69-601: Mystic Island (also called Mystic Islands or Mystic ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Little Egg Harbor Township , in Ocean County , in the U.S. state of New Jersey . As of the 2010 United States Census , the CDP's population was 8,493. Mystic Island is a large, mostly waterfront development originally planned as a resort community that started in
138-467: A charter, unique to this municipality, allows its government to be tailor-made to its needs. A Charter Study Commission is one of two options available to residents of New Jersey to pursue a change in their form of government. The other option is a direct petition. The charter study commission approach is only available under the Faulkner Act. A charter study commission can be formed by a vote of
207-416: A county superintendent of schools (the state Department of Education 's representative) and executive county superintendent of schools (gubernatorial appointments whose duties include reducing district spending, collaboration and shared services) in each county. State law authorizes school districts: The state Commissioner of Education has the power of "state intervention", to intervene in governance of
276-443: A female householder with no husband present and 33.2% were non-families. Of all households, 27.1% were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.89. 19.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 22.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
345-472: A five-member Board of Trustees elected for staggered three-year terms. The board selects a president and a treasurer from among the members. New incorporations under this form were stopped in 1961. While there are 4 municipalities that retain the Village type of government ( Loch Arbour , Ridgefield Park , Ridgewood and South Orange ), none of them still use the Village form of government. Loch Arbour
414-425: A form of government and vary in size from large, densely populated areas to much smaller hamlets . The town form of government dates back to the late 19th century when towns were first incorporated in the state. The town government law was rewritten in 1988. In this form of government, a mayor is elected at large plus eight councilmen – two from each of four wards. The mayor presides over council meetings and votes as
483-452: A furnace and Johns Manville R-7 Insulation. Over time, several more models were added, nearly a dozen during its boom period. Home designs included slab homes, raised homes, two-story, flat tops, raised roofs, etc. Two- and three-bedroom homes were also available. Model homes were located on Radio Road across from the Shops of Mystic Isle strip mall; the homes were later torn down to make way for
552-445: A household in the CDP was $ 41,674, and the median income for a family was $ 47,372. Males had a median income of $ 38,654 versus $ 27,420 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $ 18,737. About 4.4% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over. During the boom period of Mystic Island, there were several social centers and amenities. In
621-520: A local public school district (and to intervene in the areas of instruction and program, operations, personnel, and fiscal management) if the Commissioner has determined that a school district has failed, or is unable, to take corrective actions necessary to establish a thorough and efficient system of education. When the state intervenes in governance of a school district, the board of education acts in an advisory capacity only, and ultimate authority
690-405: A member of the council. The mayor has veto power over ordinances that can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the council. All appointments to municipal offices are performed by the council. Currently, the state has 15 towns. The township form of government has a group of elected officials (the township committee) that serves as both the executive and legislative authority. This form of government
759-717: A neighboring township such as Middlebush, New Jersey . Some smaller communities are incorporated into larger urban areas, such as when Greenville was merged into Jersey City as a neighborhood . New Jersey distinguishes between regional, consolidated, and countywide districts and those serving single municipalities. There are also non-operating school districts, which are those districts that do not operate any school facilities and where all students attend school in other districts as part of sending/receiving relationships . The majority of school districts in New Jersey are established for general purposes, have boundaries equivalent to
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#1732798485018828-409: A single municipality. As well, the total area of any given airport may or may not lie completely within the boundaries of a given municipality—or even a given county. All local general purpose governments have equivalent legal powers, with the different forms and types reflecting the historical circumstances of the municipality's incorporation, similar to New England towns . For statistical purposes,
897-475: A total area of 7.701 square miles (19.95 km), including 6.925 square miles (17.94 km) of land and 0.776 square miles (2.01 km) of water (10.08%). The 2010 United States census counted 8,493 people, 3,490 households, and 2,331 families in the CDP. The population density was 1,226.5 people per square mile (473.6 people/km). There were 5,185 housing units at an average density of 748.8 units per square mile (289.1 units/km). The racial makeup
966-450: A welcome center which featured gift shops, an Olympic-sized saltwater swimming pool and marina. The building was eventually turned into a restaurant called the "Mystic Island Casino", which burned down in the 1970s, and opened in a new building on Mathistown Road, which still operates to this day. The original site is now home to condominiums, the residents of which have exclusive rights to use the former marina. The building currently home to
1035-466: Is assigned as a liaison to one or more departments of the county. Five counties (Atlantic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Mercer) have a separately elected county executive . A sixth county, Union, has a county executive that is appointed by the board, analogous to the council–manager municipal form of government. In these counties, the Board of County Commissioners retains only legislative authority. Most of
1104-479: Is at stake. For at-large elections with more than one seat, plurality-at-large voting is used. All counties in New Jersey hold organizational meetings on or right after New Year's Day. At this time the boards elect members to leadership positions on the boards. Depending upon the specific board these offices include director, deputy director, president, vice-president, chair, chair pro tempore, and vice-chair. Also at this organizational meeting each county commissioner
1173-582: Is composed of counties and municipalities. Local jurisdictions in New Jersey differ from those in some other states because the entire area of the state is part of a municipality ; each of the 564 municipalities is in exactly one county ; and each of the 21 counties has more than one municipality. New Jersey has no independent cities , nor consolidated city-counties . The forms of municipality in New Jersey are more complex than in most other states, though, potentially leading to misunderstandings regarding
1242-708: Is in a state district superintendent appointed by the State Board of Education. From 1987 to 2005, the State Board of Education had the power to take over an entire school district and manage it as a "state-operated school district", which was replaced by the legislature in 2005 with state intervention. Using this power, the state has assumed the operation of Newark Public Schools , Jersey City Public Schools , and Paterson Public Schools , which are in various stages of returning governance to local control: In Jersey City, governance has been restored to local control in
1311-483: Is located in the backyard of a home on North Ensign Drive, while two stand on the middle of both Staysail Drive and South Ensign Drive, in which roundabouts were built around the blocks. Some smaller bases are also found in surrounding lagoons and marshes. The original home designs were basic bungalows, with 2 or 3 bedrooms and one bathroom, and a carport at the left side. The homes were intended to be sold as recreational or year round homes, as standard equipment included
1380-544: Is one of the oldest and is derived from the town meeting form of government used in New England , where the township committee has similar functions to the board of selectmen . The township committee has either three or five members elected at large. Every year, the committee chooses one of its members to be the "mayor", becoming the moderator for meetings of the township committee but having no special powers. In general, all legislative and executive powers are exercised by
1449-536: Is responsible for managing the state's natural resources and addressing issues related to pollution. NJDEP now has a staff of approximately 2,850. The department was created on April 22, 1970, America's first official Earth Day , making it the third state in the country to combine its environmental activities into a single, unified agency, with about 1,400 employees in five divisions, charged with responsibility for environmental protection and conservation efforts. Governor William T. Cahill appointed Richard J. Sullivan as
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#17327984850181518-435: Is to speed up and increase the pace of remediation, thus helping to decrease the threat of future contamination. A solid and hazardous waste management program is responsible for conducting educational and public relations campaigns on behalf of recycling, although its activities have been reduced since funding cuts in the mid-1990s. The Division of Parks and Forestry protects state and private lands from wildfire , manages
1587-428: Is usually first among equals with no powers over and above the other commissioners. The Municipal Manager Law was enacted in 1923 and is an optional form of government available to any type of municipality. Under this form of government, a municipal council composed of three, five, seven, or nine members is elected at-large with a term of office typically of four years. The council appoints several key officials, namely
1656-570: The United States for having five distinct types of incorporated municipalities. Each type of municipality has equal legal standing, rights, and powers as any other type or form. Unlike other parts of the United States, New Jersey does not have different tiers of power or legal standing for its municipal governments. Each of the five types has an associated form of government of exactly the same title. By default municipalities have
1725-549: The United States Census Bureau treats only boroughs, cities, towns, and villages as " municipalities ", and townships as " townships "; the Census Bureau's classification does not reflect the underlying state law that draws no distinction among the five types. New Jersey is divided into 21 counties, each of which is governed by a Board of County Commissioners ), which typically serves as both
1794-403: The boroughitis phenomenon of the late 19th century led to the incorporation of large numbers of new boroughs. A city in the context of local government in New Jersey refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. There are 52 cities in New Jersey. Despite the widely held perception of a city as a large, urban area , cities in New Jersey have a confused history as
1863-561: The CDP was 96.51% White , 0.68% African American , 0.31% Native American , 0.53% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 0.87% from other races , and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.22% of the population. There were 3,485 households, of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who
1932-554: The Faulkner Act, municipalities can choose one of four different options for their form of government. They are: New Jersey municipalities are not required to be governed by the Walsh Act, the 1923 Municipal Manager Law or the four forms of the Optional Municipal Charter Law (Faulkner Act). A community that finds all optional forms unsuitable may request a special charter from the state legislature. Such
2001-708: The Little Egg Harbor Community Center on Calabreeze Way was originally a shop functioning as part of the prefabrication process. It later became a Roman Catholic church known as "St. Michael the Archangel". In 2002, it was sold to the Township of Little Egg Harbor and is currently used as the township's community center. Local government in New Jersey#Unincorporated communities Local government in New Jersey
2070-600: The Noble Homes community titled "Fairwinds", while most homes from Mountain Lake Drive and north were dubbed "Drewes Landing". However, Drewes Landing was plagued with failed loans and racketeering , and in August 1995, one of the developers and investors, 35-year-old Joseph G. Paggi Jr. killed himself after he failed to pay back loans for the development. According to the United States Census Bureau , Mystic Island had
2139-478: The Oceanview section of the resort community, there was formerly a 9-hole golf course, bathing beach, and a small amusement park. The golf course was closed and is now a preserved forest, while the amusement park also went out of business and no longer exists. However, the beach was rebuilt and reopened as part of a townhouse community; the bathing beach is currently known as "Graveling Point". A circular building at
Mystic Island, New Jersey - Misplaced Pages Continue
2208-615: The Radio Road terminus, while the Twin Lakes Boulevard section was constructed well into the 1970s. The island currently known as "Osborn Island" was dubbed by its developers as "Oceanview", which was only accessible via a bridge on Radio Road. Up until the early 1990s, all homes part of the original were addressed by a confusing lot-and-block numbering system, which were eventually replaced with more conventional house numbers. Street signs were originally on wooden posts, with
2277-648: The attack by a German U-boat on the RMS Lusitania . After President Wilson's Declaration of Neutrality, the President ordered the US Navy to take over the station on Sep 9, 1914 to assure the neutrality of messages sent to and from the station; however, the station continued to be operated by German nationals employed by HOMAG and continued to communicate only with the Eilvese radio station. When America entered
2346-568: The board consists of nine members unless by law the number was reduced to three, five or seven members, elected at annual school elections for terms of three years, or appointed board of education, where members are appointed by the mayor or other chief executive officer of the municipality for five-year terms (for five-member boards) and three-year terms (for seven- and nine-member boards). Board of education members must be United States citizens, residents of their school districts for at least one year immediately preceding their appointment or election to
2415-605: The board, be registered to vote in the district, must be able to read and write English, cannot receive any compensation for their board service, and their conduct is governed by a code of ethics and the New Jersey School Ethics. All meetings of boards of education must be held in public, with certain exceptions, according to the Open Public Meetings Act. There is a superintendent for each district (which may be shared between districts), and
2484-461: The cleanliness of the air quality by enforcing air-pollutant standards imposed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency . Water monitoring and standards has the primary responsibilities of closely monitoring the state's fresh, marine , and ground waters , developing surface and ground water quality standards, and characterizing and assessing water quality. The gathered information, data, reports and analysis are used to inform organizations and
2553-481: The committee as a whole. The committee, however, may appoint an administrator to oversee the day-to-day operations of the municipality. The township form of government is only available to municipalities that are of the township type. Out of the 240 townships in the state, the township form of government is used by 141. The village form of government was made possible by the Village Act of 1891. This form comprises
2622-455: The communities have official recognition as a census-designated place , such as Somerset, New Jersey which is part of Franklin Township . Other communities have their own ZIP Code because they have their own post office such as Neshanic Station (ZIP Code 08853), which is part of Branchburg Township , or Deans , which is part of South Brunswick Township . Other communities were once single-owner large farms that were later incorporated into
2691-408: The dredging of the lagoons was stopped, construction began on the non-waterfront section north of Calabreeze Way. The area east of Radio Road was named "Pulaski Village" and consisted of small, narrow homes, while the much larger section west of Radio Road, named "Westwood", contained suburban-style ranches and split-level homes. While these areas are not officially called "Mystic Islands", some homes of
2760-503: The early 1960s as a waterfront community with vacation bungalows. In the past few years, however, many of the original bungalows are slowly being replaced with much larger homes on pilings that are popular in nearby beach communities such as Long Beach Island . The area that is currently Mystic Island was once called "Hickory Island", and was serviced by the Tuckerton Railroad and one two-lane street named "Shore Road", which
2829-586: The early 1970s, when it was stopped by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection with the passage of CAFRA I and CAFRA II. Several unfinished lagoons can still be seen along the west end of Calabreeze Way and on the Osborn Island section. Mystic Islands only encompasses all areas south of Calabreeze Way; locals commonly refer to surrounding neighborhoods and streets as part of the community. The first sections to be completed were
Mystic Island, New Jersey - Misplaced Pages Continue
2898-470: The first class (cities with a population of over 150,000) the board of education must consist of nine members, and board members are appointed to three-year terms by the mayor or other chief executive of the municipality that constitutes the district. Type II school districts include all local districts in municipalities other than cities, all consolidated school districts, and all regional school districts, and can have either an elected board of education, where
2967-527: The first commissioner. In December 2017, Catherine McCabe was nominated by New Jersey governor-elect Phil Murphy to serve as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Shawn M. LaTourette succeeded her in January 2021. Other former Commissioners have included Lisa P. Jackson and Bradley M. Campbell . The major goal of the air quality division is to ensure
3036-457: The form of an elected school board, although the state district superintendent remains to manage curriculum functions, while in Newark and Paterson governance has yet to change from state to local management. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection ( NJDEP ) is a government agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that
3105-401: The form of government which corresponds to their type, i.e. a Township has the Township form of government. In New Jersey a municipality can choose a different form of government if its citizens do not wish to operate under the form that matches its type. The borough form of government is New Jersey's most common, being used by 253 of the state's municipalities. Although it was once quite rare,
3174-417: The governing body. Alternatively, a ballot question to form a charter study commission can be performed through a petition or by the existing municipal governing body enacting an ordinance to form a commission. Voters simultaneously vote yes / no to form a commission and also vote to select its members (if it passes), with the top five candidates becoming the members of the commission. There is no territory in
3243-649: The governmental nature of an area and what local laws apply. All municipalities can be classified as one of five types of local government— Borough , City , Township , Town , and Village —and one of twelve forms of government, the first five being historically associated with the five types of government and the other seven being non-standard "optional" forms provided by the New Jersey Legislature . To make matters more complex, New Jersey also distinguishes between regional, consolidated, and countywide school districts and school districts that serve only
3312-582: The intersection of Radio Road and Bayview Drive was originally constructed as a "Boatel", where boaters could dock, eat, and even sleep. This concept didn't last, and it later became a boat sales showroom, later a pizza parlor, and then a bar named "The Rotunda". It is currently home to the Living Water Christian Center. Diagonally from the Boatel was "The Playhouse", on Playhouse Drive between Radio Road and S. Captains Drive, originally
3381-628: The lagoons. Remains of the tower can be seen at the Giffordtown Museum. After the demise of the tower, RCA sold the Hickory Island property at a sum of $ 55,000 to Lagoon Parks, Inc., a land development company of the 1950s and 60s, whose corporate partners are now deceased. The development was named "Mystic Islands", plural, encompassing seven small islands where the waterways were filled in to produce buildable land. Construction began slowly in 1959. The lagoons were dredged up until
3450-420: The legislative and executive body. The boards consist of three, five, seven, or nine members. The means of election of county commissioners varies from all county commissioners being elected in districts, all being elected at-large, or being elected through mixed district and at-large county commissioners. Elections are first past the post for single-member districts, and for at-large elections when only one seat
3519-583: The model homes for the Westwood development, all of which still stand and currently serve as commercial properties. The homes were made in a warehouse on the intersection of Radio Road and Playhouse Drive, near the site of the Tuckerton Wireless tower. Buyers ordered the design by catalog, and the homes were delivered a week later. The model homes were located on Radio Road, across from the present-day "Shoppes of Mystic Isle" shopping center. After
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#17327984850183588-476: The municipal manager, tax assessor, auditor, clerk, treasurer, and attorney. The manager is the chief executive of the municipality and is responsible for appointing other officials and preparing the budget for council consideration. The manager serves only at the pleasure of the council. A mayor is also chosen from among the council members whose primary duty is to preside over council meetings. Only seven municipalities currently use this form of government. In 1950
3657-425: The municipality with which they are associated, and are classified as either Type I or Type II school districts. The schools of each public school district are governed by a board of education. Type I school districts include every local school district established in a city except where the district has changed its classification, and the board of education consists of five, seven or nine members, while in cities of
3726-544: The names written vertically. They were slowly replaced with more conventional street signs, one on the corner of Twin Lakes Boulevard and Mountain Lake Drive still existed well into the late 2000s. Street signs in the Oceanview section were replaced by custom signs created by the Osborn Island Resident's Association. Some of the original bases of the Tuckerton Wireless tower were never removed. One
3795-487: The original bungalow designs were constructed in these outlying areas, while at the same time, the larger, suburban homes were also offered on the original waterfront lots. However, tough economic times halted the development of the Westwood subdivision. In the early-1990s, development resumed in this unfinished area, when the empty lots were filled in with mid-size suburban homes built by several different developers. Homes on Oneida Lake Drive and Greenwood Lake Drive are part of
3864-466: The present-day Mystic Island was called Hickory Island. The tower was used to communicate with an identical radio telegraph station in Eilvese , Germany starting on Jun 19, 1914, less than two weeks before the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. The station continued to communicate with Eilvese until America entered World War I on April 6, 1917 . It is rumored that it was used to send the message to order
3933-470: The public to make better decisions on behalf of water usage. The land and open space division provides rules and includes information concerning wetlands , coastal , and stream/floodplain encroachment programs. The site remediation program requires all remediations in the state to proceed under the supervision of a licensed site remediation professional that they may follow the nine requirements set forth at N.J.S.A. 58:10B-1.3b. The goal of this program
4002-514: The rest of the counties also appoint a county supervisor or administrator who is responsible for routine administrative operations of the county government. New Jersey counties have powers that are intermediate between the broad powers of counties in Pennsylvania and the limited powers of counties in New York . Counties in New Jersey do not have tax collecting power. New Jersey is unique in
4071-557: The state legislature enact a special charter. The Walsh Act was enacted in the Progressive Era as a way to remove corruption and political influence from local politics. Voters elect three or five commissioners in non-partisan elections. Each commissioner is in charge of specific departments within the municipality, and all serve four-year concurrent terms. The commissioners exercise both legislative and executive powers. The commissioners elect one of their members as mayor, but he
4140-409: The state legislature passed the Optional Municipal Charter Law, more familiarly known as the Faulkner Act. In the post-World War II era there was a general push toward more efficiency and professionalism in municipal government, as well as the creation of stronger executives at all levels of government. The 1947 New Jersey State Constitution , a contemporary document, reflects these trends as well. Under
4209-433: The state of New Jersey that is not part of an incorporated municipality. Some communities in the state of New Jersey are well-defined areas or neighborhoods that are part of one or more incorporated municipalities, but they are not independent municipalities in their own right. While these communities may have a sense of "communal character" and unique identity, they are all located within incorporated municipalities. Some of
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#17327984850184278-440: The station operated under the callsign WSC. The 680-foot (820?) (865?) steel tower, anchored by three large concrete blocks, was taken down on December 27, 1955, or 1950. The three huge anchor blocks still exist today, in a backyard on North Ensign Drive, in the middle of South Ensign Drive, and Staysail Drive. Many smaller anchor blocks providing foundations for smaller towers that supported the umbrella antenna are still visible in
4347-471: The war, all U.S. radio stations were seized and shut down by Executive Order. The Tuckerton Radio Station was assigned to the US Navy, which used it primarily to back-up the communications of the US Navy's main transatlantic radio station in New Brunswick, New Jersey . The remaining German personnel at Tuckerton became war prisoners and were replaced by Navy personnel when the U.S. entered the war. After
4416-665: The war, the Tuckerton Wireless Station was included in German war reparations paid to America. Shortly afterwards, it was sold to RCA , which operated it until 1948 as a backup to their Radio Central facility in Rocky Point, New York . In 1921, RCA installed two massive Alexanderson alternators , which were removed in 1948. For transatlantic communications, the radio station operated under the call signs WCI and WGG. For coastal communications, after World War I,
4485-443: Was 47.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.6 males. As of the 2000 United States Census there were 8,694 people, 3,485 households, and 2,453 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 440.5 people/km (1,141 people/sq mi). There were 4,962 housing units at an average density of 251.4 units/km (651 units/sq mi). The racial makeup of
4554-447: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.89. In the CDP the population was spread out, with 22.1% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males. The median income for
4623-409: Was 95.05% (8,073) White , 0.94% (80) Black or African American , 0.19% (16) Native American , 1.10% (93) Asian , 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander , 1.51% (128) from other races , and 1.20% (102) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.00% (425) of the population. Of the 3,490 households, 22.8% had children under the age of 18; 51.7% were married couples living together; 10.5% had
4692-533: Was later renamed "Radio Road" after the Tuckerton Wireless Tower. The Tuckerton Wireless Tower ( 39°33′31″N 74°22′14″W / 39.5585°N 74.3706°W / 39.5585; -74.3706 ( Tuckerton Wireless Tower ) ) was built in 1912 by the German "Hochfrequenzmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft für drahtlose Telegraphie" company (The High Frequency Machine Corporation for Wireless Telegraphy, often referred to as HOMAG) when
4761-541: Was the last to do so, but on December 20, 2011, its residents voted to change to the Walsh Act form of government, with a three-member board of commissioners. New Jersey municipalities are not restricted in their form of government by the type of municipality. Any type of municipality that chooses to do so can adopt one of the six standard optional forms of government listed below, with some exceptions. Municipalities may also adopt non-standard forms of government by having
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