Marshall County Commission, CPR clash over junk ordinance

By Trang Do
WAFF 48 news Reporter

The Marshall County Commission and the Citizens for Property Rights are at it again.

The two groups clashed over the county's junk ordinance in a public work session Thursday morning.

It started out as a normal meeting but quickly turned sour.

"I'm sorry, I am so sorry. I am so tired of hearing this double jibber jibberish jabber. You had to live my life one day you would leave me alone forever," Grant resident Jean Tresch shouted.

Tresch was asked to leave the Marshall County Commission work session after an emotional outburst directed toward the commission.

Tresch and other members of the Citizens for Property Rights attended the meeting to speak out against the Limited Self-Governance Act or "junk ordinance" that county voters passed in June 2006.

"Until it's ruled unconstitutional by some higher court, than we're going to go by the junk law, ordinance," said District Two Commissioner James Maze.

The commission had opened the floor to discussion after condemning CPR members for language in a mailer sent out to Grant residents.

Commission Chairman Doug Fleming called the mailer misleading and untrue.

District One Commissioner Bill Stricklend told group members they were entitled to their opinions, but it wouldn't change the law.

"Bottom line is that it was voted on and it was passed," he said.

The Citizens for Property Rights have been very vocal and visual in their opposition to the ordinance, which they say they'd like to see get flushed down the toilet.

"Ya'll clean up your own houses before you bother us," CPR member Kathy Barnes advised the commission.

One woman WAFF 48 News met in the parking lot showed us her stance on the issue, by sitting down on a toilet mounted to a homemade billboard against home rule.

The next time a referendum on the ordinance can be put back on the ballot for Marshall County voters is in 2010, so this back and forth debate is far from over.

You can email Trang at tdo@waff.com

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