Want to be a bigger town in NJ? Just add water.

"Size matters in the world of municipal boasting. Take Atlantic County's Hamilton Township, which for years has hailed itself on stationary and signs as “New Jersey's Largest Municipality.” But Hamilton Township residents might want to take another look at the numbers before becoming too smug with its bigness: The federal government says neighboring Galloway Township is actually larger.” (Barlas, Press of Atlantic City).
There’s a squabble afoot in South Jersey between Hamilton Township and Galloway Township. One is the largest municipality in New Jersey, and the other isn’t.

Or so they both say.

According to a new report issued by the federal government, census numbers show Hamilton Township has 111.28 square miles of dry land, compared to the 90.49 square miles of dry land in Galloway Township. Hamilton Township, has for years has hailed itself on stationary and signs as “New Jersey's Largest Municipality."

But wait, when there’s more to that than meets the eye. Apparently, when you just add water, Galloway is a tad bigger. And that must mean beautiful music to Galloway.

When you add in the wetlands of Galloway Township, they get an extra 2 square miles, and --- evidentially --- size-bragging rights. The numbers — 114.8 square miles for Galloway Township and 112.99 square miles for Hamilton Township — popped up most recently in an annual report released last month by the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization.

Galloway Township Mayor Thomas Bassford puts a good natured political spin on the whole issue: “I would think our wetlands would have to count as land,” Bassford said. “Maybe not developable land.”

You decide.

But, in here in Flemington, we’re gonna stick with our 1.1 square miles.

We’re still the biggest municipality in New Jersey as far as I'm concerned ---our pride is hundreds of square miles wide and thousands of feet tall.

Wet or not.