----- Original Message -----
From: Lea Terhune
Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:27 PM
Subject: doors at 2 Appletree Point Lane vacant house not secure
To Those Who May Be Concerned:
Our neighborhood is determined to have the vacant house at 2 Appletree Point Lane secured against neglect, vagrancy, danger (fire, abandoned swimming pool accident), or illegal activity. We are responsible members of the community; we had a safe, secure neighborhood before the present owner took control of the property; and we will not allow neglect by this owner to endanger or blight our area.
We have called the vacant property issues to your attention for over two years.
We have appealed inaction by the Code Enforcement Office, as well as the bogus Vacant Building Permit that Code Enforcement supposedly issued based on an application that is undated, unsigned, incomplete and inaccurate. We further object to a fee waiver, for two years, for which this property does not qualify.
We call the police when doors at the house are open. A family with a young daughter, and a neighbor who was recently widowed, live next to this house. Vagrants have been seen in the area; I talked with a man wandering around outside the house when Wick's still owned the property and explained to him that the neighbors watch the house for Mr. Wick.
We called police this year on June 2, July 18, and again today. Three doors were unsecured: two gave access to the house and one had a jimmied lock -- well, I'm not sure what to call it, but I have attached a photo. Wood chips and a metal prying tool are on the floor, and the door latch is chopped up. The police officer commented that it might have been a locksmith attempting to replace the lock, since no one needs to break a lock to get in this house because other doors are obviously open. (Photos attached)
The officer also commented that the basement is very damp and there is a strong fuel oil smell there. We have reported this to the Fire Department, Deputy Chief Lasker. He referred us to the Fire Marshall, and I spoke with Thomas Middleton in that office. I told him about the smell, and that I thought there had been a recent inspection by the Fire Marshall, at least that is what Code Enforcement Director Butler told the PWC. There was no record of it in the file: 2 Appletree Point Lane, or 0 Appletree Point Lane but Bill Sears was in the office and he said he rode over with Code Enforcement to inspect the property and there was no fuel oil smell. So they are going to check on it.
On July 9 of this year, we heard Code Enforcement Director Butler tell the Public Works Commission that she has been to the property many times, she has seen no code violations and the doors were always secure. That testimony stunned us! PWC needs to swear people in. But here's the discrepancy: Butler enforces the code, she says, like it's been done before (not "as written"). So what we consider violations are based on the code as written, which is different from the code in Butler's head.
What nonsense. Officer Duffy took time out of his busy schedule today to bring back-up and search the house. He told us that there is no evidence of anyone using the house, but it can not be secured the way the doors are now. He said he would report it to Code Enforcement. All this time and effort on the part of our city employees because one property owner thumbs his nose at Municipal Ordinance, with the blessing of the Code Enforcement Director.
I wish to state appreciation for Officer Duffy and his partner, for their cordiality and reassuring manner, and to Lt. Bovat for giving us confidence in Community Policing. They understand our concerns because they face this kind of neglect when it has gotten worse. We don't want vagrancy to get a foothold here, and big WARNING! NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH signs will go up here next week. I also want to express appreciation for Thomas Middleton and Bill Sears in the Fire Marshall's office for their cordial, prompt and thorough attention to the matter of a possible fuel oil leak in the vacant historic building.
