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

Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick on August 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 percent 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 percent 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.