Brief amicus curiae were filed by the Stanford Law School Religious Liberty Clinic and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty on behalf of the Jewish Camp and Union for Reform Judaism, the Christian Legal Society, and the Christian Camp & Conference Association in support of the Eagle Cove Camp & Conference Center's Seventh Circuit appeal.
A federal judge has rejected the town of Woodboro's motion to dismiss a lawsuit involving Oneida County, the town of Woodboro and three brothers who want to build a Bible Camp on Squash Lake. In a 20-page decision filed March 24, U.S. District Judge William Conley ruled the case will go forward in federal court. Last April, the town filed a motion to dismiss the case on the grounds the appropriate venue for the lawsuit is the circuit court, the judicial body that ordinarily reviews decisions of county boards of adjustment, not the federal court. Conley soundly rejected the argument.
H. Schaefer, " Motion to dismiss Bible Camp lawsuit denied,” Northwoods River News (Mar. 26, 2011).
H. Schaefer, “Experts weigh in on Bible camp case,”Northwoods River News (Mar. 29, 2011).
The war of words in the five-year-old Bible camp battle continues unabated with a flurry of new paperwork totaling over 100 pages by the plaintiffs asking the court to, among other things, dismantle the defendants’ defenses and to deny the Town of Woodboro's motion to dismiss the case. The plaintiffs – brothers Arthur, Randall and Wesley Jaros, who are principals of Eagle Cove Camp & Conference Center, Inc. – are suing the Town of Woodboro and Oneida County over denials of a permit to build a Bible camp on 34 acres of land on the western end of Squash Lake.
Bible camp word war heats up, Joe Costanza, News of the North (Apr. 28, 2010).
More papers filed in Bible camp case, Heather Schaeffer, Rhinelander Daily News (Apr. 30, 2010)..
Madison, WI (Mar. 10, 2010 ): Eagle Cove Camp & Conference Center files suit against Oneida County and Town of Woodboro, challenging laws and decisions prohibiting Bible camp use:
“Christian Bible camp ministries are a vital form of religious exercise, separate and distinct from organized churches,” states the Camp in its Complaint. . . . “Religious exercise does not only take place in church,” said Roman P. Storzer, attorney for the Camp. “Congress specifically passed RLUIPA to protect ‘any exercise of religion,’ whether it happens in a church, school, home or a Bible Camp. It is not the government’s job to tell believers how and where they may worship.”
Complaint (Filed Mar. 10, 2010).
Media Release (Mar. 10, 2010).
Bible camp group sues Oneida County, town over permit denial, Joe Costanza, News of the North (Mar. 10, 2010)
Lawsuit challenges zoning refusal for Bible camp, Howard Friedman, Religion Clause] (Mar. 12, 2010)
Lawsuit filed over Bible camp, Heather Schaeffer, Rhinelander Daily News (Mar. 11, 2010)
The five-year battle over a proposed Bible camp in the Town of Woodboro is far from over despite a written decision by the Oneida County Board of Adjustment issued Thursday, Feb. 11, that upholds a July 2009 county planning and zoning department decision to deny a conditional use permit (CUP). . . . Heading up the fight for the plaintiffs will be the New York City and Washington, D.C.-based law firm, Storzer & Greene, P.L.L.C, . . .
Jaros to file federal lawsuit against county and town over Bible camp, News of the North (Feb. 11, 2010).
“BOA puts Bible camp decision in writing,” Rhinelander Daily News (Feb. 12, 2010).
The law firm Storzer and Greene of Washington, D.C., and New York City also submitted a brief on behalf of the Jaros family which said that the BOA "has the authority and responsibility to consider RLUIPA" and in doing so has the authority to create an "exemption" from the county zoning code. Referring to the town's resistance to the project, based upon their land use plan, Storzer and Greene warned, "the Town's position here will subject the Board and its members to potential liability since religious freedom rights protected by RLUIPA are at issue. The Board and its members do so at its own risk. Such action would expose the Board and its members to years of litigation, potentially millions of dollars in damages and attorneys' fees, together with a substantial likelihood of eventually allowing the use regardless."
Ruth Sproull, "Bible Camp appeal before Board of Adjustment; ruling due Jan. 12", News of the North (Dec. 7, 2009)
Jeff Allen, “Eagle Cove Bible Camp Appeal,” WJFW Newswatch 12 (Dec. 2, 2009)
Heather Schaefer, “No resolution in Bible camp appeal,” Rhinelander Daily News (Dec. 2, 2009)