diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index fee522dc..e92a08e5 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -26,9 +26,7 @@
         <connection>scm:git:https://github.com/ga4gh/beacon-team</connection>
         <developerConnection>scm:git:https://github.com/ga4gh/beacon-team</developerConnection>
         <url>https://github.com/ga4gh/beacon-team</url>
-
-      <tag>beacon-0.4.0</tag>
-  </scm>
+    </scm>
 
     <developers>
         <developer>
@@ -39,13 +37,6 @@
         </developer>
     </developers>
 
-    <parent>
-        <groupId>org.sonatype.oss</groupId>
-        <artifactId>oss-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>9</version>
-    </parent>
-
-
     <properties>
         <os.maven.version>1.4.0.Final</os.maven.version>
 
@@ -88,32 +79,11 @@
 
         <pluginManagement>
             <plugins>
-<plugin>
-    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-    <artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId>
-    <configuration>
-      <additionalparam>-Xdoclint:none</additionalparam>
-    </configuration>
-  </plugin>
                 <plugin>
                     <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                     <artifactId>maven-clean-plugin</artifactId>
                     <version>${maven.clean.plugin.version}</version>
                 </plugin>
-                <plugin>
-                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-                <artifactId>maven-gpg-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>1.6</version>
-                <executions>
-                    <execution>
-                        <id>sign-artifacts</id>
-                        <phase>verify</phase>
-                        <goals>
-                            <goal>sign</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                </executions>
-            </plugin>
                 <plugin>
                     <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                     <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
@@ -195,23 +165,6 @@
                     <artifactId>protobuf-maven-plugin</artifactId>
                     <version>${protobuf.plugin.version}</version>
                 </plugin>
-                <plugin>
-                    <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-                    <version>2.3</version>
-                    <configuration>
-                        <descriptorRefs>
-                            <descriptorRef>jar-with-dependencies</descriptorRef>
-                        </descriptorRefs>
-                    </configuration>
-                    <executions>
-                        <execution>
-                            <phase>package</phase>
-                            <goals>
-                                <goal>single</goal>
-                            </goals>
-                        </execution>
-                    </executions>
-                </plugin>
             </plugins>
         </pluginManagement>
 
diff --git a/release.properties b/release.properties
deleted file mode 100644
index 64c928d6..00000000
--- a/release.properties
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-#release configuration
-#Tue Jan 09 14:30:27 GMT 2018
-scm.tagNameFormat=@{project.artifactId}-@{project.version}
-pushChanges=true
-scm.url=scm\:git\:https\://github.com/ga4gh/beacon-team
-preparationGoals=clean verify
-remoteTagging=true
-projectVersionPolicyId=default
-scm.commentPrefix=[maven-release-plugin] 
-exec.additionalArguments=\ -Psonatype-oss-release
-exec.snapshotReleasePluginAllowed=false
-completedPhase=check-poms