Post by lifesaver on Feb 1, 2014 19:05:09 GMT -5
Looks like things are heating up in Bendersville:
Then followed by these two LTE's:
Cats, apples a concern for Bendersville woman
BY DK Thomas Lamb For the Gettysburg Times | Posted: Thursday, January 30, 2014 12:10 am
A Bendersville woman told the borough council Tuesday the Sunshine Law gives her the right to know what's happening at her neighbor's property and she doesn't like what she's seen while trespassing there.
Cynthia Moore said there has been a feral cat problem in Bendersville for many years, and when she was checking out the cats in the area of Rick Bean's Laurel Lane property she found evidence that there is a serious health problem with fruit there as well.
"This is a food safety and health concern," she said.
Moore said Bean stores fruit in his basement then sells it at a farmers' market in Cumberland County.
Bean, although not at the meeting, later confirmed that he does store fruit in his basement.
"I didn't know he was selling to the public. He's not compliant with federal regulations," she said.
It's "adulterated food," according to Moore. She said Bean is in violation of federal laws pertaining to "manufacturing, packing or holding of human food."
Moore presented numerous color photographs to the council, some of which included Bean's barn and numerous cats, both living and dead. Moore said she was on Bean's property when she took the photographs and was told she was trespassing.
"My intentions at this meeting tonight is not to educate everybody on the you know, the safety. But what does bother me is we're taking a chance here that this situation will become more public and people are going to stop buying apples. And for Adams County this is our bread and butter and I don't want that to happen," she said.
Moore also said the basement where the fruit is stored is a cold storage facility with an outdoor compressor without proper safety identification.
"As someone who's inspected things, I couldn't ignore that," she said.
Moore claimed she has 27 years of safety issue and inspection experience and has conducted inspections at Knouse Foods.
"I've been out of the business for 15 years but I'm sure the laws aren't any less stringent," she said.
Moore said she even asked around about Ricky Kime's cold storage at his cider mill. Kime is council president.
"I'm not out to get anybody but I even asked about yours (Kime's compressor)," she said, suggesting that Kime likely had "something somewhere" to mark it as a freon system.
Kime confirmed that his equipment is properly marked and he has passed all necessary inspections.
Moore said she knew there was no marker on the compressor at Bean's property, pointing to a picture showing the device. She also said she had talked with Bean about the situation at his property, the dilapidated barn, wild cats and the questionable storage of apples.
"He admitted to me that I was trespassing, which I was," she said.
Moore said she tried to explain to Bean that cats are not allowed where food is being stored, that it's a violation of the law and he needs to clean up.
Bean said if he is indeed in violation, he would be willing to come into compliance if some official would tell him what he needs to do.
Moore said she has every right to pry into Bean's affairs and is within the law to do so.
"There's a law in Pennsylvania, the Sunshine Law, and that gives me every right to know," she said.
Bean says the area is his "private property" and posted as such and didn't grant permission for Moore to be there.
Moore said she had contacted council and hadn't received any feedback within the couple weeks since contacting a borough councilperson. There had not been a council meeting within that time to allow council to discuss the matter. Moore said she has meanwhile contacted the "Environmental Protection Agency" and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Moore said she went to the Bean property Jan. 8 to take pictures and found the feral cats to be in poor health. She said Bean was not taking care of the wild cats.
"They're not Rick's cats," Kime reminded her.
Moore said she has taken matters into her own hands, contacted the Adams County SPCA and will be trapping cats at night. She said the cats will be taken to the SPCA and euthanized.
"I volunteer at the SPCA," she said, noting that she has "shelter shoes" so she won't cross-contaminate any areas.
"He's (Bean) not being a responsible owner or keeper," she said.
Once again Kime told her, "He's not the owner or keeper."
"I don't know what to do about the cats. It's not my responsibility to get rid of them," Bean said, noting he prefers that they not be killed.
Leon Stoner, councilman, said feral cats aren't just a problem in the vicinity of the Bean property but at other locations throughout Bendersville as well.
Moore said it was difficult to determine how many feral cats are running around the Laurel Lane area. She said she took her photographs through her windshield, rather than exit her vehicle and frighten the cats away.
"It was kind of neat to play the game count the cats," she said.
Moore said she wants something posted at the borough office and suggested the council authorize something to run in a local newspaper saying she will be trapping cats and no one is to interfere with her. She said previous efforts have resulted in someone springing the traps or the traps being stolen.
"I can sit up there at midnight and knit. People need to know I'm trapping," she said.
Moore said people should keep their pet cats indoors so she doesn't trap them by mistake and take them to the SPCA to be put down. She said she is only allowed to take four per week there to be euthanized.
"A video camera will be with me to identify any person who trips a trap or steals them. I'd like to do this quietly and quickly without any interference from anybody in the community," she said.
Kime finally suggested that Moore take a month to see how things are going and report back to council then. Moore said she wants council to force Bean to clean up his property.
"I tell you, the USDA is going to come in and condemn it," she said.
Kime said he realizes the "whole operation" needs to be cleaned up.
"I just think someone should have come and talked to me before," Bean said, reiterating that he will clean up the property, which he co-owns with his late brother, if asked by authorities who will explain what needs to be done.
BY DK Thomas Lamb For the Gettysburg Times | Posted: Thursday, January 30, 2014 12:10 am
A Bendersville woman told the borough council Tuesday the Sunshine Law gives her the right to know what's happening at her neighbor's property and she doesn't like what she's seen while trespassing there.
Cynthia Moore said there has been a feral cat problem in Bendersville for many years, and when she was checking out the cats in the area of Rick Bean's Laurel Lane property she found evidence that there is a serious health problem with fruit there as well.
"This is a food safety and health concern," she said.
Moore said Bean stores fruit in his basement then sells it at a farmers' market in Cumberland County.
Bean, although not at the meeting, later confirmed that he does store fruit in his basement.
"I didn't know he was selling to the public. He's not compliant with federal regulations," she said.
It's "adulterated food," according to Moore. She said Bean is in violation of federal laws pertaining to "manufacturing, packing or holding of human food."
Moore presented numerous color photographs to the council, some of which included Bean's barn and numerous cats, both living and dead. Moore said she was on Bean's property when she took the photographs and was told she was trespassing.
"My intentions at this meeting tonight is not to educate everybody on the you know, the safety. But what does bother me is we're taking a chance here that this situation will become more public and people are going to stop buying apples. And for Adams County this is our bread and butter and I don't want that to happen," she said.
Moore also said the basement where the fruit is stored is a cold storage facility with an outdoor compressor without proper safety identification.
"As someone who's inspected things, I couldn't ignore that," she said.
Moore claimed she has 27 years of safety issue and inspection experience and has conducted inspections at Knouse Foods.
"I've been out of the business for 15 years but I'm sure the laws aren't any less stringent," she said.
Moore said she even asked around about Ricky Kime's cold storage at his cider mill. Kime is council president.
"I'm not out to get anybody but I even asked about yours (Kime's compressor)," she said, suggesting that Kime likely had "something somewhere" to mark it as a freon system.
Kime confirmed that his equipment is properly marked and he has passed all necessary inspections.
Moore said she knew there was no marker on the compressor at Bean's property, pointing to a picture showing the device. She also said she had talked with Bean about the situation at his property, the dilapidated barn, wild cats and the questionable storage of apples.
"He admitted to me that I was trespassing, which I was," she said.
Moore said she tried to explain to Bean that cats are not allowed where food is being stored, that it's a violation of the law and he needs to clean up.
Bean said if he is indeed in violation, he would be willing to come into compliance if some official would tell him what he needs to do.
Moore said she has every right to pry into Bean's affairs and is within the law to do so.
"There's a law in Pennsylvania, the Sunshine Law, and that gives me every right to know," she said.
Bean says the area is his "private property" and posted as such and didn't grant permission for Moore to be there.
Moore said she had contacted council and hadn't received any feedback within the couple weeks since contacting a borough councilperson. There had not been a council meeting within that time to allow council to discuss the matter. Moore said she has meanwhile contacted the "Environmental Protection Agency" and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Moore said she went to the Bean property Jan. 8 to take pictures and found the feral cats to be in poor health. She said Bean was not taking care of the wild cats.
"They're not Rick's cats," Kime reminded her.
Moore said she has taken matters into her own hands, contacted the Adams County SPCA and will be trapping cats at night. She said the cats will be taken to the SPCA and euthanized.
"I volunteer at the SPCA," she said, noting that she has "shelter shoes" so she won't cross-contaminate any areas.
"He's (Bean) not being a responsible owner or keeper," she said.
Once again Kime told her, "He's not the owner or keeper."
"I don't know what to do about the cats. It's not my responsibility to get rid of them," Bean said, noting he prefers that they not be killed.
Leon Stoner, councilman, said feral cats aren't just a problem in the vicinity of the Bean property but at other locations throughout Bendersville as well.
Moore said it was difficult to determine how many feral cats are running around the Laurel Lane area. She said she took her photographs through her windshield, rather than exit her vehicle and frighten the cats away.
"It was kind of neat to play the game count the cats," she said.
Moore said she wants something posted at the borough office and suggested the council authorize something to run in a local newspaper saying she will be trapping cats and no one is to interfere with her. She said previous efforts have resulted in someone springing the traps or the traps being stolen.
"I can sit up there at midnight and knit. People need to know I'm trapping," she said.
Moore said people should keep their pet cats indoors so she doesn't trap them by mistake and take them to the SPCA to be put down. She said she is only allowed to take four per week there to be euthanized.
"A video camera will be with me to identify any person who trips a trap or steals them. I'd like to do this quietly and quickly without any interference from anybody in the community," she said.
Kime finally suggested that Moore take a month to see how things are going and report back to council then. Moore said she wants council to force Bean to clean up his property.
"I tell you, the USDA is going to come in and condemn it," she said.
Kime said he realizes the "whole operation" needs to be cleaned up.
"I just think someone should have come and talked to me before," Bean said, reiterating that he will clean up the property, which he co-owns with his late brother, if asked by authorities who will explain what needs to be done.
Then followed by these two LTE's:
Steer clear of busy-body
Posted: Friday, January 31, 2014 12:09 am
Editor, Gettysburg Times,
I'm writing in response to the article in Thursday's paper about Cynthia Moore, who seems incredibly misguided in her beliefs of what constitutes a civic-minded individual. How can she honestly think that the "Sunshine Law" allows her the right to trespass on her neighbor's property, let alone to start taking photographs and drag him before the borough council?
I gathered that her original complaint was about feral cats, but she does not seem to understand the definition of that word. Feral animals do not "belong" to anyone; I'm glad to see the council president tried at least twice to remind her that her neighbor is not the owner of these cats.
I have to say, if I were operating the Adams County SPCA, I would work to no end to make certain that this woman is not out there speaking (however indirectly) on behalf of my agency, particularly not while taking such a gung-ho stance on trapping cats for the specific purpose of being euthanized. What a poor face she is giving an otherwise professional and hardworking organization full of caring people. We all know that the SPCA is not a no-kill shelter, but her remarks seem almost bloodthirsty in her determination.
In regards to the apple cold storage concern - Ms. Moore is no longer an inspector with any credentials! She would do well to be reminded that she is not with the police (who Mr. Bean would have been well in his rights to call when he found her on his property). If she has some issue with her neighbor, she should try fixing it privately, without rushing off to the borough as if this is some sort of police state.
As for the "Sunshine Law", it was enacted so the public would have the right to know what is going on in meetings such as the council meeting where Ms. Moore aired her concerns. I'm thankful for the "Sunshine Law" in this case, because it has allowed the public to know the name and location of a trespassing busy-body from whom we would all do well to steer clear.
Catriona Todd,
Aspers
Posted: Friday, January 31, 2014 12:09 am
Editor, Gettysburg Times,
I'm writing in response to the article in Thursday's paper about Cynthia Moore, who seems incredibly misguided in her beliefs of what constitutes a civic-minded individual. How can she honestly think that the "Sunshine Law" allows her the right to trespass on her neighbor's property, let alone to start taking photographs and drag him before the borough council?
I gathered that her original complaint was about feral cats, but she does not seem to understand the definition of that word. Feral animals do not "belong" to anyone; I'm glad to see the council president tried at least twice to remind her that her neighbor is not the owner of these cats.
I have to say, if I were operating the Adams County SPCA, I would work to no end to make certain that this woman is not out there speaking (however indirectly) on behalf of my agency, particularly not while taking such a gung-ho stance on trapping cats for the specific purpose of being euthanized. What a poor face she is giving an otherwise professional and hardworking organization full of caring people. We all know that the SPCA is not a no-kill shelter, but her remarks seem almost bloodthirsty in her determination.
In regards to the apple cold storage concern - Ms. Moore is no longer an inspector with any credentials! She would do well to be reminded that she is not with the police (who Mr. Bean would have been well in his rights to call when he found her on his property). If she has some issue with her neighbor, she should try fixing it privately, without rushing off to the borough as if this is some sort of police state.
As for the "Sunshine Law", it was enacted so the public would have the right to know what is going on in meetings such as the council meeting where Ms. Moore aired her concerns. I'm thankful for the "Sunshine Law" in this case, because it has allowed the public to know the name and location of a trespassing busy-body from whom we would all do well to steer clear.
Catriona Todd,
Aspers
Working on cat problem
Posted: Saturday, February 1, 2014 12:08 am
Editor, Gettysburg Times,
In reference to the article in Thursday's Gettysburg Times about the cats in Bendersville, The ACSPCA has been in contact with Rick Kime, Bendersville borough council President about the feral cat situation. We are working together to try and resolve the situation. At this time, the ACSPCA will not be accepting "stray or feral" cats from the Bendersville area until further notice. The ACSPCA was not present at the Borough meeting on Tuesday night nor was anyone authorized to speak on our behalf. Any statements made by Cynthia Moore were not authorized by the Adams County SPCA, nor does she have any affiliation with us.
Abigail Avery,
Shelter Manager
Posted: Saturday, February 1, 2014 12:08 am
Editor, Gettysburg Times,
In reference to the article in Thursday's Gettysburg Times about the cats in Bendersville, The ACSPCA has been in contact with Rick Kime, Bendersville borough council President about the feral cat situation. We are working together to try and resolve the situation. At this time, the ACSPCA will not be accepting "stray or feral" cats from the Bendersville area until further notice. The ACSPCA was not present at the Borough meeting on Tuesday night nor was anyone authorized to speak on our behalf. Any statements made by Cynthia Moore were not authorized by the Adams County SPCA, nor does she have any affiliation with us.
Abigail Avery,
Shelter Manager
