summit Hilltopper Sports]
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