Purposed Nuisance and Litter Ordinance Changes = Loss of Property Rights and Due Process of Law

If the Board decides to enact this ordinance, I will expect the Board and County Administrator to get the county's properties that will be in violation taken care of first before this ordinance is applied to any private property owner.   The County owned property located in Bohannon ( the old boat yard on the East River)  will be in direct conflict with this ordinance. Also several  state owned docks and public landings would be in violation, so the county should enforce its actions on the state too. 

I have many issues with this ordinance as it is purposed...

1. It attempts to enact laws currently enacted by the State. 
2. It attempts to remove due process of law. (The ordinance will give total control over these issues to the County Administrator. The County Administrator will become accuser, enforcement and judge.  The property owner will have no legal recourse in which to oppose the ruling by the county administrator.  The property owner will not get his/her day in court before a judge.)
3. It gives the County Administrator power that once was only given to the Virginia Health Dept. (The Admin will now have the power to deem if  a property is a health hazard.  Prior to this ordinance, this was the Health Depts. job.  I would even go so far as to say that County Admin is not trained or even knows the Virginia Health Depts. code.)
4. The language used to describe what would constitute a health and safety hazard. (We must remember that this ordinance is about PRIVATELY OWNED property.  How can a residence/building become a health or safety hazard to the citizens of Mathews?  I guess it could be if we were to violate the property owners rights and trespass on his/her property.)

As stated before, this ordinance is aimed at the land owner across from Liberty Square.  The County has been after that individual for years and just recently took the issue to court.  The Judge rendered his verdict on the case and the Board of Supervisors and Zoning Dept were not happy with that verdict. So, they have now conspired to circumvent the Judge, by removing judicial review from the issue.  This ordinance not only circumvents the Judge, but also the Virginia Health Dept and Virginia's Sheriffs and State Police.  It attempts to replace these legal entities with one person ... the County Administrator.

The entire ordinance can be found @ http://insidethecrater.com/ 

Read it for yourself and then consider the loss of property rights and consider how this ordinance is to be used and why it is even being considered.   I do not support it and actually I find it a very offensive act of our local government to be even considering it.  It certainly does show our local government's disdain for judicial review of the actions it wishes to take against if own citizens.  I suggest that any and all who oppose this ordinance be at the meeting on Oct 23 at 7:00 pm  at the historic Court House and voice your concerns and displeasure with this purposed ordinance.

Ditches of Mathews

Ditches of Mathews  has been working rather hard on getting the word out about the condition and progress on the repairs to our county's outfall ditches.  In recent months they have expanded their web presence from a facebook page to include their own website and now they have been published in Chesapeake Style Magazine.

I ask everyone to check out the article in this months Chesapeake Style, I believe you will find it very informative. 

The Importance of Property Rights

A recent experience has taught me a valuable lesson about how far from the vision of our Founding Fathers this country has faded.  They fought for and established a republic based on a moral code, personal liberty, and individual responsibility.  The federal government’s role in the lives of Americans was to be extremely limited, the State having a bit more influence, while local government had the most influence and effect.  As I see it, we currently live in an upside-down world where slothfulness and lack of personal responsibility are rewarded by ever increasing laws and regulations imposed by a top-heavy governmental system.

I inherited some property, which I am trying to sell.  In the meantime, I rent it out.  I can’t afford to just hold onto it and maintain it until it sells, and due to financial circumstances I also have to use some of the rent money to help pay the mortgage on the house that I live in.  For the most part, I’ve been pretty fortunate as far as renters go—until now.

These people moved in a year ago (their one-year lease agreement ended August 15), and a couple months later, the rent started being consistently late.  At the beginning of this summer, I became aware that the grass was not being cut and there appeared to be some damage to the two storm doors (not to mention considerable debris in the yard).  I communicated with the people both verbally and in writing that they needed to correct those issues.  Then, I became aware that local law enforcement had made numerous (yes, numerous) visits to the property.  I was receiving calls of concern from neighbors who are also family friends of long-standing.  I decided that I would not renew the lease agreement and informed them of my decision verbally.  This was followed up with a formal letter of eviction, giving them the appropriate amount of notice as set forth in the Code of Virginia for non-payment of rent.  The letter also mentioned not maintaining the property and the numerous visits by law enforcement as my reasons for not renewing the lease.

To make a much longer story shorter:  since that letter was sent, I have discovered considerable interior damage to the house and had to call Animal Control to deal with pets that were not being fed, watered, etc.  In the meantime, the people will NOT leave, and the longer they stay there the more damage is done to my property.  I have been informed by the local Sheriff’s Office that there is nothing I can do other than follow the next step in the eviction process, which is to take them to court via a Summons for Unlawful Detainer.  If I am lucky, the judge will rule in my favor and give the Sheriff’s Office the authority to make the people leave.

In telling a friend about this, she said that her brother had gone through a similar situation, and it had taken six months to evict someone from his property.  Until she said that, it had never once crossed my mind that something like that could happen.  After all, it is MY property, right?  The joke is on me, because the renter has more rights than I do, even if they don’t pay, the lease is up, and they are destroying the place.  Once they are in there, there is very little I can do.  I am at the mercy of the court.  If this situation continues much longer, my home ownership will be in jeopardy.  If I default on my mortgage, that will further burden the banking system, and my family and I could become burdens on society as well.

So, these laws that protect people like my renters really help no one in the long run.  The main offender in the situation is not compelled to seek help for his issues by letting him get away with “squatting” on my property.  It only prolongs his situation and the suffering of his family and pets and sends me to the poor house.

It shouldn’t be like this.  I and other property owners should have more control over our property.  This is why Socialism does not work—it only spreads misery.

Tricia Miles

Bike Paths and Parks

   Once again this issue rears its head on the Mathews County political landscape.  While these ideas might not be completely bad if implemented in the proper areas of the county, they definitely are detrimental to the Courthouse area of Mathews. 

    Mathews Courthouse area has always been the main hub for business to take place within the county.  Even our treasured Market Day's Event was born out of that fact.  Saturdays were the time in which all the local farmers, fishermen, and craftsmen came to town to sell their products ...Market Day was all about commerce, just as the present day event is too.   So, considering these facts, it begs the question as to "Why should we promote projects that will prove detrimental to the existing businesses and hinder the formation of future businesses?"

      I am not opposed to Mathews County having a Park or even having bike paths in certain areas of the county.  But, before we move forward on a new park, maybe we should do something about our current public areas. Our beaches, for one, could use some attention.  Bethel Beach is washing away at an alarming rate. Bethel Beach is one of our disappearing natural attractions.  It is a place that people can and do come to sit, relax, and soak up the natural beauty our County has to offer. Our public docks are in dismal state of disrepair. The county owns an old marina on the East River in the Bohannon area, that we have not done anything to improve.  Mathews County has many properties like these that we are not maintaining currently, so again why do we need to build a new park when we don't even take care of our existing public properties? 

     Bike Paths ... I have to concede that having bike paths in the rural areas of the county does make sense.  But, when one takes an honest look at this idea, the costs of implementation compared to the return the county may see in the investment, the bike path idea no longer is a viable project.

     If we want to truly improve our courthouse area and return it to the vibrant hub of commerce it once was, we need our local government to remove the restrictions placed on potential businesses in that area.  We need to have projects that will improve the available parking and traffic flow.  If there is one thing that hinders business investment and growth in Mathews County, it is the fact that parking is limited and past projects have created traffic flow restrictions. These two problems create a environment that deters people from visiting our local businesses.

     If our local government were to truly create a pro-business environment in the Courthouse area, the benefits for the county would be incredible.  The new businesses would create jobs for our citizens, they would increase the revenue in the county's treasury, and that would allow our local government the financial means in which to repair/upgrade our current public properties we own.  But, if we stay the current course and limit business growth at every turn, we can expect our courthouse area to continue its slow death.  Isn't that a wonderful picture ...bike paths and parks that everyone drives past while on their way to Gloucester to buy the goods then need.

Islamic Terrorism Expert to Speak in Gloucester

Brigitte Gabriel to Speak
in Hayes, Virginia!


Brigitte Gabriel
Leading Global Islamic Terrorism Expert

CLICK HERE to view Brigitte’s special video invitation!

 

It is my privilege to invite you to a special event featuring Brigitte Gabriel, Founder and President of 

ACT! for America. This event is free and open to the public and will be held at the following: 

 

Lighthouse Worship Center
4299 George Washington Memorial Highway
(Route 17, Gloucester County
5 miles north of the Coleman Bridge)
Hayes, VA 23072


Tuesday, June 19^th at 7 pm

 

The events over the past eighteen months have been a sobering wake-up call to America. Without question, the threats radical Islam poses to America have increased.

Brigitte will discuss these threats to our security and our freedoms, such as…

The growing threat of homegrown jihad, with the number of such jihadist plots skyrocketing over the past two years. How terrorists are exploiting our porous southern border, often working with drug cartels. The increasingly militant—and successful—effort by Islamists worldwide to suppress free speech and criminalize any criticism of Islam. The growing Muslim Brotherhood threat and how Islamic sharia law is creeping into America. How the history and doctrines of Islam are being misrepresented in public school textbooks and classrooms

For a taste of what is in store for you, check out one of Brigitte’s recent speeches at an event in Nashville, Tennessee:
 

http://www.tennessean.com/VideoNetwork/1271237687001/ACT-for-America-founder-speaks-at-anti-Shariah-conference-in-Nashville 

 

But even more important than this, Brigitte will spell out the strategies and tactics ACT! for America is employing to effectively fight back against these threats. 

 

Brigitte’s message will be illuminating, at times disturbing and even shocking—but ultimately inspiring, empowering, and filled with hope! 

 

You will hear first-hand how ACT! for America is successfully rolling back the tide of radical Islam…how we are winning legislative victories…how we don’t have to live in fear or resign ourselves to the inevitability of the threats arrayed against us...and how we will prevail. 

I also encourage you to email this to people you know who might be interested in attending. A few years ago we did an event like this in Indiana and one of our members in Oregon found out about it and emailed a friend in Indiana—who then brought 21 people to the event!!

We’re sending this email to all of our members in Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia because we know, from prior experience, that many people are willing to travel to hear Brigitte speak and they forward announcements like these to people they know who live in the area.

I know those of you who have heard Brigitte will agree—you don’t want to miss this! It will be an event people will be talking about for a long time to come!

Invite your friends and come join us in Hayes, Virginia! We look forward to seeing you on June 19^th.

Memorial Day

   I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who lost a beloved member of their family in the many wars and conflicts that our country has been involved in, their ultimate sacrifice was not in vain. It was their courage and love for their country that we honor today. They gave all so that everyone of us may live the life we do today. 

   We as a nation need to remember that our freedom was not free, it was paid for with the blood of our fallen soldiers. Though we may not know their names is no reason to not acknowledge them or what their ultimate gift to this country means.

   I humbly ask that everyone, take time today to reflect on just how important that gift is. So while you are grilling those burgers, icing those drinks, and preparing for your party, remember the reason you are getting together ....remember those that gave all for you!

 

 

DCR Public Meeting

   DCR has issued a Notice of Public Meeting and Public Comments comments  for the development of a Water Quality Improvement Plan (Implementation Plan) for Impaired Shellfish Waters in Mathews, Middlesex and Gloucester Counties." This is on TMDLs, particularlly coliform bacterial contamination of the waters. The meeting will be May 23rd at the YMCA in Hartfield, 11487 General Puller Hwy, 6:30 - 8:30 pm.

   Links to prior reports and maps of the 9 streams involved in this meeting are posted at http://www.insidethecrater.com The creeks that will be under review are as follows
1. Queens Creek
2.  Stutts Creek
3.  Edwards Creek
4.  BillupsCreek
5.  Morris Creek
6.  Cobbs Creek
7.  Healy Creek
8.  Wilton Creek
9.  Harper Creek plus parts of the Piankatank River.

   We can expect more meetings in the future for other impaired areas, so even if you are not directly located near one of these, it would be good to attend to learn about how the Implementation Plans will be developed and what they might mean to us.

 Special Thanks to Carol Bova for the information about this meeting.