To the Editor - Your Turn


My heartfelt appreciation goes out to everyone offering your support in response to the October 1999 Star-Gazette stories, however, please allow me to put the interview in proper perspective.


1- Bring attention to oppressive behavior by local municipalities usage of Code Enforcement. Unfortunately, fear of retribution prevents friends, neighbors, and even family from coming to the defense of those targeted. They are usually poor or elderly, and unable to defend themselves against the bureaucrats they help to finance.
2- Welcome visitation by Carla's friend's who don't even know she's alive. Unlike anyone else, her spirits are lifted and she benefits by knowing people still care.
3- After seven years as Carla's primarily care giver, I was asked to repay the County for expenses they incurred as a result of her injury's. "...She will receive the best medical care and equipment available, and you will be able to live a life of near normalcy..." I was told prior to writing the check. To date, Carla receives four hours a day nursing, with no increase in sight.
In 1997, I required emergency treatment for breathing difficulty and an advocate was told by a DOH supervisor, "...if Mr. Sindelar is in bed, Carla will have to be removed." For 40+ years I paid into the system thinking my family would be protected against the very thing I find myself fighting for now
4- Include the names of caring people who helped with Carla the first seven years prior to my receiving assistance from governmental agencies, but the reporter said the story was done and there was no room left.
5- To clarify "Moving", as referenced to charity (the acceptance thereof) to comply with a demand for which no law has been broken. Would it not be madness to stay and subject oneself to more of the same brutal and apparent indefensible treatment?

For two years our furnace didn't work, but no state or local agency would help us. Carla's dog, and her mother's, both developed bronchitis and eventually died from related illness.

Since charging me in 1993 with code violations, telephone calls to Mr. Reidy, and Ripley was disregarded. Mr. Ripley refused to supply code requirements to constructing a "privacy" fence without Mr. Reidy's, approval.

If in fact a code violation existed, my efforts to comply with an earlier agreement by Mr. Reidy, Mr. Riley, an attorney representing me, were thwarted by the Village.

Early in 1999, Mr. Ripley handed me (4) four more appearance tickets for code violations duplicating those I was not allowed to comply with in 1996. This time I was found guilty, and a "criminal." After intensive questioning outside my home, Mr. Ripley on two separate occasions said the Mayor, not my neighbors, prompted action by the village.

After several previous attempts to talk with him, a lengthy telephone conversation with the Mayor revealed that no record of complaints existed, he said, "your neighbor Mr. West turned you in." Strange, because Mr. West denied it in the Star-Gazette, adding, "you drive by all kinds of properties that are worse."

This summer Mr. West said, "One day the Mayor came into my brother's business where I worked and asked how I liked living next to a junkyard. Not taking him seriously, I told him about some broken TV's stored on a trailer. It was not meant as a complaint against you, or your property," he said. "Mrs. West said they wouldn't have bought the home next to mine if my property offended them." They both worked hard for most of a day doing spring-cleaning for me.

Mr. Caparula told the paper, "the village is not devoid of compassion in hardship cases." Then, he might explain why he said, "Gooood Bye!" and hung up on me when I telephoned him prior to the Star Gazette story. And, the letter received last week from Mr. Ripley stating, "I am advising you to have the refuse, salvage materials and obstructions removed within seven (7) days from the date of this letter, or the Village of Elmira Heights, will remove this debris and the cost will be assessed to your property taxes as the law provides." God help residents they lack compassion for.

Neighbors on each side of my property offered to testify for me at the trial, but because they would need to take time off work, and thinking it was unnecessary, I only asked Mr. Ogilvie who represented me at the time of our fence agreement in 1994. They appeared at my sentencing, but it was rescheduled for afternoon, so now only Mr. Popovich was able to appear. I objected during his testimony at the intense pressure he was put under to reverse his statement about my property being free of "debris."

The Code Violation is a Divergence from the real issues here, let there be no mistake about that! Local laws were adopted to protect residents, but few know that in the 90's, they became so broadly written as to cry out for abuse by Public Officials in making Selective Enforcement against people they don't particularly like or agree with.

Lets pull together to stop those paid by our taxes to protect, not harass and make us a criminal by their laws. Please call or write and we can try to get our freedom back.

God Bless all of you who helped my daughter and me. I will always be grateful.

Robert J. Sindelar 355 E. 14th St. Elmira Heights, N.Y. 14903 Phone (607) 734-2136
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