Summit, New Jersey

From Free net encyclopedia

Summit is a city located in Union County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 21,131. It has the ZIP Code 07901.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Government
- 3.1 Local government
- 3.2 Federal, state and county representation
4 Education
5 Culture
- 5.1 Landmarks
- 5.2 Sports
6 Notable natives
7 Notable residents
8 Points of interest
9 External links

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Geography

Summit is located at 40°42'58" North, 74°21'45" West (40.716201, -74.362459)Template:GR.

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 is water. The total area is 0.33% water.

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Demographics

As of the census Template:GR 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. 10.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

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. 4.2% of the population and 2.5% of families were below the poverty line. 4.1% of those under the age of 18 and 4.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

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Government

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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.

Getzendanner is Chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, Hatfield is Chairwoman of the Finance Committee, Klaif is Chairwoman of the Law Committee, Martin is Chairwoman of the Public Safety Committee, Lark is Chairman of the Public Works Committee, and Helmer is Chairman of the Welfare Committee.

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.

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Federal, state and county representation

Summit is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 21st Legislative District.

Template:NJ Congress 07 Template:NJ Senate

Template:NJ Legislative 21 Munoz is a Summit resident and former Councilman-at-Large. Template:NJ Governor

Template:NJ Union County Freeholders

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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)

Middle School

Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School with 841 students (6-8)

High School

Summit High School with 907 students (9-12)

Summit High School was recently ranked as Number 149 in Newsweek Magazine's recent listing of "America's Best High Schools" in the August 5, 2005 issue. [1]

Private Schools:

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child (K-12)
Kent Place School (K-12)
Oratory Preparatory School (7-12) Oratory Prep's Official Website

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Culture

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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".

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Sports

The Summit Hilltoppers have a long and successful football history. They began playing in 1893 and have won nine New Jersey State Football championships (59, 62, 63, 73, 76, 80, 88, 93, 94). The 1973 team, which was led by Willie Wilson, was undefeated and the #1 team in NJ. Since their last State Championship in 1994, Summit has lost in the NJSIAA playoffs in '00, '01 '02, and '03. The Hilltoppers finished the 2005 season with a record of 1-9.

On November 25 the "3rd Annual High School Heroes Turkey Bowl" was held at Tatlock Field. Chris "Steamroller" Spinner led a ragtag bunch from the Class of '88 in this annual contest, which was played on Tatlock's new FieldTurf surface.

Additional information about all of Summit High School's sports teams as well as several local youth athletic associations is available at [2]

The Hilltoppers are known for their rich history in lacrosse. In 1981 and 1983 they won the boys state championships. Leo Paytas led the teams and ended up at Penn being heralded as one of the best players in Summit history. The Summit girls won the 1999 state championship, being the only team from New Jersey in the past seven years to beat Moorestown. Recently, the boys ventured into the 2001 and 2005 state championships, finishing second both times. In, 2005 they won the Group 1 state championship and had one of the most talented teams ever with 11 kids continuing their career in college.

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Notable natives

Summit is the birthplace of actress Meryl Streep.
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.
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.
Actor Danny Devito went to school at Oratory Prep, a boys' school in Summit.
The Velvet Underground played their first paid concert at Summit High School Prom.
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

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Notable residents

Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine.
James Cramer, stock trader and CNBC's former Kudlow & Cramer and present Mad Money anchor
Noted censor Anthony Comstock lived in Summit during part of his career.
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.
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).