Back On A Slippery Slope

editorial-logo3Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water…duh, duh, duh…the County Commission is at it again. This time we are revisiting the Dirty Lot Law and Noise Ordinance. Not to be confused with the Outdoor Music Event Ordinance. I have a real issue with the government overstepping its boundaries and when they move onto a private citizen’s property and tell them what they can have in their yard and the decimal level that their lawnmower can run, that constitutes overstepping to me. Most people that live in the City limits expect more limiting guidelines and they willing trade garbage pick up and street lights for the inconvenience. But, those that brought property in the Country, outside of the City limits, did so with the expectation that such boundaries did not exist. I understand that sometimes behavior can impact neighbors, but there are already disturbing the peace laws on the books to deal with that. And, certainly, there are individuals that need to clean up their property. But, again, hazardous materials are addressed by the already existing law. Much of the discord attached with the Dirty Lot Law and Noise Ordinance boils down to individual expectations. I, personally, believe that my house is perfectly clean…well, maybe not perfectly, but certainly clean enough. I can guarantee you, however, that my Mother in Law does not share my opinion and voices her opinion on the state of my house often. Simple difference of opinion and it does not necessarily mean that either of us is wrong. However, my house…my way. And that is how it should be with all private property. If there is no true hazard and no laws are broken then who is the government to tell you or me or my neighbor that they do not like the way that we live or the things that we do. We have already waded into these waters and landed a great big law suit for our trouble. This is not an avenue that we want our government to travel because this issue is bigger than dirty lots or noise, this is an issue about citizen rights and we are on the edge of a slippery slope. I say that the County Commission needs to clean up their own house and leave the rest of the County alone. That should keep them busy for quite awhile.

Source: K. Depew, News Director