County to Crack Down on Salvage Yard

(Source:The Orange Leader) By Erik Onstott, The Orange Leader, Texas

Dec. 16--Orange County commissioners on Monday voted to proceed with legal action against a western Orange County salvage yard.

County officials have been in correspondence with James and Bobby Vincent, the owners of Butch's Salvage and Garage at 2695 North Main Street in Vidor, advising them of the need to come into compliance with the ordinance passed by the court in May.

"The gentlemen have been aware of the ordinance," Precinct 4 Commissioner Beamon Minton said. "We gave them an opportunity to apply for a permit or request an exemption, and they did nothing. I don't think they will make a move until we put their feet to the fire."

Precinct 3 Commissioner John Dubose said the county had gotten complaints from bus drivers unable to navigate buses down Greathouse Street due to cars from another of the Vincent properties being in the right-of-way on that particular street.

The ordinance, which took effect May 5, mandates that those who want to operate salvage yards in Orange County apply for a permit from the county and pay a license fee of $300. Representatives from the Orange County Road and Bridge Department will then inspect the property to determine whether it is in compliance with the ordinance.

Among other things, the ordinance mandates that salvage yards must have a fence six feet tall surrounding the property; yard operators cannot stack anything higher than the fence; and salvage yards may not be within 500 feet of a school, church, cemetery or waterway.

"We have bent over backwards for them," County Judge Carl Thibodeaux said. "We gave them six months to apply for their license."

Commissioners voted to suspend the license and to require Vincent to apply for another permit and pay another $300 license fee.

In a letter to commissioners, James Vincent said the property at 320 Greathouse was not a salvage yard and that he was in the process of cleaning the property when he was diagnosed with cancer. Vincent said in a follow-up letter that he felt he was being discriminated against and that he felt all businesses on FM 105 should have to pay.

"I've done everything they've asked me to do. The doctor didn't want me to be out," Vincent said Monday in a phone call from Houston, where he was preparing to undergo cancer treatments. "They're trying to shut me down, but I am not giving up."

In other business, Thibodeaux informed the court that the county had gotten 1,500 FEMA trailers into Orange County.

"Things are moving slow, and there are still a lot of problems," he said. "But we are still way ahead of other counties."

In a reminder of how slowly the process moves, Thibodeaux also mentioned that construction on 650 homes was due to begin in January -- homes that were destroyed by Hurricane Rita over three years ago.

Reach this reporter at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2616 or eonstott@orangeleader.com

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