Sussex was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on October 14, 1891, as Deckertown, from portions of Wantage Township.[22] The borough's original name was for settler Peter Decker.[23] The borough was renamed Sussex on March 2, 1902.[22] The county and borough are named for the historic county of Sussex in England.[24][25]
A joint commission of residents of both Sussex and Wantage had recommended that the two communities should be consolidated to form what would be called the Township of Sussex-Wantage, which would operate within the Faulkner Act under the council-manager form of government, with a mayor and a six-member township council, and that voters in both municipalities should approve a referendum to be held on November 3, 2009. The committee noted that the two municipalities share common issues, schools, library and community services and that the artificial nature of the octagonal Sussex border often made it hard to distinguish between the two.[26] The efforts at consolidation with surrounding Wantage Township ended in November 2009 after Wantage voters rejected the merger despite support from Sussex borough residents.[27]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Sussex borough had a total area of 0.62 square miles (1.62 km2), including 0.59 square miles (1.54 km2) of land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) of water (5.00%).[1][2] It is approximately 400 to 450 feet (120 to 140 m) above sea level.[28] The borough is completely surrounded by Wantage Township,[29][30] making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.[31]
The borough is in the watershed of the Wallkill River (which flows north, and empties into the Rondout Creek, which flows into the Hudson River near Kingston, New York) and its tributary Glen Brook, which near Sussex forms a small body of water called Clove Lake, part of which is within the borough.
Climate
Due to its inland location and elevation, Sussex has a climate much cooler than most of the state, classified as humid continental (KöppenDfa, closely bordering on Dfb), with cold, moderately snowy winters, and very warm, humid summers. It is part of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6.[32] The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 25.8 °F (−3.4 °C) in January to 71.8 °F (22.1 °C) in July.[33] Temperatures reach 90 °F (32 °C) on 13.4 days and fall to 0 °F (−18 °C) on 5.2 nights annually.[33] Snowfall averages 38.7 inches (98 cm) per season, although this usually varies widely from year to year.[33] Extremes in the temperature range from −29 °F (−34 °C) on January 21, 1994 up to 106 °F (41 °C) on July 10, 1936.[34]
Climate data for Sussex 3 WNW, New Jersey (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
Of the 899 households, 26.8% had children under the age of 18; 36.8% were married couples living together; 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 41.6% were non-families. Of all households, 36.9% were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 3.04.[19]
22.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 100.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.2 males.[19]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $40,978 (with a margin of error of +/− $13,975) and the median family income was $53,125 (+/− $10,034). Males had a median income of $40,234 (+/− $9,777) versus $30,777 (+/− $3,942) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $20,887 (+/− $2,314). About 13.0% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.4% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.[42]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[16] there were 2,145 people, 903 households, and 512 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,598 inhabitants per square mile (1,389/km2). There were 961 housing units at an average density of 1,612 per square mile (622/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.32% White, 1.12% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 0.37% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.56% of the population.[40][41]
There were 903 households, out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.12.[40][41]
In the borough the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.[40][41]
The median income for a household in the borough was $36,172, and the median income for a family was $45,250. Males had a median income of $37,009 versus $22,475 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,866. About 6.9% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.[40][41]
Government
Local government
Sussex 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.[43] 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. The 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.[7] The borough form of government used by Sussex 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.[44][45]
As of 2024[update], the mayor of Sussex Borough is Republican Robert Holowach, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2027. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Mario Poggi (R, 2025), Charles H. Fronheiser Jr. (R, 2024), Martin Kokoruda (R, 2026), Jake Little (R, 2024), John Ross (R, 2025) and Nicholas Southard (R, 2026).[3][46][47][48][49]
After the borough council did not vote to select any of the three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee, Nicholas R. Holowach was picked by the Republican group and sworn into office in June 2021 to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Walter Cleary III until he resigned from office to move out of the borough.[50] In November 2021, Holowach was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.[49]
In January 2020, the borough council selected Linda Masson from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that was vacated by Edward Meyer when he took office as mayor.[51]
In January 2016, the council appointed Albert Decker from a list three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the council seat vacated by Katherine Little expiring in December 2017 that became open when she took office as mayor; Decker served on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when voters selected a candidate to serve the one year remaining on the term of office.[52]
In January 2015, the borough council selected Mario Poggi from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat of Bruce D. LaBar, who resigned from office earlier that month.[53] In the November 2015 general election, Frank Dykstra was chosen to fill the balance of the seat expiring in December 2016.[54]
Federal, state and county representation
Sussex Borough is located in the 5th Congressional District[55] and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.[56][57][58]
Sussex County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Commissioner Director and Deputy Director from among its members, with day-to-day supervision of the operation of the county delegated to a County Administrator.[64] As of 2025[update], Sussex County's Commissioners are
Director Jill Space (R, Wantage Township, 2025),[65]
Deputy Director Chris Carney (R, Frankford Township, 2027),[66]
Jack DeGroot (R, Sussex, 2026),[67]
William Hayden (R, Branchville, 2025)[68] and
Alan Henderson (R, Lafayette Township, 2027).[69][70]
Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are
Clerk Jeffrey M. Parrott (R, Wantage Township, 2026),[71]
Sheriff Michael F. Strada (R, Hampton Township, 2025)[72] and
Surrogate Gary R. Chiusano (R, Frankford Township, 2028).[73]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,143 registered voters in Sussex, of which 193 (16.9% vs. 16.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 428 (37.4% vs. 39.3%) were registered as Republicans and 521 (45.6% vs. 44.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.[74] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 53.7% (vs. 65.8% in Sussex County) were registered to vote, including 69.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 86.5% countywide).[74][75]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 391 votes (57.8% vs. 59.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 270 votes (39.9% vs. 38.2%) and other candidates with 16 votes (2.4% vs. 2.1%), among the 677 ballots cast by the borough's 1,146 registered voters, for a turnout of 59.1% (vs. 68.3% in Sussex County).[76] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 427 votes (57.1% vs. 59.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 299 votes (40.0% vs. 38.7%) and other candidates with 18 votes (2.4% vs. 1.5%), among the 748 ballots cast by the borough's 1,109 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.4% (vs. 76.9% in Sussex County).[77] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 456 votes (62.0% vs. 63.9% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 263 votes (35.7% vs. 34.4%) and other candidates with 16 votes (2.2% vs. 1.3%), among the 736 ballots cast by the borough's 1,091 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.5% (vs. 77.7% in the whole county).[78]
United States presidential election results for Sussex 2024[79] 2020[80] 2016[81] 2012[82] 2008[83] 2004[84]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.8% of the vote (276 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.4% (99 votes), and other candidates with 3.8% (15 votes), among the 397 ballots cast by the borough's 1,148 registered voters (7 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 34.6%.[85][86] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 291 votes (56.8% vs. 63.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 140 votes (27.3% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 59 votes (11.5% vs. 9.1%) and other candidates with 16 votes (3.1% vs. 1.3%), among the 512 ballots cast by the borough's 1,109 registered voters, yielding a 46.2% turnout (vs. 52.3% in the county).[87]
Education
Students in public school for Pre-K through eighth grade attend the Sussex-Wantage Regional School District, together with students from Wantage Township.[88] As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,049 students and 99.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.6:1.[89] Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[90]) are
Clifton E. Lawrence School[91] in Wantage, with 376 students in grades K–2,
Wantage Elementary School[92] in Wantage, with 340 students in grades 3–5 and
Sussex Middle School[93] in Sussex, with 328 students in grades 6–8.[94][95][96][97]
Sussex Christian School is an inter-denominational Christian private day school that was founded in 1958 by members of the Sussex Christian Reformed Church, and which serves students from Northern New Jersey and the surrounding communities in New York and Pennsylvania.[103]
As of May 2010[update], the borough had a total of 9.21 miles (14.82 km) of roadways, of which 6.67 miles (10.73 km) were maintained by the municipality, 0.87 miles (1.40 km) by Sussex County and 1.67 miles (2.69 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[104]
^Donohue, Brian. "Sussex, Wantage reject merger; home rule still rules in New Jersey", The Star-Ledger, November 13, 2009. Accessed April 4, 2012. "That's just what happened last week in the Township of Wantage, where voters rejected a ballot measure that would have joined the town with the tiny Borough of Sussex. Sussex is essentially Wantage's downtown, cut off from the surrounding township in a feud over utilities costs in the late 1800s. Sussex voters were largely for the reunion."
^DeMarco, Megan. "Voters to decide whether to merge two Princetons into one", The Star-Ledger, November 3, 2011. Accessed January 8, 2017. "There are 22 sets of 'doughnut towns' in New Jersey, those where one town wraps around the other town". Note that following voter approval of the Princeton merger, 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" remain.
^ abcd"Station: Sussex 3 WNW, NJ". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
^Zummo, Mike. "Kevin Marks is appointed to Sussex Borough Council", Advertiser-News, June 11, 2021. Accessed May 3, 2022. "The Sussex Borough Council is whole again after the borough’s Republican Committee appointed Kevin Marks to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of former council president Walter Cleary III. Marks was sworn in at the June 1 council meeting.... The council had to appoint a replacement within 30 days of Cleary’s May 1 resignation, without another council meeting scheduled in that time frame it left the matter to the committee."
^Mayor and Council Minutes for January 21, 2020, Borough of Sussex. Accessed March 11, 2020. "Mr. Brennan made a motion to appoint Linda Masson to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mr. Edward Meyer. The interim Council Member’s term of office shall end when the votes are certified after the November 2020 general election.... Mayor Meyer administered the oath of office to the interim Council Member, Linda Masson."
^Olinski, Vera. "New council members take seats; Residents question temporary mayor's 2015 vetoes", The Advertiser News, January 18, 2016. Accessed May 5, 2016. "Municipal Clerk Mark Zschack administered the Oath of Office Jan. 5 at the Sussex Borough Council reorganization meeting to three Council members, and on Jan. 19, the council appointed Albert Decker to take the place of newly elected mayor Katherine Little on the council."
^Staff. "Sussex installs new councilman", The Advertiser News, January 21, 2015. Accessed April 15, 2015. "On the heels of Councilman Bruce LaBar's resignation Jan. 7, the Sussex Borough Council unanimously selected Mario Poggi to take LaBar's place on Tuesday. Poggi will serve the remainder of LaBar's 2015 Sussex Borough Council term."
^Biography, Congressman Josh Gottheimer. Accessed January 3, 2019. "Josh now lives in Wyckoff, New Jersey with Marla, his wife who was a federal prosecutor, and their two young children, Ellie and Ben."
^About County Government, Sussex County, New Jersey. Accessed May 20, 2024. "Sussex County is governed by five (5) Commissioners who are elected by the voters of Sussex County. Each serves on the county’s Board of County Commissioners for a term of three (3) years, after which time they can seek re‐election or retire.... The Commissioners are elected at‐large to serve three‐year staggered terms. The five Commissioners elect a director from among themselves to run their meetings and to serve as a spokesperson for the board."
^Sussex-Wantage Regional Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Sussex-Wantage Regional School District. Accessed January 22, 2022. "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 Sussex-Wantage Regional School District. Composition: The Sussex-Wantage Regional School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Sussex Borough and Wantage Township."
^Sussex-Wantage Regional School District 2014 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 18, 2020. "Our district serves over 1,200 students in three schools: Pre-School through Grade 2 in the Clifton E. Lawrence School, Grades 3–5 in the Wantage School, and Grades 6–8 in the Sussex Middle School. Our students attend High Point Regional High School in Grade 9, along with students from the Lafayette and Frankford Township School Districts."
^High Point Regional High School 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 18, 2020. "High Point Regional High School is a comprehensive high school serving the diversified needs of the five surrounding municipalities of Branchville, Frankford, Lafayette, Sussex and Wantage. In addition, we are in a send/receive relationship with the Montague school district."
^"2019-20 School Profile", High Point Regional High School. Accessed June 18, 2020. "Located 63 miles northwest of Manhattan in bucolic Sussex, County NJ, High Point serves students from six municipalities: Branchville, Lafayette, Frankford, Montague, Sussex, and Wantage."
^Horowitz, Steven J. "Paul W. Downs' Feminist Ideals Are in His Work, Not on a T-Shirt", Esquire, June 19, 2017. Accessed March 14, 2022. "Comedy and acting have always been Downs' calling. Native to Sussex, New Jersey, he attended the private institution The Pingry School for his high school years, participating in its acting program and swimming, the latter of which he continued at Duke University for a short spell."
^Beckerman, Jim. "Ex-Totowa resident a shaper of Star Trek", The Record, September 8, 2016. Accessed September 12, 2016. "'That was kind of the only way at the time,' says Fontana, who was born in Sussex, moved to Totowa a year later, and lived there for the next 19 years."
^Marsh, Richard. Bill Glynn, Society for American Baseball Research. Accessed August 11, 2016. "William Vincent Glynn, who played for three seasons with the Indians in a four-year major-league career, was born on June 30, 1925, in Sussex, New Jersey, the second son of Marshall Nelson, a laborer in a zinc mine, and his wife, Esta. A premier athlete at Franklin High School, Glynn lettered as a first baseman in baseball, a running back in football, and a forward in basketball."
^A Thousand American Men of Mark To-day, p. 260. Accessed November 15, 2017. "William Alexander Linn - Lawyer, Banker, Author of Hackensack, N.J. was born Sept 4. 1846, in Sussex, N.J"
^Applebaum, Samuel; and Applebaum, Sara. The Way They Play, Book 2, p. 333. Paganiniana Publications, 1972. ISBN9780876664384. Accessed June 18, 2020. "Homer R. Mensch, born November 13, 1914 in Sussex, New Jersey."
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