Unauthorized School In Brick Ordered Closed Until October

BRICK, NJ — An Ocean County Superior Court judge has set a hearing for Oct. 5 on Brick Township's lawsuit seeking an injunction to shut down an Orthodox Jewish boys school at the former Temple Beth Or property.

Superior Court Judge Craig T. Wellerson "determined that a hearing is needed with testimony from the professionals who have inspected the site," Brick Township business administrator Joanne Bergin said.

The school, at 200 Van Zile Road, will be shut down through Oct. 5 "when a final determination will be made," Bergin said.

Brick Township filed suit against Congregation Kehilos Yisrael on Aug. 20, seeking an injunction to force it to stop operating the school, after weeks of notifications to the congregation that it needed to get permits and approval from the Brick Township Planning Board to convert the former synagogue to a school.

The school was supposed to be closed after Monday's hearing, but remained open and operating, a fact that angered residents. In response to questions at Tuesday's Township Council meeting, township attorney Kevin Starkey was firm.

"The judge stated in court that the school was not to operate," he said.

Mayor John G. Ducey and Bergin both noted, however, that the school was operating and that township code enforcement officials were documenting the fact that the judge's order was not being followed.

Wednesday's hearing was a follow-up to Monday's proceedings, where Wellerson ordered the school closed temporarily because of multiple safety violations.

Ducey, in a Facebook live on Sept. 10, said there were multiple fire code violations, including a lack of fire extinguishers and a lack of carbon monoxide detectors. There was no fire suppression system in the kitchen and there was an uncovered electrical junction box, he said.

In addition, there were safety issues involving buses coming to and leaving the site, vehicles dropping off and picking up students and traffic flow issues, he said.

Bergin did not say whether Wellerson addressed the issue of the school remaining open in violation of the court order.

Residents who attended Tuesday night's council meeting expressed continued frustration over the situation, which they said includes pressure being put on homeowners to sell their properties.

"They're being bullied out," said John DeGregorio, who said residents are receiving repeated phone calls and text messages, along with people knocking on the door.

Two homes near the Van Zile site have certificates of occupancy as rentals and both have been cited for exceeding their occupancy, Bergin said. That issue is separate from the school, which requires approval from the Planning Board and permits from the town to operate.

Fines of up to $2,000 per day are being levied, officials said, and the township is seeking those plus attorneys fees as part of its lawsuit.

"I don't know why people are not following the rules," Ducey said Friday in a Facebook Live, where he said the township is enforcing the rules it would enforce in connection with any property.

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