New Jersey mayor abandons effort to seize Episcopal church’s property to build a park

The ashes of 325 people are buried in Christ Episcopal Church’s Memorial Garden. Many people worried about what would happen to those ashes if the town seized the church’s land for a park. That uncertainty figured into opposition to the plan. Photo: Mary Frances Schjonberg/Episcopal News Service

[Episcopal News Service] Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick on Aug. 27 unexpectedly dropped his plan to seize Christ Episcopal Church’s land for a public park.

His announcement came during the New Jersey town’s council meeting’s public comment time when a speaker asked him to stop the seizure. He responded that a poll he commissioned showed that “it’s pretty clear that the public does not support the eminent domain. We thought the church would be a willing seller and we’re not moving forward with the eminent domain of the church.”

He said the poll, which he noted had an error rate of plus or minus five, showed that “somewhere in the neighborhood” 60% of the town opposed his plan. (Rodrick had told Episcopal News Service in May that, if the plan had to be put to a vote, he expected 85% of township voters would support it.)

Following the mayor’s reversal, the council entered an executive session to seek legal advice on whether it could decide to let the proposed ordinance die, as action on it had not been advertised as legally required. Despite some conflicting opinions from township attorneys, council members unanimously passed a resolution saying they would no longer try to acquire Christ Church’s property by eminent domain.

Rodrick’s announcement and the subsequent action can be watched here at the 1:20 mark.

The resolution apparently leaves open the possibility that a new resolution could be brought on the other five lots Rodrick also wants to take for park land along the Toms River. Those lots are not adjacent to the church.

The Rev. Lisa Hoffman later told Episcopal News Service that Rodrick promised her after the meeting that the church would receive a copy of the resolution bearing the town seal to assure the congregation that his effort is over. She, Senior Warden Denis Henry and another Christ Church member invited the mayor to worship with them on any Sunday he chooses. Hoffman said she assured Rodrick that he would be welcome.

Christ Church had faced Rodrick’s threat to acquire the church’s 11 acres and five other lots for parkland, either through purchase or by eminent domain, for the last four months. The town council on April 30 approved the first reading of the required property-seizure ordinance. He had postponed the necessary public hearing and second vote for the next four monthly council meetings, including the Aug. 27 meeting.

Christ Church members began to protest Rodrick’s plan as soon as they discovered the ordinance on the April agenda. They and others spoke during the public comment period of that meeting and the next four sessions. They told how Christ Church helped them through hard times and how much the church’s outreach ministries meant to the town.

Supporters regularly stood along the busy street outside the church waving signs that read “People Over Pickleball,” “Save Christ Church,” and other sayings. The church also held two interfaith prayer services, which showed, in part, the deep support the church had among area faith communities.

Many Toms River residents and supporters nationwide rallied to join Christ Church’s opposition to Rodrick’s effort. More than 9,500 people signed a Change.org petition opposing the mayor’s plans. A GoFundMe effort raised $25,535 to help with legal expenses to fight the eminent domain threat. The church has said that any leftover money would go towards its many outreach ministries.

The abrupt ending to the eminent domain plan came nearly two weeks after the church decided not to fight the town’s refusal to grant it a zoning variance to open a 17-bed overnight shelter on its campus. Hoffman said at the time that Rodrick’s threats figured into the parish’s decision.

– The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg is a freelance writer who formerly was a senior editor and reporter for Episcopal News Service.