Update: Town to Dickerson: Do it yourself, but help may be on the way
William Dickerson could have this overhanging tree from town-owned property cut back and have other growth impinging on his land removed, but the town won’t do it.
Responding to a Reporter web story about the plight of William Dickerson, whose Tarkettle Road property is being encroached upon by town-owned land, Art Williams, a member of the Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board, said he’s hoping his colleagues will support work to cut back trees and other plants that need trimming. The job will have to be priced out and handled correctly by town requirements, Mr. Williams said. But he expressed optimism that the work would be done.
Below is the original story:
It’s not a new story, but with the passing of time, William Dickerson has watched helplessly as vegetation from town-owned land adjacent to his Tarkettle Road house has further encroached on his property.
The result is that it now requires more effort for the 92-year-old war hero to maintain his property, including a pool, because the town won’t take steps to scale back the overgrowth.
“This is just out of control,” Mr. Dickerson said.
The man, who has a Purple Heart as a result of injuries sustained during World War II where he fought in Normandy and at the Battle of the Bulge, understood when Community Preservation Fund money was used to purchase the site that it wouldn’t be “manicured,” but said he was promised that it would be “maintained.”
What he’s asking is that the 1.2-acre site known as Lawnsdale on Dickerson Creek be trimmed back to restore his rightful property line. Then he would like trees overhanging his property to be trimmed and one particular tree that drops leaves, twigs and bugs into the pool be trimmed back in a major way.
When storms hit the Island, the amount of work he has to do to clear his pool of the debris is considerable, he said.
Mr. Dickerson believes that if that one large tree were cut back, it would cure that part of the problem and trimming back a few other trees nearer to the water in Dickerson Creek would give him back his property.
While the 2 percent Community Preservation Fund money is supposed to be allocated for both purchase and maintenance of sites, Mr. Dickerson has so far been unable to get any attention from the town.
When he raised his concerns two summers ago, Supervisor Jim Dougherty told him that if a storm caused a tree to fall and damaged his pool, the town would fix the damage. But even if that happened, he would be denied use of the pool during repairs, he said.
Mr. Dickerson could have the trees cut back himself, Public Works Commissioner Jay Card said. Alternatively, he could appeal to the Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board. Its chairman, Peter Vielbig, was unavailable for comment.
