Resident Asks Council for Help With Stinky Neighbor

Frank L. Bortz of 65. S. Second St., Apt. B, addressed Emmaus Borough Council Monday night during the public comment portion of the meeting about what he says has been an ongoing problem – the deplorable conditions of a neighbor’s home.

According to Bortz, the property in question, located at 56 S. Cherry St., is “not livable. It’s infested with ants. The toilet is backed up full of ‘stuff.’ There are too many animals (cats). You can stand my porch on a warm night and smell the stench. I pay taxes to the borough too.

“There is no running water to the property. No running toilet. How can he live there?” Bortz asked.

“The other day there were flies trying to get out of the house. I thought there was a dead body in there. It’s probably dead animals.”

Borough Solicitor Frank Procyk told Bortz that the borough has taken the property owner to court and that the borough won the case, but the matter is currently pending appeal.

“We are waiting until that happens before taking the next step,” Procyk said. “The borough intends to ultimately condemn the property. We just don’t want to get there too soon. We don’t want to have him contending a violation of what are his civil rights.”

When Bortz’s five minutes in front of council were up, Mark DeWalt of 5474 Acorn Drive, took up the baton, saying that he came before council about a year ago to talk about the same issue – the conditions at 56 S. Cherry St. -- and that nothing had been done in a year.

DeWalt said that the property, with no running water and no working toilet, is clearly in violation of the borough’s building code and the borough’s property maintenance code among others.

“I am not sure why the borough has elected to administrate some of the codes it has passed and not others,” DeWalt said. “You have an obligation to provide a safe, healthy and wholesome environment.

“The tough decisions are for the people who do not care,” he said. “Clearly this is someone who does not care. It poses a health risk to the community. This borough has not done anything and I would like to know why.”

Borough Manager Craig Neely said, “People have a right to due process when it comes to their property.”