Location of Liberty Township in Warren County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Warren County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
Liberty Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 26, 1926, from portions of Hope Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 30, 1926.[20]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 11.93 square miles (30.89 km2), including 11.67 square miles (30.22 km2) of land and 0.26 square miles (0.68 km2) of water (2.20%).[1][2]
Mountain Lake is over 12,000 years old and is Warren County's largest natural glacial lake. The lake has an area of 122 acres (0.49 km2), maximum depth of 38 feet (12 m) and an average depth of 17 feet (5.2 m). The Mountain Lake Community Association (MLCA) oversees the Mountain Lake watershed and helps to maintain Mountain Lake's natural habitat.[26] South of Mountain Lake is High Rock where many visitors enjoy to go hiking and can view the lake and surrounding areas, including the Delaware Water Gap.
Of the 1,047 households, 35.8% had children under the age of 18; 63.0% were married couples living together; 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.6% were non-families. Of all households, 18.4% were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.21.[17]
24.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 34.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 104.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.4 males.[17]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $73,750 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,599) and the median family income was $87,059 (+/− $12,952). Males had a median income of $55,625 (+/− $10,748) versus $49,511 (+/− $6,823) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,946 (+/− $3,591). About none of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.[33]
2000 census
As of the 2000 U.S. census,[14] there were 2,765 people, 980 households, and 750 families residing in the township. The population density was 234.3 inhabitants per square mile (90.5/km2). There were 1,088 housing units at an average density of 92.2 per square mile (35.6/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 97.40% White, 0.36% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.54% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.68% of the population.[31][32]
There were 980 households, out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.2% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 17.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.23.[31][32]
In the township, the population was spread out, with 28.4% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.[31][32]
The median income for a household in the township was $62,535, and the median income for a family was $68,529. Males had a median income of $48,446 versus $33,529 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,743. About 2.0% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.[31][32]
Government
Local government
Liberty Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.[34] The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.[5][35] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.
As of 2022[update], members of the Liberty Township Committee are Mayor John E. Inscho (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2024; term as mayor ends 2022), Deputy Mayor Daniel B. Grover (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2022), Peter Karcher (R, 2023), David Rogers (R, 2022) and Wayne Spangenberg (R, 2023).[3][36][37][38][39]
Carl Cummins was appointed to fill the vacant seat of John Fisher, who had died in September 2013, after the deadline to remove his name from the ballot and who won a seat in the November 2013 general election. Fisher's term of office runs until December 2016.[40] Cummins served on an interim basis until the November 2014 general election when he was elected to serve the balance of the term.[41]
Federal, state, and county representation
Liberty Township is located in the 7th Congressional District[42] and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.[43]
Warren County is governed by a three-member Board of County Commissioners, who are chosen at-large on a staggered basis in partisan elections with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as Commissioner Director and other as Deputy Director.[48] As of 2025[update], Warren County's Commissioners are:
As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,897 registered voters in Liberty Township, of which 386 (20.3% vs. 21.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 768 (40.5% vs. 35.3%) were registered as Republicans and 742 (39.1% vs. 43.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.[60] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 64.5% (vs. 62.3% in Warren County) were registered to vote, including 85.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 81.5% countywide).[60][61]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 709 votes (59.4% vs. 56.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 447 votes (37.5% vs. 40.8%) and other candidates with 24 votes (2.0% vs. 1.7%), among the 1,193 ballots cast by the township's 1,894 registered voters, for a turnout of 63.0% (vs. 66.7% in Warren County).[62][63] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 843 votes (57.6% vs. 55.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 585 votes (40.0% vs. 41.4%) and other candidates with 22 votes (1.5% vs. 1.6%), among the 1,463 ballots cast by the township's 1,912 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.5% (vs. 73.4% in Warren County).[64] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 909 votes (63.4% vs. 61.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 491 votes (34.2% vs. 37.2%) and other candidates with 32 votes (2.2% vs. 1.3%), among the 1,434 ballots cast by the township's 1,809 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.3% (vs. 76.3% in the whole county).[65]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.9% of the vote (588 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 22.6% (180 votes), and other candidates with 3.5% (28 votes), among the 810 ballots cast by the township's 1,923 registered voters (14 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.1%.[66][67] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 658 votes (63.4% vs. 61.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 244 votes (23.5% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 99 votes (9.5% vs. 9.8%) and other candidates with 21 votes (2.0% vs. 1.5%), among the 1,038 ballots cast by the township's 1,855 registered voters, yielding a 56.0% turnout (vs. 49.6% in the county).[68]
Education
Public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Great Meadows Regional School District, together with students from Independence Township.[69][70] The New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division blocked a 2007 effort by Liberty Township to leave the Great Meadows district based on Liberty's greater share of district costs, with the court citing the inability of the two communities to provide an efficient education separately.[71] As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 643 students and 59.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.9:1.[72] Schools in the district (with 2021–22 school year enrollment from the National Center for Education Statistics[73]) are
Central Elementary School[74] with 302 students in grades PreK-3 and
Great Meadows Middle School[75] with 337 students in grades 4-8.[76][77][78] Seats on the regional district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with three seats allocated to Liberty Township; one seat from Liberty Township and two from Independence Township up for election each year.[79]
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 33.83 miles (54.44 km) of roadways, of which 24.74 miles (39.82 km) were maintained by the municipality, 5.91 miles (9.51 km) by Warren County and 3.18 miles (5.12 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[85]
The only major road to pass through is U.S. Route 46, which runs for 3.18 miles (5.12 km) in the township's southeastern area.[86]
The closest limited access road is Interstate 80 (the Bergen-Passaic Expressway) in neighboring Hope Township.
^Mountain Lake Community Association, Liberty Township. Accessed June 7, 2013. "The 3,600 acre Mountain Lake Watershed lies entirely in Liberty Township. It includes Warren County's largest (122 acres), natural, glacial lake, Mountain Lake."
^Lee, Christine. "Liberty Township appoints Carl Cummins to fill committee vacancy", The Express Times, January 8, 2014. Accessed November 3, 2014. "Liberty Township officials appointed Committeeman Carl Cummins to replace the late John Fisher during Tuesday's township committee reorganization meeting.Fisher, the township's former deputy mayor, died Sept. 22 after the deadline to remove his name from the November ballot."
^Governmental Structure, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022. "Warren County operates under the County Commissioner form of county government. The Board of County Commissioners consists of three Commissioners each elected at large for staggered terms of three years. The Commissioner Director is chosen by the full board at the board's annual reorganization meeting in January. The Commissioners supervise, direct, and administer all county services and functions through the various departments, autonomous boards, agencies, and commissions. Reporting to the Board of County Commissioners is an appointed County Administrator."
^Jason J. Sarnoski, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022.
^Lori Ciesla, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022.
^James R. Kern III, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022.
^Great Meadows Regional Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Great Meadows Regional School District. Accessed April 14, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through eight in the Great Meadows Regional School District. Composition: The Great Meadows Regional School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Great Meadows."
^Great Meadows Regional School District 2014 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 16, 2017. "Great Meadows Regional is a K-8 school district with an enrollment of approximately 900 students. High school students attend Hackettstown High School as part of a sending/ receiving agreement. Great Meadows Regional consists of the contiguous townships of Independence and Liberty, is located in central Warren County and encompasses 32.35 square miles."
^Novak, Stephen J. "State court says Liberty Township cannot withdraw from Great Meadows school district"Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine, The Express-Times, April 2, 2009. Accessed June 6, 2013. "Formed in 1993, Great Meadows has three schools: Liberty Elementary, Independence Township Central School and Great Meadows Regional Middle School. Both townships send students to Hackettstown High School for grades nine through 12. Liberty Township sought to break from Independence Township in 2004 after a contentious budget season."
^F.A.Q., Ridge and Valley Charter School. Accessed November 14, 2016. "Enrollment is open, on a space available basis, to all K-8 students residing in N.J. with priority given to students residing in the districts of Blairstown, Hardwick, Knowlton, Frelinghuysen, and North Warren Regional School."