diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 8275e47..666ced7 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -19,6 +19,18 @@
 					<release>11</release>
 				</configuration>
 			</plugin>
+			<plugin>
+				<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+				<artifactId>maven-deploy-plugin</artifactId>
+				<version>2.7</version>
+				<dependencies>
+					<dependency><!-- add support for ssh/scp -->
+						<groupId>org.apache.maven.wagon</groupId>
+						<artifactId>wagon-ssh</artifactId>
+						<version>1.0</version>
+					</dependency>
+				</dependencies>
+			</plugin>
 		</plugins>
 	</build>
 
@@ -55,7 +67,8 @@
 			<uniqueVersion>false</uniqueVersion>
 			<id>alertek_repo</id>
 			<name>Alertek Repository</name>
-			<url>scp://supernova/home/vpxdev/repository</url>
+			<url>scp://dev1.link2tek.net/home/alerttekdev/maven_repo</url>
+			<layout>default</layout>
 		</repository>
 	</distributionManagement>
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/altk/comm/engine/CommEngine.java b/src/main/java/altk/comm/engine/CommEngine.java
index 5c7e2b4..ec0464a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/altk/comm/engine/CommEngine.java
+++ b/src/main/java/altk/comm/engine/CommEngine.java
@@ -102,31 +102,35 @@ public abstract class CommEngine extends HttpServlet
         ServletContext servletContext = getServletContext();
         String propertiesFilePath;
         
-        propertiesFilePath = servletContext.getInitParameter(getPropertiesContextName());
-        File propertiesFile = new File(propertiesFilePath);
-        
-        // Configure log4j using log4j.properties file, \
-        // sibling to the engine properties file.
-        // This change is backward compatible with placing the log4j.properties file in
-        // the class path.
-        String log4j_properties = propertiesFile.getParent() + "/log4j.properties";
-        try
-        {
-            PropertyConfigurator.configure(log4j_properties);
-        }
-        catch (Exception e)
-        {
-            // Do nothing, assuming the exception is FileNotFoundException.
-            // Remaining log4j initialization will look for log4j.properties
-            // file in the class path.
-        }
+//        propertiesFilePath = servletContext.getInitParameter(getPropertiesContextName());
+//        File propertiesFile = new File(propertiesFilePath);
+//        
+//        // Configure log4j using log4j.properties file, \
+//        // sibling to the engine properties file.
+//        // This change is backward compatible with placing the log4j.properties file in
+//        // the class path.
+//        String log4j_properties = propertiesFile.getParent() + "/log4j.properties";
+//        try
+//        {
+//            PropertyConfigurator.configure(log4j_properties);
+//        }
+//        catch (Exception e)
+//        {
+//            // Do nothing, assuming the exception is FileNotFoundException.
+//            // Remaining log4j initialization will look for log4j.properties
+//            // file in the class path.
+//        }
         // This activates Logger class instantiation.  At this point, if lo4j
         // is not yet configured,
         // it will look for the log4j.properties file in the class path.
         myLogger = Logger.getLogger(CommEngine.class);
         
         myLogger.info("init() invoked");
-        CommonLogger.startup.info("Using lo4j properites file " + log4j_properties);
+        File propertiesFile = new File(
+        		getClass().getClassLoader().getResource("properties").getFile()
+        	);
+
+//        CommonLogger.startup.info("Using lo4j properites file " + log4j_properties);
         CommonLogger.startup.info("Using configuration file " + propertiesFile.getAbsolutePath());
         config = new Properties();
         try