leader has arrived. The mayor and other town officials will be reporting to duty soon. I understand the mayor will be standing guard during the graveyard shift. Atleast he's smart enough to realize who will be running this town from now on. Ha Ha Ha Ha. Read 'em and weep, fools.
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Back --------------------------------------------------------------------------------11/1/05 - Posted from the Daily Record newsroom Christ Church moves into its new homeBY ROB JENNINGS DAILY RECORD
ROCKAWAY TWP. -- Most of Christ Church of Montclair's 50 employees, including pastor David Ireland, have moved their offices from Verona to the former Agilent Technologies building on Green Pond Road and were on the job this morning.
A gradual administrative relocation started in late September -- one month after the 5,000-member church acquired the 283,000-square-foot building and 107-acre site for $10.25 million -- but intensified last Friday when the bulk of church staffers arrived in Rockaway Township, chief operating officer Rupert A. Hayles Jr. said today.
Inside the building, two Christ Church employees were behind a desk and fielding calls to the church's new Rockaway Township phone line -- (973) 625-7979. Above them was a sign reading, "Christ Church Administrative Offices."
Several feet away was a reception area with 10 chairs, a new rug and a mirror waiting to be hung.
"It feels great," church pastor David Ireland said today.
Ireland's second-floor office overlooks a grassy area where Christ Church hopes to someday organize softball games and other activities,
"It feels a little bit surreal, in that we've been talking about it for a couple of years," added Ireland, referring to the lengthy, ongoing battle over the proposed mega-church at the site.
There were 40 or so church employees in the building today. By year's end, Christ Church expects to relocate all employees from rented office space in Verona.
Church offices -- including one for Ireland's wife, Marlinda, Christ Church's music pastor -- were informally marked by paper signs on doors. The offices had been used by top employees of Agilent and its predecessor, Hewlett Packard.
There were row after row of unoccupied cubicles that formerly were work spaces for hundreds of people.
"Agilent left a lot of things in place," Hayles said.
The planning board granted Christ Church's tenancy application for its employees in September but has yet to rule on the church's building plan, which is highlighted by a 2,512-seat sanctuary, private K-5 school and other facilities.
Public hearings have been underway since Dec. 15, 2003 and a 22nd will take place next week. Hearings are continuing despite a federal lawsuit filed by Christ Church against the mayor, council, planning board and environmental commission, alleging an effort to undermine the controversial proposal.
The U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division is investigating Rockaway Township's handling of the matter.
This morning, a private security guard was stationed at the entrance to Christ Church's parking lot. Hayles said that some people had requested tours, but been turned away.
Hayles was noncommittal when asked whether Christ Church would pay the fourth and final installment of Agilent's $717,497 property tax bill for 2005, which is due today.
"Whatever we're required by law to do, we'll do," Hayles said.
Christ Church sent a letter to township tax assessor Mark Burek last month, requesting a full exemption because it is a religious institution. Burek said he will make a decision by Dec. 31 but added that Christ Church is still responsible for making payments in the meantime.
There is a 10-day grace period for making tax payments, according to the township's tax collection department. A payment from Christ Church had not been received by this morning.
I wonder how long until the machine gun toting, guard dog wielding "LiarLand Security Team" will be in place. Since the rEV cannot have an underground parking lot with security fences, will hE have the armed guards escorting hiS holiness in and out of the mega-playland???
Let's get on with the court case - enough is enough.
Mr. Jones of Rockaway Truth must LOVE this stuff...After all, as his website states, it's all legit at nj.com, right MiSteR jOnEs???
7056. same thing years ago by WhyVortLies, 11/1/05 18:19 ET The same group that started vort was against the Chabad building also, years later even they admit they were
Another lame PR stunt, obviously written by Whiney.
So the only reason they will pay taxes is if the law requires them to. I guess they don't feel an obligation to support the community. They don't support the police, and they don't support the schools or our children. Sad, very sad...................
Have fun in your secured compound for the next year until you have to put it back on the market.
PS: I paid my tax bill today as I have been for the past 13 years.
