An eminent domain battle between a local church and the Board of Education could be going to court.

Talks between North Arlington’s Board of Education and Queen of Peace Parish go back months. According to the church, the board expressed interest in acquiring the parish’s La Salle Center, with plans to use the building for its universal preschool program.

The church uses the building for worship, religious education, community gatherings and other ministry work. The church says it was open to a lease agreement, but it says the center was never for sale. The board says it considered the lease short and long but said that converting a building the board doesn’t own into appropriate classroom space would be poor management of taxpayer dollars. The board says they made an offer to purchase, and the church declined. And now the Board of Education is moving forward with eminent domain proceedings.

The church wrote in its bulletin to parishioners that “...our appeals have been dismissed. While there are undoubtedly other options available to the BOE for classroom space, they appear insistent in taking Church property instead—and doing so swiftly!”

In a statement, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stephen M. Yurchak said in part, “... A voluntary agreement would benefit the Board, Queen of Peace, and the entire North Arlington community. The Board would obtain the classroom space it needs; Queen of Peace would obtain the fair market value of the property while having the opportunity to use the renovated facility during non-school hours...”

A statement from the Archdiocese of Newark said in part, "The Board’s decision to pursue a forced taking raises serious legal and constitutional concerns, particularly regarding religious liberty and the rights of faith-based institutions. No arm of the government should seize church property that is actively used for religious purposes.”

Queen of Peace Parish is encouraging their church community to express their concerns at the board’s next public meeting on July 14th. Both sides are now ready to duke it out in court.