The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

July 22, 2008

Route 62 site an eyesore no more

By Matt Snyder

LACKAWANNOCK TOWNSHIP — Scratch one eyesore off the Mercer County map.

A property at 8161 Sharon-Mercer Road has been cleared of junk and rubble 2è months after nearby East Lackawannock Township residents complained to authorities.

The home, which was destroyed by fire in February 2007, sparked heated debates between residents and the township supervisors, who felt their hands were tied by a lack of local junk ordinances.

But shortly after township solicitor Roger Shaffer figured out the township can use a zoning ordinance to levy fines on the property, the owners managed a swift cleanup of the property.

A backhoe on July 15 and 16 scooped up junk that littered the yard along U.S. Route 62, including televisions, batteries, mattresses and air conditioners, hauling them away in a two-day cleanup paid for with insurance money left over from the fire.

Carol Thomas, daughter of former homeowner Gwen Michael, is taking care of the property because of her mother’s health issues. She said at first there was no money for the cleanup, because they didn’t know they could use the insurance money due to an unclear phrase in their policy.

Now, Ms. Thomas said she’s just glad it’s done. “I feel better for my mom,” she said.

Ms. Thomas said that her mother still has it hard since the house is gone, along with her husband, Craig Michael, who died 10 days after the fire from an unrelated illness.

She said between her mother’s health issues, Ms. Thomas living in New Castle, a 30-minute drive from the property, and some people not calling her back for estimates on a cleanup, it was difficult to get the land cleared of the accumulated debris and refuse.

Don Shelatree, Sharon, who had been hired by Ms. Thomas to clear the property in exchange for permission to scrap any metal he found, was later cited by the Department of Environmental Protection for dumping more tires onto the property.

Neighbor Rosemarie Michal, who put hours into phoning and writing legislators, the DEP, and Department of Health on the issue, said she’s happy with the cleanup.

“They did a very good job and I’m really happy that we did pursue this and we were able to, with the help of neighbors and other officials, we were able to get this done,” she said.

The property had been accumulating junk on the outside for years before the fire, said neighbor Jack Hinkson. Debris in the house prevented fire fighters in 2007 from entering the home, forcing them to let it burn, they said.

Ms. Thomas said she did get some help cleaning up the property. She said the DEP provided helpful ideas and that Mercer County Commissioner Brian Beader took tires to a recycling event.

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