Woman takes issue with complaint

An Electric City woman read a prepared statement before the Electric City council last week, taking apart the city in general, the planning commission, and, in particular, Gary Haven, the city’s compliance enforcement officer.

Linda Zernick, who lives at 218 Stevens, was trying to find out who made a complaint about her property, to no avail.

She received in the mail a notice that she needed to bring her property into conformance with city ordinances or face a citation.

A walk through of her property revealed that it is perfectly landscaped and maintained. She is still scratching her head trying to figure out what it is all about.

In reading her statement to the council Aug. 12, Zernick referred to her “artwork,” the source of the so-called problem. And asked about a reference to an investigation going on. She asked who is investigating, what and why.

Mayor Jerry Sands told her that, on advice of the city’s attorney, he wasn’t going to respond to her.

Zernick had Keith Young of Young’s Welding, make a number of stand-alone screens that she placed near her back fence. The screens help block out views into a neighbor’s back yard and affords the Zernick family privacy for their patio.

The panels can be moved, and each one features a different wild animal or bird, giving the Zernicks an artsy view when they sit on their patio.

The issue, Zerner said, is who made the complaint, and why was the violation sent to her in the mail without someone coming out to see the panels for themselves.

Zernick stated that Haven did come by later and stated that the panels were not part of her fence but were movable art panels designed by a professional firm.

Her requests made to city hall for information on who made the complaint haven’t turned up any information.

But reached Friday, Haven said the city’s planning commission had asked him what he was doing about the extended fence on Zernick’s property.

“So I sent her a notice and asked for her to call me,” Haven said.

Later Haven went up to see for himself. “I could see that it wasn’t a part of the fence,” he stated.

Zernick has made a public records request of the city and planning commission trying to find out what initiated the complaint.