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'Clark' is a township in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 14,597.
The territory that would become Clark was originally a part of several of the early villages of the State and of Union County, but it was in 1858 after the village of Rahway incorporated itself into a city, that the land of present-day Clark, officially became a community. The City of Rahway designated this land as the 5th Ward of Rahway. Clark was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 23, 1864, from portions of Rahway."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 237. The Township was named for Abraham Clark, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Portions of the township were taken to form Cranford Township (March 14, 1871) and Winfield Township (August 6, 1941).

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

Education

Transportation

References

External links

Geography

Clark is located at (40.620336, -74.309340).
The township is bordered by eight municipalities: Scotch Plains to the west, Westfield to the northwest, Cranford to the north, Winfield and Linden to the northeast, Rahway to the east, Woodbridge to the south and Edison to the southwest.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 11.6 km² (4.5 mi²). 11.2 km² (4.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (3.12%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,597 people, 5,637 households, and 4,126 families residing in the township . The population density was 1,298.6/km² (3,359.6/mi²). There were 5,709 housing units at an average density of 507.9/km² (1,314.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.61% White, 0.30% African American, 0.01% Native American, 2.75% Asian, 0.63% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Also Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.67% of the population.
There were 5,637 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the township the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $65,019, and the median income for a family was $77,291. Males had a median income of $54,543 versus $36,361 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,883. About 1.0% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Clark Township is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.
The Clark Township Committee consists of seven members, with three elected at-large from the township as a whole and four elected from wards. Four seats come up for election every two years on an alternating basis, with the three Council-at-large seats and Mayor coming up to vote, and then the four ward seats. The Mayor of Clark is Sal Bonaccorso, whose term of office ends December 31, 2008.
Members of the Township Council are:^[1]

★ Council at Large - Angel Albanese (term ends in 2008)

★ Council at Large - Alvin Barr (2008)

★ Council at Large - Sheila Whiting, Council President (2008)

★ First Ward - Frank Mazzarella (2010)

★ Second Ward - Patrick O'Connor (2010)

★ Third Ward - Richard Kazanowski (2010)

★ Fourth Ward - Brian P. Toal, Council Vice President (2010)

Federal, state and county representation

Clark is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 22nd Legislative District.^[2]

Education

The Clark Public School District serves students in grades K - 12, who attend Frank K. Hehnly Elementary School and Valley Road Elementary School (both grades K - 5), Carl H. Kumpf Middle School for grades 6 - 8 and Arthur L. Johnson High School for grades 9 - 12
Students from Garwood, attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Garwood Public Schools.

Transportation

The Lehigh Valley Railroad served the town with a passenger station in the Picton section. The rail line remains active under Conrail's auspices. A spur line, the Bloodgood Branch, still serves one customer.
New Jersey Transit provides bus service to New York City and points in-between. The 112 route provides service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.^[3]
Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 11 miles from Clark.

References

1. Clark Government, Clark Township. Accessed February 27, 2007.
2. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 55. Accessed August 30, 2006.
3. Union County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed July 3, 2007.

External links

★ Clark Township website

★ Clark Public School District

★

★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Clark Public School District

★ Clark Public Library