"Many of the individual Jehovah's Witnesses we have met over the years have been very sympathetic, however it seems that they have not been Elders or decision makers. But maybe we are incorrect. "
LOL.
In our local news... Jehovah's Witnesses LIED to Man with Brain injury
by Newly Enlightened 60 Replies latest jw friends
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OUTLAW
About
Help severely disabled Jim retain his view of the Sandia Mountains. Rio Rancho withheld information, the church being built said they would work with us... Description The facts timeline:
1970 - Jim and Janet Mura met.
1975 - Jim and Janet married. 1988 - Jim Mura suffered massive brain damage from a freak swimming accident and consequently had to take disability retirement.
1993 - Jim and Janet began planning their dream retirement home with the smallest environmental footprint possible: straw-bale, solar, rain harvesting, gardening, ADA approval.
2004 - Planning began for retirement in New Mexico.
2006 - Janet's sister retired to Rio Rancho, NM.
2008 - Jim and Janet first visited Rio Rancho, NM.
2009 - Jim and Janet found their realtor.
Feb 2010 - Jim and Janet visited Rio Rancho again, looking at multiple plots of land with their realtor. They found their current plot of land on this trip. They were told by a Jehovah's Witness Member in Good Standing, that the plot of land directly east of theirs was going to have a J.W. Kingdom Hall built on it. This member - not an Elder - thought the building was to be towards the south of the J.W.'s property (over an acre.)
April 2010 - The realtor found the owner of the plot of land Jim & Janet were interested in.
May 2010 - Jim and Janet purchased their 1/2 acre of land and hired their general contractor Cadmon Whitty with Paja Construction.
May - Sept 2010 - Their realtor contacted the J.W.'s and Rio Rancho City Hall Building Commission multiple times, requesting the Kingdom Hall's blueprints and contact information for their builder and general contractor. The realtor was told that information could not be given out.
Oct 2010 - Construction began on Jim and Janet's straw-bale dream home.
Jan 2011 - Janet told Cadmon that the J.W.'s were bringing in dirt and grading their land. Cadmon spent considerable time and energy, contacting the J.W.'s and Rio Rancho City Hall Building Commission multiple times, requesting the Kingdom Hall's blueprints and contact information for their builder and general contractor. He was told that information could not be given out.
Feb 2011 - A different J.W. Member of Good Standing moved into a trailer to care take their property. He told Janet and Jim that the congregation had taken a vote and it was resolved that the Kingdom Hall would do everything they could to help them. This member also shared the name of the Elder/General Contractor.
Feb 2011 - Jim and Janet (along with Cadmon and their realtor) met with the Elder/General Contractor of the J.W. Kingdom Hall, discussing the respective buildings. Jim and Janet requested keeping their view of the Sandia Mountains at least from the dining room windows. (At which time, their view runs the entire length of their property.) The J.W.'s General Contractor held up a pole, measured to the south end of the window, finding it to be 30 feet. The Elder/General Contractor said that should be do-able and they would do everything possible to keep the windows clear.
Feb 2011 - Dec 2013 - On sporadic occasions, J.W. members would come by to maintain their property. Approximately ten members had conversations with Janet, and she was told not to worry, the church would take care of them.Two members told Janet they'll do the right thing.
July 2011 - Jim and Janet moved into their straw-bale home.
Aug 2011 - Construction officially finished on Jim and Janet's dream retirement home complete with solar panels, rain harvesting, wide archways easy for the wheelchair to navigate, roll in shower and more.
Three wonderful years... Remember Janet's brief conversations with J.W. members?
Jan 2014 - Construction began on the J.W. Kingdom Hall. Many dump-trucks of dirt were brought in.
Feb 2014 - The J.W.'s took away many dump-trucks of dirt. Janet talked with multiple Elders trying to find the exact dimensions of their building and where it would be located. She received different, conflicting answers.
Mar 2014 - Janet had several conversations with J.W. Elders and it was then she was told that the Kingdom Hall would be placed in such a way that it would completely obstruct their view of the Sandia's from the dining room windows - the view the 30 foot measurement was supposed to retain.
Mar 2014 - Cadmon had a conversation with a former building official of Rio Rancho, who told him that the J.W.'s requested building waivers and expedited building construction to allow three days to erect their entire structure. This included a lack of inspections as they buil.................................... ...OUTLAW -
4thgen
Bastards.
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Apognophos
I'm not surprised to see this reaction on this forum, but if you guys actually read the article and comments carefully you'll realize that there was no "lie" told, and that expecting someone to build in a way that defers to a neighbor, without any compensation or contract made between them, is setting a dangerous precedent. You would not feel this way if the situation did not involve your former religion.
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losingit
Apog-- It's courtesy RESPECT to make sure that where you build does not provide a nuisance or a disturbance to your nneighbor. I don't care that this is a case with a KH involved. Any building owner should be willing to assure their neighbors and themselves that the new property will not decrease the value of their home.
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AlphaMan
You would not feel this way if the situation did not involve your former religion.
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I agree with this. Although I hate to see new KH's being built and re-enforcing this cancerous religion....it is their right to buy property and build on it. Sounds like they actually bough the property first with future plans to build. I sympathize with the family, but you don't build on a lot and not expect people to build around you. If you were that concerned you might lose a view, then you buy enough property to ensure you don't lose the view. Simple as that.
P.S. Reminds me of an old neighbor of mine. He had a house there long before I built mine next to him. Year's later he wants to cut down my big beautiful flowering lotus tree in the back corner of my lot. He says he's affraid it could be blown over and hit his garage. I told him I'll not letting him cut it down, and if he is that affraid of trees being blown over and hitting his house, then he should cut down all those big-ass trees around his bedroom area.
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insidetheKH
this emailexchange is on their facebookpage
Chuck Wilkins is the Councilman
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2014 1:46 PM
To: CHUCK WILKINS
Subject: Channel 13 KRQE Interview with Muras about the church being built adjacent to their property Dear Councilman Chuck Wilkins,
I saw the Channel 13 News Thursday night and am concerned about the situation of public records not being released to the adjacent neighbors who requested them. Also I am concerned about whether proper inspections will be made and whether proper permits have been issued. It is imperative that a building raised next to a private residence must be up to the neighborhood codes with permits and inspections. Construction should stop until these issues are resolved.
Sincerely,
Carol Conoboy
Public records are available, if you would like you can go to the City Clerks office and request to see them yourself. If you wish to leave with a copy, you can have copies for .25 cents per page.
The Church does have a permit and has done all inspections required. I would recommend that you call channel 13 and complain to them about misleading the public.Chuck Wilkins
Tina,
Sorry I am in meetings all day till 5:30.
I completely sympathize with Jim and Janet Mura's situation, but the Jehovah's Witness church is not violating any ordinances or codes that I am aware of. It is unfortunate that they have built so close to their neighbor's property, but no one is guaranteed a view unless you buy the lots between you and your view. Some lots, because of their geographic make-up are ensured a view, but most are not.
We would all hope that our neighbors would be considerate when building next to an existing property owner, but this is not always the case, and the city cannot intervene if they are following the law.
Chuck WilkinsRegarding the family’s claim of plans being withheld from them by the city, no detail such as date of occurrence, name of the employee who indicated plans would not be provided, etc. has been provided by the family to knowledge to substantiate their claim, or to allow city administration to investigate. It very well may have been the case that at the time they inquired, the plans had not been submitted to the city yet. Or, there may have been confusion over how to request to inspect and obtain and pay for copies of public documents.
Peter Wells
The Official Site of Rio Rancho, NM - Public Records Inspection Requests
Public Records Inspection Requests
Chuck Wilkins -
sparrowdown
This sort of thing is no surprise at all. The cong I was attending was regularly getting requests from concerned family members requesting bro's to stop calling on Mr or Mrs so and so from such and such street who have dementia.
The bro's felt they had a right to call if Mr/Mrs dementia let them in.
They just did not get that it was unethical to take advantage of someone who was not in full possession of theit faculties.
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A.proclaimer
While it is their property and they could do whatever they want with it, it's not very thoughtful what they did. The man is disabled, they aren't thinking about theit neighbor here, it's sad. I also find it odd that this doesn't conflict with them giving "fine testimony" on their religion based on their actions, anyone would get turned off from this.
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Apognophos
They had to change the plan to increase the parking space. Lack of proper planning (or of knowledge of the city requirements for parking space) aside, this isn't inconsiderate. The congregation had already bought the land, so they had to move ahead. What's inconsiderate is making a mountain out of one man's molehill, especially when the family knew when they bought the property that there was a "church" going up next door.
...OUTLAW