Help Out Your Neighbor Update

Posted on 22. Sep, 2008 by frank in my church, stories

The Umsteads and Rawns have had quite a bit of press coverage over the last week. NBC 10 did a report on the 6pm news and the Mercury did a piece on them stating:

Two elderly couples are resisting efforts by the township to purchase their
properties for future use as a park.

A grassroots group headed by a local pastor has jumped in to defend the Umsteads and Rawns, homeowners living on Wartman Road and Koons Street, respectively. Brian Jones, pastor of Christ’s Church of the Valley, says that eminent domain has been part of Perkiomen Township’s plans for years.

Additionally, the township took steps to lower assessment values in the area targeted for a 17.5-acre park near Lodal Creek, Jones said.

“The process that led up to the lowball offer was orchestrated by the township,” he said.

Eminent domain happens when the federal, state or local government takes private property in exchange for compensation. Prior to a U.S. Supreme Court decision, property takings needed to be justified for some “public use” — a new bridge, park or highway bypass, for instance.

Township Manager Cecile M. Daniel said eminent domain is not under consideration at this time. Out of the four desirable parcels needed for the park, two owners already agreed to sale terms with the township, including a 1.1-acre parcel for $130,000.

Ok so the township needs 4 pieces of land that are right next to one another. They are paying 130,000 for 1.1 acres but are going to give the Rawns 72,000 for 6.5 acres? CRAZY! I’m glad more people are getting involved. Read more from the Pottstown Mercury here.

Also, Laura Dietrich, the Umsteads daughter, wrote the following letter to the editor of the paper:

Thursday, September 18, 2008
To the Editor:

While today’s article (“Elderly residents resist land purchase for park”) seems to suggest that the Perkiomen Township Board of Supervisors do not intend to condemn the Umstead and Rawn Properties, the Board’s prior actions and correspondence suggest otherwise. As the Umstead’s daughter, I am intimately aware of the details of this travesty of justice.

In correspondence from the Township Solicitor, the property owners were told that they could not retain any portion of their lands but would need to agree to sell everything to the Township by the end of August or face condemnation. That is precisely why the Township convened a “special meeting,” with inadequate public notice, to adopt a resolution condemning the property. Thankfully, enough residents were alerted through e-mail and word-of-mouth, and the meeting room was packed with those objecting to the proposed condemnations. No one spoke in favor of the Township’s plans to create additional unneeded parks through condemnation.

Residents have also learned that in 1998 the Township encouraged FEMA to expand its flood plain district to include parts of these properties, which have never flooded, in an effort to decrease their property values and development potential. Now the Township has engaged a realtor, not an appraiser, to value these properties as though they are single lots, even though they could be subdivided into multiple lots.

These elderly residents have owned and maintained these farms for decades at no cost to the Township. In fact, these property owners continue to pay real estate taxes while providing free open space to the Township. In other instances, the Township has chosen to pay property owners for conservation easements. While the Township suggests that the owners can continue to live on the land as tenants, would any of the Supervisors like to have public trails and facilities on their property?

Please take the time to read more at www.helpoutyourneighbor.com. We promise to keep you informed.