Report: Union Beach Residents Disagree With Catholic School Rent for Misplaced Students
NJ.com columnist Mark Di Ionno examines the $47,000 a month cost of renting a Catholic school in Hazlet for misplaced elementary students from Memorial School.
Union Beach's one and only school was not spared by Hurricane Sandy.
Memorial School, which serves K-8 students, was flooded with about a foot of water from a small creek nearby, according to NJ columnist Mark Di Ionno.
In an attempt to get the students back to school and in a warm, dry place each day, the district began renting space at St. Catherine's for $27,000 a month, according to Di Ionno's article on NJ.com. The school was too small and soon K-5 students were studying at Holy Family School while sixth, seventh and eighth grade students were taken in for free by the Keyport School District.
Parents were pleased that their children had a place to call their own, however many were appalled with the $47,000 a month rent at the Catholic school located in Hazlet.
The cost is about 25 percent below market value and Holy Family is also paying the utilities and offered the district their maintenance people.
The entire report can be found on NJ.com.
Tell Us: Do you feel charging Union Beach $47,000 in rent each month is fair? Why or why not?
Bob
7:50 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
The catholic church is a huge tax exempt business. Did you expect any different. You won't get anything from them without a "donation"
NJarhead
2:02 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Exactly. Business first, faith and good of the community second.
Ed Newins
9:01 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Holy Family School has been closed and up for sale for a long time. The diocese of Trenton should make the school available to the students of Union Beach and subsidise the cost to help the people of Union Beach. Church groups from outside the state came to the aid of UB with food and clothing and didnt charge anything....it was the Christian thing to do
Barzillai
11:28 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Keyport taxpayers are funding the free use of their district buildings. The Catholic church is shutting down its buildings and trying to sell them because they dont need them and cannot afford them. If someone suddenly needs the osed church schools for whatever purpose, it seems reasonable for the church to charge rent. Sounds like they are discounting the price and offering some services. You cant say Keyport space is free.
Poppy
9:48 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
If you research you will find that Keyport has an agreement with Union Beach that sends students to the High School because their school is a K-8 only. Keyport should be comended for their for the letting them use whatever space they were able to free up to help help at this time of need. Holy Family is entitled to some payment for the use of the building however I agree that it is high. Most of Union Beach is members of Holy Family Church and they are going to pay in the long run. If I was one of them I would be outrageed and adjust any donations made accordingly with my tax increase.
GRACERABELS
4:33 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
WHAT HAPPENED TO LOVE THY NEIGHBOR THIS WHOLE TOWN NEEDS HELP NOT OVER PRICED HELP .ITS A SHAME GRACE