Dumont, New Jersey

Dumont is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 17,863,

The borough was originally formed on July 20, 1891, as the Borough of Schraalenburgh from portions of Harrington Township and Palisades Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. On March 7, 1898, portions of the borough were annexed to Palisades Township. On June 13, 1898, the borough's name was changed to Dumont in honor of Dumont Clarke, the borough's first mayor.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.95 square miles (5.06 km2), including 1.95 square miles (5.05 km2) of land and <0.01 square miles (0.01 km2) of water (0.15%).

Municipalities bordering the borough include the Bergen County communities of Bergenfield, Cresskill, Demarest, Haworth, New Milford and Oradell.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Dumont borough, Bergen County, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|13,692

|11,641

|style='background: #ffffe6; |9,847

|78.23%

|66.60%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |55.13%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|222

|375

|style='background: #ffffe6; |503

|1.27%

|2.15%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.82%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|13

|17

|style='background: #ffffe6; |12

|0.07%

|0.10%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.07%

|Asian alone (NH)

|1,915

|2,599

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,081

|10.94%

|14.87%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |17.25%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2

|0.01%

|0.02%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.01%

|Other race alone (NH)

|24

|style='background: #ffffe6; |93

|0.05%

|0.14%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.52%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|188

|240

|style='background: #ffffe6; |442

|1.07%

|1.37%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.47%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|1,463

|2,580

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,883

|8.36%

|14.76%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |21.74%

|Total

|17,503

|17,479

|style='background: #ffffe6; |17,863

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Dumont had a population of 17,863. The median age was 42.6 years. 20.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.5% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.8 males.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 6,408 households in Dumont, of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 57.4% were married-couple households, 13.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Same-sex couples headed 25 households in 2010, an increase from the 20 counted in 2000.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census

There were 6,370 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.8% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.24. Near the center of the town is Fred Triplett Park, it has a playground and is dedicated to Frederick Triplett, a soldier killed in 1944 during World War II. Across the street is the fourth major park, Dawn M. Totten Memorial Field, which has a small playground and a softball field used by Dumont Girls Softball.

Dumont recreational sports programs include Dumont Little League, Dumont Girls Softball, Dumont Football, Dumont Soccer, Dumont Basketball, Dumont Roller Hockey, and the Dumont Swim Team.

Some annual events conducted in the borough include Dumont Day, held in early September, Octoberfest, held in early October, The Dumont Winter Festival, held in December and an annual Memorial Day Parade and celebration held in May.

Government

Local government

Dumont is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 (of the 564) municipalities statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a 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. The borough form of government used by Dumont 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.

, the mayor of the Borough of Dumont is Republican John W. Russell III, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Dumont Borough Council are Council President Tom Kelly (R, 2027), Doreen Aponte (R, 2028), Kenneth Armellino (R, 2026; elected to an unexpired term), Gidget Petry (R, 2027), Lisa Rossillo (D, 2028) and Louis Sciarrino (R, 2026; appointed to serve an unexpired term).

Emergency services

The Dumont Police Department, comprised of 36 officers and 8 dispatchers, operates out of the Borough Hall and protects and serves the community around the clock. The police department also includes volunteer reserve officers. The department's Chief of Police is Luke Totten.

The fire department is staffed by approximately 80 volunteer firefighters located at four different fire houses throughout the borough. The Dumont Fire Department responds to between 400 & 500 calls per year, including mutual aid to neighboring municipalities including Tenafly, Bergenfield, Cresskill, New Milford, Oradell, River Edge, and the Northern Valley towns when needed. The Dumont Fire Department is equipped with eight pieces of apparatus (four engines, one ladder, one rescue, one squad, and a utility truck) at the following locations:

Federal, state and county representation

Dumont is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 39th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 10,526 registered voters in Dumont, of which 2,997 (28.5% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,862 (17.7% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 5,659 (53.8% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 8 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 60.2% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 77.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).

In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 4,423 votes (50.3% vs. 54.2% countywide), ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 3,928 votes (44.7% vs. 41.1% countywide) and other candidates with 298 votes (3.4% vs. 3.0% countywide), among the 8,787 ballots cast by the borough's 11,712 registered voters for a turnout of 75% (vs. 73% in Bergen County). In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 4,407 votes (54.7% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 3,465 votes (43.0% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with 112 votes (1.4% vs. 0.9%), among the 8,050 ballots cast by the borough's 11,108 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.5% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 4,497 votes (52.3% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 3,948 votes (46.0% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 72 votes (0.8% vs. 0.8%), among the 8,591 ballots cast by the borough's 10,871 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.0% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 4,122 votes (49.7% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 4,077 votes (49.2% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 58 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 8,286 ballots cast by the borough's 10,345 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.1% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; font-size: 95%;"

|+ Presidential elections results

! Year

!Republican

!Democratic

| style="text-align:center; |2024

| style="text-align:center; |47.3% 4,375

| style="text-align:center; |50.0% 4,628

| style="text-align:center; |2020

| style="text-align:center; |42.8% 4,323

| style="text-align:center; |55.7% 5,633

| style="text-align:center; |2016

| style="text-align:center; |44.7% 3,928

| style="text-align:center; |50.3% 4,423

| style="text-align:center; |2012

| style="text-align:center; |43.0% 3,465

| style="text-align:center; |54.7% 4,407

| style="text-align:center; |2008

| style="text-align:center; |46.0% 3,948

| style="text-align:center; |52.3% 4,497

| style="text-align:center; |2004

| style="text-align:center; |49.2% 4,077

| style="text-align:center; |49.7% 4,122

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.0% of the vote (2,857 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 37.8% (1,771 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (57 votes), among the 4,766 ballots cast by the borough's 10,745 registered voters (81 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 44.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,518 votes (47.9% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 2,343 votes (44.6% vs. 48.0%), Independent Chris Daggett with 320 votes (6.1% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 24 votes (0.5% vs. 0.5%), among the 5,256 ballots cast by the borough's 10,589 registered voters, yielding a 49.6% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).

Education

The Dumont Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 2,540 students and 208.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.2:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are

Grant School with 390 students in grades K-5 (opened 1911),

Honiss School with 632 students in grades K-8 (opened 1955),

Lincoln School with 156 students in grades K-5 (opened 1911),

Selzer School with 500 students in grades PreK-8 (opened 1960) and

Dumont High School with 788 students in grades 9-12 (opened 1932).

Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.

Newbury Academy is a private alternative high school for students in grades 9–12 that was founded in Teaneck in 2001 and moved to Dumont in 2003. As of September 2008, Newbury Academy has become a virtual school with all classes being conducted online, with teachers making weekly visits to students' homes.

Transportation

thumb|right|[[County Route 505 (New Jersey)|County Route 505 southbound on the east side of Dumont]]

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Bergen County.

The most significant road directly serving Dumont is County Route 505, which follows Knickerbocker Road along the east border of the borough. Other main roads in Dumont include Madison Avenue and Washington Avenue.

Public transportation

The NJ Transit 166 and 167 bus routes provides service between the borough and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan; the 186 serves the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal; and local service is available on the 753 and 772 routes.

The former Dumont station was part of the West Shore Railroad main line which was served by the New York Central Railroad until the line was dropped and commuter serve ended in 1959. The station is now defunct as the tracks are now used by CSX freight trains.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Dumont include:

Harvey A. Allen (1818–1882), United States Army officer, Commander of the Department of Alaska 1871–1873
Joe Azelby (born 1962), professional football player who played for the Buffalo Bills, businessman and author
Dominick Barlow (born 2003), professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA, on a two-way contract with the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League
John Battaglia (1955–2018), convicted murderer who was executed by the state of Texas for killing his two daughters in 2001 in an act of revenge against his estranged wife
Graham Clarke (born 1970), children's entertainer and recording artist
Rich Edson (born 1981), Fox News Channel reporter
Joe Ferriero (born 1957), former Bergen County Democratic Party boss who had been elected to the Dumont Borough Council as a 20-year-old in 1977
Olivia Goldsmith (born Randy Goldfield, 1949–2004), author of the novel The First Wives Club
Michale Graves (born 1975), former singer of The Misfits
John "Beatz" Holohan (born 1974), drummer for the band Bayside
Tim Jeffs (born 1965), former guitar player of the band White Zombie
Richard Kuklinski (1935–2006), Criminal who was convicted of killing 5 people
Sean Lissemore (born 1987), defensive end for the San Diego Chargers
Kevin McMullan (born 1968), baseball coach, who is assistant baseball coach for the Mississippi State Bulldogs
Stuart Meissner (born 1962), attorney
Eddie Miller (1895–1965), race car driver who finished fourth at the 1921 Indianapolis 500
Samantha Monahan (born 1988), professional soccer player who plays for Ballerup-Skovlunde Fodbold of the Danish Elitedivisionen
Thomas Nozkowski (1944–2019), contemporary painter
Jerry Palmieri (born 1958), football strength and conditioning coach, most recently on Tom Coughlin's staff for the New York Giants
Bob Papa (born 1964), play-by-play voice for the New York Giants
Bob Price (born 1955), former head coach of the Montreal Alouettes and tight end coach and recruiting coordinator for the Virginia Cavaliers
Geoff Rickly (born 1979), lead singer of the band Thursday
Larry Rosen (1940–2015), entrepreneur, musician and recording engineer best known for his work as a modern jazz producer and label owner
Jacob Westervelt (1794–1881), served as New York City Sheriff from 1831 to 1834
John T. Wright (–1976), politician who became the first African-American councilmember in Bergen County, when he was elected in 1952 to serve on the Englewood city council

References

Sources

Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey (according to Counties) prepared by the Division of Local Government, Department of the Treasury (New Jersey); December 1, 1958.
Clayton, W. Woodford; and Nelson, William. History of Bergen and Passaic Counties, New Jersey, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men., Philadelphia: Everts and Peck, 1882.
Harvey, Cornelius Burnham (ed.), Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties, New Jersey. New York: New Jersey Genealogical Publishing Co., 1900.
Van Valen, James M. History of Bergen County, New Jersey. New York: New Jersey Publishing and Engraving Co., 1900.
Westervelt, Frances A. (Frances Augusta), 1858–1942, History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630–1923, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1923.