WOODSTOCK — The owner of a house that was the subject of a “dangerous building” hearing in Woodstock Tuesday accused selectmen of “selective enforcement” of the town’s property maintenance ordinance.
And other attendees at the hearing accused town officials and local newspapers, including The Citizen, of “bullying” the owner of the building in question.
Since May, Code Enforcement Officer Joelle Corey Whitman has been working to get the South Woodstock property owned by John E. Cox III cleaned up, noting that the unoccupied Route 26 house has had problems that include openings making it accessible to people and animals, a dangerous deck and a partially-collapsed barn.
She said she had been in touch with Cox off and on through the summer about taking care of the issues, with good communication at the start. In July, she noted, a potential buyer had started some work.
On Sept. 28 Whitman sent Cox a certified letter about a hearing on the building’s fate planned for Oct. 18, but it was never picked up or signed, she said. She then tried to call him but his voice mailbox was full. In mid-October, she put a legal notice in local newspapers about a new hearing on Nov. 15.
Whitman said she saw a backhoe on the site Oct. 25, and on Nov. 2 the barn had been half-demolished.
“From May 24 until Oct. 25,” said Whitman, “very little had been done other than the excavation in the front of the building.”
Cox acknowledged he knew the certified letter was about the house, but did not respond to it because he had been very busy working.
He said he had injured his back during the summer, and had told Whitman that. He also said he had called and left a message for her after that, which Whitman said was the first of October. “But nothing has happened,” said Whitman. “I saw a backhoe one night working.”
Cox said he had taken care of the deck, and more recently took down two walls and the rest of the collapsed part of the barn, intending to rebuild it.
“Every time there’s been communication, I’ve done what I need to. There’s been some miscommunication,” he said.
Cox added that he acquired the property two years ago from a relative, and it was in disrepair then.
“Selective enforcement”
Cox then questioned selectmen about other properties in town that he said posed a danger, and presented about three dozen photos. He asked why the town was not pursuing those property owners.
“We can’t do everyone all at once,” replied Town Manager Vern Maxfield.
Added Selectman Rick Young, “You’ve made a complaint, and we will act on those as well.”
Maxfield said the current focus needed to be on Cox’s property, in response to complaints received about it.
“If you had acknowledged the letter, we could have been done with this at our Nov. 1 [regular selectmen’s] meeting,” said Maxfield.
Reiterating that the town was pursuing “selective enforcement” against him, Cox also said that eight years ago he had complained to the town that slabs under the Union Church were in poor shape and needed work, but his complaint had gone unheeded.
After a 45-minute discussion, Cox and Whitman agreed to meet at the property next week to discuss next steps, including his long-term plans for it. She will then report back to selectmen.
“Bullying”
Several people at the meeting took issue with a photo of Cox’s house that ran in last week’s Citizen, and with an article in another newspaper.
Deirdre True said she was “astonished at what I’ve been seeing in the newspapers. I hear about things on the computer, like cyberbullying, and at schools and how it’s not allowed. People actually go crazy, commit suicide and everything over this, and then I see these ‘professional’ newspaper people, code enforcement, whatever your positions are, putting this stuff in the news. I was blown away.
“I do see this as selective, and I do see it as bullying, and I see it public. At least on Facebook it’s a little bit discreet — only people who are on your Facebook see it. This is wide open bullying. We don’t allow this in society. That is scrutinized in school. Kids get kicked out for bullying, yet society is promoting bullying and teaching our kids, who are reading the paper, to bully.
“I think this was so tactless. I am appalled at what I see in the newspaper. I am embarrassed and humiliated that the town I live in would treat an individual this way. I am appalled that adults … I expect children to be stupid and to bully. I do not expect adults to be stupid and bully, especially not professional adults.”
Young noted that other than the legal notices, the selectmen do not control what goes into the newspaper. “The paper takes notes [at meetings],” he said.
True continued her criticism of the newspaper coverage, directing her comments to the reporters present.
“I know there is freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Whoever did this should be ashamed of themselves. The article, the picture, blowing it all out of proportion. I hope you don’t have children, because they’re going to grow up to be bullies just like you.”
She went on to say, “You have to sleep with yourself at night. People like you, and probably your children, are why I choose to homeschool … so they’re not exposed to people like you. Now my children have been exposed to people like you because of the newspapers that we read.”
Commented Carol Cox, “Someone went out of their way to go take that picture, so they could put that nasty picture in the nasty paper.”
True added that if it had been her house, “I don’t think I would be harassed like that. If I were harassed, this would be on the 6 o’clock news. I would have a lawyer, and this would probably be on the national news. Bullying is not OK.”
Young said the town was not harassing or bullying Cox. “We’re following the ordinance of this town,” he said.
Second property
Whitman also provided information on another unoccupied house that she said had been owned by Susan C. Wood, but which the bank has foreclosed on. Located on Route 26 in Bryant Pond Village, the house is in danger of collapsing from snow, Whitman said, and people entering could fall through the floor. Selectmen directed Whitman to file a letter about the condition of the house at the county Registry of Deeds, in order that any potential buyers be aware of it, and to try to contact the bank to ask if the problems can be addressed.
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