Basking Ridge To Hold Joint Meeting To Discuss Islamic Mosque Lawsuit

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The Bernards Township Committee and the Bernards Township Planning Board will have a joint meeting on May 10 to discuss the pending lawsuits with the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge.

The meeting was announced by the township on Monday and will be held in the Municipal Building at 1 Collyer Lane in Basking Ridge in the Warren Craft Meeting Room.

The joint meeting will begin in open session at 7:30 p.m. and then immediately adjourn to executive session.

The meeting plans to discuss ISBR v. Bernards Township et al – Case 16:cv-01369 (MAS) v. (LHG); USDOJ v. Bernards Township et al – Case 3:15-cv-08700-MAS-LHG, Bernards Township v. QBE Specialty Insurance Company/Summit Risk Services et al – Arbitration Case 01-16-0003-5508.

Formal action may be taken after returning to open session at the conclusion of executive session.

This will be the most recent meeting on the subject since the township cancelled a special meeting on April 21 that would cover the possible settlement between Bernards Township and the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge.

“The special meeting of the Bernards Township Committee, scheduled for Friday, April 21 was postponed because there was not enough time to adequately notify the public as required by law. It is currently the intention of the Township Committee to reschedule this meeting in May," stated Michael P. Turner, spokesman for Bernards Township.

The lawsuit by the The Islamic Society of Basking Ridge was filed in March after the Bernards Township Planning Board voted down the application to build an Islamic mosque on Church Street.

Since the ISBR's suit, the United States Justice Department also filed a lawsuit in November 2016 against Bernards Township alleging discrimination after the Township's Planning Board decision.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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