Letter To The Editor: Swan Creek

Response to Letters To The Editor:  Swan Creek Garbage Pickup Problems

April 13, 2015.  I now understand the adage "It is difficult to unring a bell once it's been rung."  A week ago I reported on a discussion before the Rich County Commissioners regarding the garbage pickup area at Swan Creek Village.  Since that article was published I received several calls and have been involved in discussions with people, all of whom were upset in one way or another by what they felt I said had been discussed at the meeting.  Surprisingly no one seemed to be upset with me, only at the situation they apparently thought my article implied.

Even though what I had written was intended to be a very short and simple explanation of a discussion that took place over more than a half an hour, some understood different things from the article than others and came away feeling that what I said either supported or lacked to support something that had already been in the air and simmering.  So in an attempt to clarify what I thought I was saying, let me try once again.

Those making the presentation from the Swan Creek Village said that the person on whose property the garbage pickup area now sits had suggested that the garbage pickup area be moved from its current location to a different area of his property (a fact I erroneously forgot to include in my previous article).  While the Swan Creek Village representatives appreciated the offer, their preference would be to move the garbage pickup area to property the HOA owned so they could provide permanent upgrades to the area in a manner that would improve its usability.  Their request to the County that they be allowed to move the area a little further from the entrance and a ways up the hill did not work for Rich County, however, because their policy is that a garbage pickup area for a private subdivision is to be located near the entrance to the subdivision, and in a place where the garbage trucks are not required to drive up a hill, an issue that exists because of hazards resulting from winter driving conditions.  The County did say that they might be able to allow the move just during the summer period to give the County and the HOA a little time to work out a solution that would satisfy both the HOA and the County Policy.

My apologies for any confusion that may have resulted from my previous article.

Bob Stevens

Letters To The Editor: Swan Creek HOA

April 7, 2015 1:30 PM
To the Editor

Apparently, the representatives from Swan Creek Village HOA were less than fully candid with the Commissioners, when the truth is the HOA refused to even negotiate with the landowner when he proposed relocating the collection area 200 feet north of the current location and enclosing the area with a fence in keeping with the rustic rural architecture that is written into the Swan Creek regulations.

The only entrance to Swan Creek has for many years been living with an ugly white vinyl enclosure with doors falling off hinges, the back wall broken out for months, whole sections being held together with ratchet straps, and snow removal non-existent.

The "temporary" but costly relocation to the cul-de-sac at the west end of Mackinaw is a really BAD idea. The road is too narrow for the garbage truck and cars to pass one another; the turn around area is not a full circle; the vehicles leaving can no longer drag trailers along as they dump, but rather will have to make 2 extra trips along Mackinaw to dump while raising dust, creating a noisy nuisance for the 4 year round residents and 8 built-out lots, not to mention the smells, spills, and fire hazards at the dumpsters reducing property values.

I know the landowner (of the current site) has been generous to a fault with Swan Creek for over 10 years, and he is not even a part of the Association, but just a good neighbor who is under-appreciated and certainly not deserving of the damage to his reputation that these untruthful Board decisions are foisting on him.

James J Wise
Swan Creek

To The Editor:  Another Letter Re: Swan Creek

I was at this meeting representing Swan Creek Village. The sentence in Mr. Stevens article stating "The current property owner, however, wants to put the property to another use and is not willing to renew the lease for the current property past the end of April." is incorrect. The current lessor offered Swan Creek Village a new lease, Swan Creek Village declined. Swan Creek Village currently wants to own its garbage site.
Swan Creek Village is appreciative of the Lessor.  We have done business together for many years as his tenant and I feel it appropriate that the details of the meeting be reported correctly. Out of respect for the lessor I ask that this correction be made and published in RCT next issue.

Thank you,

Mike Capron