Threats To the Community

 THREATS TO THE COMMUNITY

I've been accused of being a bit dramatic. (At least by my parents who had the glorious blessing of raising me as a teenager). SO- I don't know if this should burn my cookies or not. As I have a different scale by which I measure INSANITY, I don't know if this is actually INSANE or local politics as normal. DO TELL ME YOUR OPINION. (But keep it PG because I don't like potty words and I would rather not excite any homicidal thoughts that I must repent for later).

Firstly, I would like to issue a public apology for threatening our community.

Secondly, let me be clear:  (in case I wasn't during my previous blog, The Zika). My husband is OVER the illness and HAS been before he was even TESTED. (And took all necessary precautions when the health community took none). He is no longer a THREAT. The virus is no longer active in him. Mosquitoes can chew him up, spit him out, turn him into a walking polka dot, and they will no longer catch Zika from him.  BUT none- the less...

We just received, by certified mail, (for a dramatic flare and to give me a twitch)? a letter from the Lamar County Board of Supervisors declaring our parcel of land to be (and I QUOTE),  "a threat to neighboring parcels as well the health, welfare, and safety of the community." (YowZERS! What blatant honesty)!

"Pursuant to a complaint, an investigation was conducted of the parcel in questions, there was observed to be several derelict vehicles, multiple miscellaneous items which can store and hold water, which can cause over creating a habitat for mosquitoes to breed."   (Wait. You lost me with "Can cause over creating a habitat"? Is that grammatically correct? Sorry- I got distracted.  Back to being threatened. Cars can store and hold water? Even when they have their windows up and none are convertibles? And to what miscellaneous items would they be referring? We just did a walk around. Unless you are talking about grass, everything else is covered where rain cannot even reach it. I'm a little confused right now).  

"Pursuant to Statue 19-5-105, failure to gain compliance will result in Lamar County Board of Supervisors voting to declare the parcel meeting the guidelines to be deemed unclean, unsafe, and a public health concern, and further will begin formal notice as provided in said statute. If notice shall be given by Lamar County Board of Supervisors, then said parcel will be put out to bid, the efforts needed to remedy the issues and lien the parcel not in excess of $20,000 to be placed on your taxes and payable when taxes are due.

Furthermore, Lamar County Board of Supervisors also retains the ability to file additional violations against you as the owner under any other ordinances which may pertain to this parcel as it is situated in the county." (Curious... will you file violations for too many bats once we put up bat houses to combat the mosquitoes? I hear they poop. I don't know what that has to do with anything, but I don't know what cars have to do with mosquitoes, either). 

I'm INSANELY curious. How many other residents of Lamar County have been given similar notices? I have this ODD feeling that we are being targeted. Hmmm...

 We rent to a car dealership AND to a mechanic shop... SOOOOO, pray tell,  Lamar County Board of Supervisors, are our renters not allowed to have CARS on the property?? Especially since they... FIX  and sale- oh yeah- CARS???

I was completely unaware that The Board of Supervisors had ANY say so as to what I put on MY property. Or what my RENTERS put on MY property. (Apparently I was wrong. VERY wrong).

While I would love a glorious white picket fence lined with begonias and daffodils- (and either an ice cream or snow cone stand- depending on which day you ask me- so I don't have to make midnight runs to Wal Mart on account of my over active sweet-tooth)- THAT's not what pays the rent. And when you start threatening my livelihood and that of my family's... I take it a wee bit personal. (We will chalk it up to over-active hormones).  So I ask again, "WHO else has been given thirty days to comply with some statue (statute?) that I've never heard of?" Are they also harassing our neighbors? And at what point does this become a matter of local government overstep?

Let's be frank, shall we? Are you, Lamar County Board of Supervisors, truly concerned about the cars for sale on our property OR are you singling out my husband because he HAD (as in past tense- no longer a threat. In fact, he's now immune and can never be a threat again) Zika?  And in doing so, are you not discouraging others who MAY in the future find themselves to have a virus, rather due to mosquitoes or something else, from coming forward and being transparent, working to ensure proper health precautions are taken? Do you think, for one moment, that people are going to put themselves out for the sake of the community, if they themselves are to become ostracized and began receiving certified (let's call it what it is) THREATS? Becoming a pariah to the community? Call me a pessimist, but I have my doubts.

We do NOT live in a gated community. We do NOT live within the city limits. We do not have a mile long list of covenants (or DO WE???)?  And I assure you, the "cars and misc" things on the property are NOT the breeding ground for mosquitoes that the Lamar County Board of Supervisors should be concerned with. If mosquito breeding IS your main concern, ye all knowing supervisors, there are two HUGE not so well maintained by the county- draining ditches on the frontage. You could start there. OH. AND there is a huge SWAMP behind our house. THERE lies the mosquito problem. (But it isn't our property, so I guess you can't threaten us with that)? We also have five acres. Yikes. What should we do about the grass? Oh and the fact that this is Mississippi?  AND it still rains... Eeeks... You think moving a car (which doesn't collect water- what in the HECK are you talking about?) is going to solve the mosquito problem?? Think again.