Read the article below and see if you want this kind of government control over your property. I don't: and you had better begin to work against those in office now that are in favor of such as this at the local level,otherwise we will face the same thing right here in Cullman Co!
Farmers run out of time
> Couple must clean up clutter, old trucks on farm and pay thousands in
> fines, court decides.
> Friday, January 11, 2008
> By JD MALONE
> The Express-Times
> BUSHKILL TWP. | The aging trucks and sagging trailer at James and Barbara
> Lilly's property, the decrepit bus that housed goats and the remains of
> wrecked machinery must go.
> The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania denied the Lillys' last appeal Jan. 2 in
> a legal wrestling match that lasted more than five years. All that's left
> is to clean up the 110-acre Kromer Road property -- deemed a nuisance and
> public health risk in a 2002 lawsuit filed by the township -- and pay a
> fine of $600 for each day since Judge William F. Moran's March 18, 2004
> order to comply.
> That fine stands at $835,800 as of Thursday, some 1,393 days since Judge
> Moran's ruling.
> "All of the Lillys' avenues of appeal have been exhausted," township
> solicitor Gary Asteak said. "We will do whatever we have to do to collect
> the fine."
> Township manager Aaron Hook and Asteak said the township will seize the
> Lilly farm if needed to collect the fine, and pay the Northampton County
> Sheriff for assisting with the removal of the Lillys' junk.
> It appeared on Thursday that the Lillys are making some effort to dispose
> of their clutter. Old trucks were lined up and trash pushed into piles, but
> a man at the premises wouldn't answer questions and urged a reporter to leave.
> Asteak and Hook said any effort now to clean up the property is too little,
> too late.
> "We gave (James Lilly) plenty of time and we even offered to help, but
> (James Lilly) refused," Hook said.
> Northampton County Sheriff Jeffrey Hawbecker said he received a letter from
> Asteak outlining the conclusion of the Lillys' appeal and Hawbecker said
> his office would begin the task of disposing of the Lillys' accumulated
> junk on Monday.
> Hawbecker said the township must pay for the removal service, but that the
> sheriff would oversee the project due to the state of relations between the
> two parties.
> The Lillys and their attorney, John Molnar, did not return phone calls
> seeking comment Thursday.
> The legal battle started in 2002 when the township sued the Lillys in order
> to force compliance with an ordinance banning tires, debris and junked
> motor vehicles settled in residents' front yards. The township said in
> court documents that the Lillys' property, "unreasonably interfered with
> public health and safety, thereby creating a public nuisance."
> James Lilly tried to use the Right to Farm Act as a defense and pointed to
> his property's acceptance into the township's agricultural security area.
> According to court documents, Lilly said he has the right to farm any way
> he wants.
> But the courts didn't see it his way.
> Hook said the township didn't want to hurt Lilly's ability to work the
> farm, but required the yard to be put right.
> "We aren't trying to hurt their farm, just clean up the junk," Hook said.
> Reporter JD Malone can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at
> jdmalone@express-times.com.
>
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