Oceanport was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 6, 1920, from portions of Eatontown Township (now Eatontown), based on the results of a referendum held on May 11, 1920.[22]
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Oceanport as its 4th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.[23]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, borough had a total area of 3.80 square miles (9.83 km2), including 3.17 square miles (8.22 km2) of land and 0.62 square miles (1.61 km2) of water (16.39%).[1][2]
Of the 2,227 households, 31.8% had children under the age of 18; 59.7% were married couples living together; 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.3% were non-families. Of all households, 24.6% were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.12.[19]
23.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.5 males.[19]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $89,208 (with a margin of error of +/− $18,245) and the median family income was $108,958 (+/− $21,795). Males had a median income of $60,038 (+/− $12,383) versus $49,415 (+/− $5,095) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $52,252 (+/− $9,172). About 3.1% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.2% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.[32]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[16] there were 5,807 people, 2,043 households, and 1,554 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,802.1 inhabitants per square mile (695.8/km2). There were 2,114 housing units at an average density of 656.0 per square mile (253.3/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.71% White, 1.96% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.07% of the population.[30][31]
There were 2,043 households, out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.0% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.18.[30][31]
In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.[30][31]
The median income for a household in the borough was $71,458, and the median income for a family was $85,038. Males had a median income of $57,955 versus $39,718 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $33,356. About 1.8% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.[30][31]
The community is served by area codes 732 and 848 for landlines, Oceanport is served by the 222, 389, 229, 544 and 542 exchanges in Area Code 732. Mobile service is through area codes 732/848 and area code 908.[15]
Government
Local government
Oceanport Municipal Hall on Fort Monmouth
Oceanport is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.[36] The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.[6] The borough form of government used by Oceanport is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.[3][37][38]
As of 2023[update], the mayor of Oceanport Borough is Independent John F. "Jay" Coffey, II, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023; he had won the 2015 election as a write-in candidate.[39] Members of the Borough Council are Council President Richard A. Gallo Jr. (R, 2023), William Deerin (R, 2024), Bryan Keeshen (R, 2023), Michael O'Brien (R, 2024), Keith Salnick (R, 2025) and Thomas J. Tvrdik (I, 2025).[3][40][41][42][43][44]
In January 2020, the borough council selected Bryan Keeshen from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Robert F. Proto until he resigned after the November 2019 general election.[45]
In a special meeting held in August 2015, the borough council selected Stuart Briskey from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Council President Robert Lynch until his resignation from office the previous month.[46] Briskey served on an interim basis until the November 2015 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.[47]
In March 2015, councilmember Jerry Bertekap resigned from office, leaving a vacancy in the term expiring December 2015.[48] The borough council selected John Patti the following month to fill Bertekap's vacant seat.[49]
In November 2013, Christopher Paglia was selected by the borough council from among three candidates offered by the Republican committee and appointed to fill the vacant seat of William Johnson, who had resigned to take a position with Monmouth County.[50]
The borough hall completed in 1965 at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Monmouth Boulevard was flooded out during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Following the storm, council meetings were held at the Maple Place Middle School library and other departments were scattered throughout Fort Monmouth and the borough's senior center. A new municipal hall opened in Fort Monmouth in January 2021 consolidating the borough's departments to one site.[51] After being vacant for five years, the 1965 borough hall was demolished in 2017.[52]
Oceanport is a participating municipality in an initiative to study regionalization of their municipal police force with one or more municipalities. The borough received a grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in the amount of $40,950 along with the Boroughs of Fair Haven, Little Silver, Shrewsbury and Rumson to hire professional consultants to conduct the study on their behalf. A report delivered in July 2008 recommended that Fair Haven, Little Silver and Rumson should consider a network of shared police services, with consideration of inclusion of Oceanport and Shrewsbury deferred to a second phase.[53]
Federal, state and county representation
Oceanport is located in the 6th Congressional District[54] and is part of New Jersey's 13th state legislative district.[55]
Monmouth County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners composed of five members who are elected at-large to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats 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 director and another as deputy director.[61]
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,331 registered voters in Oceanport, of which 990 (22.9%) were registered as Democrats, 1,219 (28.1%) were registered as Republicans and 2,122 (49.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.[76]
In the 2016 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump received 59.2% (1,997 votes) of the vote, ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton with 37.0% (1249 votes) among the total 3,375 ballots cast. In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 59.8% of the vote (1,836 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 39.1% (1,200 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (32 votes), among the 3,087 ballots cast by the borough's 4,379 registered voters (19 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.5%.[77][78] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 56.9% of the vote (1,982 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.4% (1,408 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (40 votes), among the 3,481 ballots cast by the borough's 4,475 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.8%.[79] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 60.5% of the vote (2,078 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 38.3% (1,316 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (28 votes), among the 3,433 ballots cast by the borough's 4,317 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 79.5.[80]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.2% of the vote (1,455 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.3% (452 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (29 votes), among the 1,966 ballots cast by the borough's 4,336 registered voters (30 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.3%.[81][82] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 65.9% of the vote (1,615 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 26.2% (641 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.5% (159 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (17 votes), among the 2,450 ballots cast by the borough's 4,401 registered voters, yielding a 55.7% turnout.[83]
Education
Students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in public school are educated by the Oceanport School District.[84] The district also includes students from Sea Bright, a non-operating district that was subject to a mandatory merger with Oceanport in 2009.[85][86] As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 562 students and 65.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.7:1.[87] Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[88]) are
Wolf Hill Elementary School[89] with 310 students in pre-Kindergarten through 4th grade and
Maple Place Middle School[90] with 248 students in grades 5–8.[91][92][93][94]
For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Shore Regional High School, a regional high school that also serves students from the constituent districts of Monmouth Beach, Sea Bright and West Long Branch.[95][96] The high school is located in West Long Branch and is part of the Shore Regional High School District. As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 613 students and 55.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1.[97] Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with three seats assigned to Oceanport.[98]
As of 2010[update], Oceanport had a total of 31.26 miles (50.31 km) of roadways, of which 25.47 miles (40.99 km) were maintained by the borough, 5.46 miles (8.79 km) by Monmouth County and 0.33 miles (0.53 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[99]
Route 71[100] brushes the edge of Oceanport, while CR 537 passes directly through the borough.
^ abcMayor and Council, Borough of Oceanport. Accessed June 1, 2024. "Oceanport operates under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The Borough form is often referred to as a 'weak mayor-strong council' form.... The Borough Council is comprised of six members, elected by the public in partisan elections for three-year terms of office on a staggered schedule, with two seats coming up for election each year.... The Mayor is elected by the public in partisan elections for a four-year term of office."
^About Monmouth Park, Monmouth Park Racetrack. Accessed December 6, 2012. "On June 19, 1946, for the third time and after a 53-year hiatus, Monmouth Park reopened its doors."
^Leach, Kyle C. "Monmouth loses bid to host 2013 Breeders Cup", The Star-Ledger, July 27, 2012. Accessed December 6, 2012. "Monmouth was the site of the 2007 Breeders' Cup, which despite prolonged rain that produced a muddy track, drew 69,584 fans over two days — the first time the Breeders' Cup was expanded to a two-day event."
^Edelson, Stephen. "NJ Sports Betting: Monmouth Park racing not 'cannibalized' on first weekend", Asbury Park Press, June 18, 2018. Accessed May 4, 2023. "There was picture perfect weather to go with a strong racing card on Sunday, including four stakes. The World Cup swung into high gear, highlighted by Mexico’s stunning win over German, and a Father’s Day crowd of 23,768 was anxious to check out the Monmouth Park Sports Book by William Hill."
^Napoliello, Alex. "How a write-in candidate ousted an incumbent mayor", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 4, 2015. Accessed January 13, 2016. "So after a large group of people, chief among them Irace and Councilman Christopher Paglia, appeared on Coffey's doorstep in September asking him to run, he did — as a write-in candidate. And on Tuesday, Coffey defeated Mahon, receiving 949 votes to Mahon's 721, according to unofficial results from the Monmouth County Clerk's Office."
^Rotolo, Chris. "Oceanport Puts Contentious Election In Rearview Mirror", The Two River Times, January 16, 2020. Accessed February 24, 2020. "Coffey also introduced Bryan Keeshen, who in December was approved to fill a one-year unexpired term vacated by former council member and Republican mayoral hopeful Robert Proto. Proto ran on a Republican ticket with Joseph Irace and Steven Solan. Following the finalization of general election results, Proto resigned his post, and Keeshen, alongside fellow registered Republicans James Murphy and Keith Salnick were nominated as possible replacements. Keeshen was ultimately selected by the borough council and Coffey said his expertise in law enforcement and public safety will be valuable."
^Sheldon, Chris. "New Oceanport Councilman Sworn In To Office", Words on the Shore, August 7, 2015. Accessed July 18, 2016. "Stuart Briskey has been named as former Council President Robert Lynch's replacement on the borough council. Briskey was one of three names submitted by the local Republican Municipal Committee, along with Richard Firrito and Paul Hester."
^Sheldon, Chris. "Oceanport Councilman Resigns"Archived March 22, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Word on the Shore, March 28, 2015. Accessed July 21, 2015. "Borough Councilman Jerry Bertekap has resigned from his position on the governing body.
^Sheldon, Chris. "New Councilman Sworn In To Oceanport Governing Body", Word on the Shore, April 21, 2015. Accessed July 21, 2015. "John Patti was sworn in to fill the vacancy on the Oceanport Council created when Jerry Bertekap resigned due to 'career commitments' that did not allow him to remain as a member of the governing body."
^Walter, Kenny. "New councilman appointed in Oceanport "Archived 2014-11-03 at archive.today, The Hub, December 5, 2013. Accessed November 2, 2014. "The Borough Council has appointed Christopher Paglia as the newest council member, replacing William Johnson... Johnson resigned from the council on Nov. 1 after taking a position as the Monmouth County recycling coordinator."
^O'Donnell, Jenna. "Study recommends towns share police services; Consultants: Law enforcement can be regionalized"Archived 2013-01-24 at archive.today, The Hub, July 17, 2008. Accessed July 31, 2012. "A feasibility study of shared police services among Rumson, Fair Haven and Little Silver suggests that the three towns pool resources in six areas, including criminal investigation and communications. The findings of the Two River Regional Police Study Group by Eatontown-based Patriot Consulting Group were presented to officials and residents of the three boroughs during a meeting held at Little Silver Borough Hall on July 9.... The group was founded by the elected officials of the three towns, along with the boroughs of Oceanport and Shrewsbury, in 2007 for the purpose of assessing the feasibility of sharing and possibly regionalizing their five municipal police departments into on regional department, the release states.... O'Scanlon, a Little Silver councilman at the time, said then that the study would proceed with only Little Silver, Fair Haven and Rumson, but that Oceanport and Shrewsbury might join at a later date."
^Biography, Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. Accessed January 3, 2019. "Frank Pallone, Jr., was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, where he grew up and still resides."
^Monmouth County Government, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed July 19, 2022. "Monmouth County is governed by five commissioners elected at-large for three-year terms. Each January, the freeholders select one of their members to serve as the director of the board for the year to preside over the meetings and activities of the Board."
^Oceanport Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Oceanport School District. Accessed May 31, 2023. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight in the Oceanport School District. Composition: The Oceanport School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Oceanport."
^An Open Letter to our Residents, Borough of Sea Bright. Accessed May 31, 2023. "Sea Bright currently is educating students in Grade PK-8 in Oceanport pursuant to a 2009 mandatory merger under the Non-operating District Law, and is a current constituent member of the Shore Regional District for grades 9-12."
^Shore Regional High School District 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 2, 2016. "Shore Regional High School, located in West Long Branch, Monmouth County New Jersey, is a comprehensive secondary school that proudly serves the communities of Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Sea Bright, and West Long Branch. The beautiful ten-acre campus is situated on the banks of Franklin Lake in the borough of West Long Branch."
^Walter, Kenny. "SRHS $15.7M budget calls for flat tax levy; School taxes decrease for three of four sending towns"Archived September 27, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, The Hub, April 4, 2013. Accessed January 28, 2017. "Three of the four sending districts that comprise the Shore Regional High School District — Oceanport, Monmouth Beach and West Long Branch — will pay less in taxes for the 2013-14 school year. Taxes will increase, however, for property owners in Sea Bright, which will pay a higher percentage of the regional school budget."
^Charles Billings, Sports-Reference.com. Accessed February 1, 2018. "Charles Billings of Glen Ridge, New Jersey was on the first trapshooting squad the U.S. ever entered in the Olympics.... From 1920 until his death in 1928, Billings was the first mayor of Oceanport, New Jersey."
^Staff. "Conway, Trainer, Retires", The New York Times, June 17, 1939. Accessed September 26, 2018. "Riddle have been doffed almost simultaneously by War Admiral and his trainer, George Conway. Riddle announced today the trainer had already retired to a cottage at Oceanport, N. J., compelled to leave the track by illness after spending fifty of his sixty-six years with his charges."
^Staff. "Oceanport judge nominated to board by governor"Archived 2013-09-30 at archive.today, The Hub, July 25, 2003. Accessed September 30, 2013. "Judge John D'Amico Jr., Oceanport, was recently nominated by Gov. James. E. McGreevey to become chairman of the state Parole Board. The appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the state Senate. "
^Via Associated Press. "Faxon leads American charge", The Beaver County Times, July 21, 1995. Accessed September 30, 2013. "The 34 year-old from Oceanport, New Jersey played the difficult holes well, including the infamous No. 17 Road Hole where he negotiated the 461 yards to the green with a well-played iron and almost holed his 20-foot birdie try."
^Wildstein, David. "Thomas Gagliano, former Senate minority leader, dies at 87 Four-term Monmouth GOP senator once headed New Jersey Transit", New Jersey Globe, April 14, 2019. Accessed February 24, 2020. "He later represented a group of taxpayers opposing a sewer rate hike in Long Branch and secured a planning board seat in his hometown of Oceanport.... He continued to become a powerhouse in Oceanport, winning the Republican Club presidency and trading his planning board seat for the planning board attorney slot.... In 1967, he was elected to the Oceanport Borough Council. He defeated Democrat Siguard Andreson by about 170 votes."
^"Lewis Hansen, 74, Jersey Politician". The New York Times, November 19, 1965. Accessed September 30, 2013. "He failed to recover from surgery he underwent Oct. 10. He had returned here in July from his residence in Oceanport, N. J."
^Horowitz, Jason. "Gov. Paterson's Main Man: Former Jesuit, 'Natural' Politician Charles O'Byrne", The New York Observer, March 15, 2008. Accessed April 3, 2008. "Mr. O'Byrne, 48, spent his first years in Manhattan and Staten Island before moving to Oceanport in New Jersey at the age of five. He attended Red Bank high School, off the Navesink River on the Jersey Shore, and after graduating in 1977, he attended Columbia University, earning his degree in 1981."
^via Associated Press. "Bishop R. C. Ransom", The Daily Register, April 30, 1959. Accessed April 25, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Retired bishop Reverdy Cassius Ransom, 98, who once led a single-handed attack against a Chicago policy syndicate, and who was responsible for the first Negro being appointed to the New York City police force, died last Thursday at his home in nearby Wilberforce. He was a former Oceanport, N. J., resident who left the Shore in 1932."
^Mansnerus, Laura. "Charles Rembar, 85, Dies; Lawyer Fought Censorship", The New York Times, October 26, 2000. Accessed September 30, 2013. "Mr. Rembar was born March 12, 1915, in Oceanport, N.J., and grew up in Long Branch, N.J., where his parents ran a hotel in the summer and a cattle farm in the winter."
^Staff. "Kevin Smith, the sequel", Asbury Park Press, July 18, 1999. Accessed June 22, 2011. "Born at 4:57 p.m., Harley Quinn weighed 7 pounds and 8 ounces and will reside with her parents in their new home in Oceanport."
_at_New_Jersey_State_Route_71_(Monmouth_Road)_in_Oceanport,_Monmouth_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
