Nice picture you have there of the old Gilead property.
WT KINGDOM FARM SOLD $$$$$
by DannyHaszard 43 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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Madame Quixote
well, that's almost exciting.
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horrible life
the mid to late '90s the Society considered building a community there to print the Jehovah's Witnesses' Watchtower publication that would include residences as well as the printing facilities. At that time they met with residents to explain how they planned to handle the impact of a large new community nestled within the town. They also entered into an agreement with the Town to contribute $1.5 million to a sewer project in exchange for an agreed upon amount of sewer capacity to the property, when the project came to pass. "It's our desire to continue to fulfill that arrangement," said Daniel Rice, representing the Society. "We realize how important that has been to the Town."
But in order to fulfill that agreement Rice noted that the Society must make enough money from the sale to cover the commitment. "What we were trying to do is to find out how might we able to make the property saleable in such a way that we could recapture that investment that we want to make to the Town?" he explained. "We engaged Chough Harbour to help us to see how might we work with the existing ordinances, and how might we take the existing comprehensive plan that was prepared by the Town and use it in such a way that would be mutually beneficial?"This is my take on the subject. I may be way off, and thinking wrong. If so, tell me, I don't mind.
Jw's have a great piece of farmland Been in the family for years. (1935) They go to the town council, and tell them that they are thinking of bringing their printing presses to the land, and bringing 500 people with them. The benefit will be money coming in, and not going out, for example, no school kids, No real need for extra policemen, No new streets to build, etc..... It's a win-win.
The councilmen are all excited. OMG 500 souls coming in to town, to spend money. Oh the jobs that it will bring. grocery stores, visitors, clothes, entertainment. But wait, our sewer dept. can't handle 500 new persons, and printing facilities. We need to invest in a bigger sewer and water treatment plant. The JW's will have a big water and sewer bill each month, and with the extra jobs added to our town, in the way of new merchants, etc... our town will recoup the money spent for the new sewer and water facilities.
The city doesn't have to pay cash for this upgrade. They sell bonds to pay for it, or borrow the money. The JW's tell the council, that they will help pay for it. They will give 1.5 million toward the loan. Just for good will toward the town, in order to secure the yes vote, for them to start upgrade on the facilities.
The city goes into debt, The JW's don't need the lines ran yet to their property, they haven't moved in yet They haven't even started building housing for the 500 people yet. Now they have a state of the art water and sewer plant, and the city is the same population as it ever was. They are paying monthly for the loan, and no new money is coming in.
They also entered into an agreement with the Town to contribute $1.5 million to a sewer project in exchange for an agreed upon amount of sewer capacity to the property, when the project came to pass. "It's our desire to continue to fulfill that arrangement," said Daniel Rice, representing the Society. "We realize how important that has been to the Town."
Remember the Jw's promised to kick in 1.5 mil when the project came to pass. The JW's have now decided that they don't want to build. Now they are stuck with a piece of land, with a promise of giving a town 1.5 million. They should have never made this deal. Now it will be cheaper to find a buyer, that will use sewer and water. Lets sell it to a developer, they will build family homes etc. But WAIT, the city can't handle all of this. Things are getting out of hand. This isn't what was supposed to happen. Now we are looking at strip malls, kids, new streets, policemen, a new fire station for this area. OMG
So one councilman asks, why not sell it to a farmer. The society says, sure, if the money is right, We are going to sell to somebody, the highest $$ wins. If it is to a developer, so be it. We will fulfill our agreement with you to give your town the money. We just don't care how much it costs you in the end.
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Tara
I didn't read all the comments so, if someone already said this I apoplogize. It makes me think of Enron. The muckety-muck, filthy rich big wigs at the top are going to get whatever they can before the WTS falls. They can see the hand-writing on the walls. Bastards!
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jgnat
No, horrible life, that's not it. The WTS has no interest in developing the property for themselves or to build more printing presses.
They rather want to develop the property to a degree that it will be most attractive to private buyers so they can get the best price.
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truthsetsonefree
For someone like myself born in 1957 as a 3rd generation JW this is trutly astonishing the farms were the total mecca utopian paradise the place to be assigned considered a spiritual paradise better than the factory
Agreed. This is truly great news in the sense that their world is coming apart, slowly but surely.
Isaac
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horrible life
jgnat, That's kinda what I was trying to say. They almost have to sell, because they have this old land, paid for, then they in a way, mortgaged it for 1.5 mil. And they have nothing to show for it. They don't want to build. The town wants their money that was promised. ( the 1.5 mil ) and the future revenues that the improvement would have generated. The town of Lansing is probably already feeling the sting of money troubles, with these improvments they have bought and can't pay for.
The JW's have to find a way out of just handing over this money, to the town of Lansing. And in a way, they owe the town, more than just the 1.5 mil. The town is sitting on a state of the art water and sewer plant, and not making any more money off of it. The 1.5mil promised, was probably not even enough in the first place. Lansing thought the money generated by the WT would soon be making them a good return for their money.
Reneging on a deal with a town, will not play well with the press.
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emptywords
Will they give anything out of that to charitable work? I hope they will carry on as usual and carry on sending out the wrong signal to the world, the JWs will be working in vain trying to persuade people that the WTS is the loving and charitable organisation of God.
Nice thought but they should put it in a fund for all congregations to help look after the elderly, the ones that have given all and now are in need of financial help, those that have no family to help them, even if they do they should still be looked after by the WT$.
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emptywords
I know for sure that the older bethelites are looked after at bethel many nursing sisters go and help look after them. I also know that around 200 left bethel (oz) last year, and they have been encouraging (especially young males) to come to bethel as their is a need, had a couple of announcements a few months ago at circuit assembly.
There was also the experience of a brother on the platform that said he was a fourth generation JW and out of his 28 family members 19 have turned apostate, so many are thinking.