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By Miranda Startare

Two residents of Carroll Township addressed the Board of Supervisors at the August 2 regular meeting over concern of fowl being kept in the township – which is against township code.

A resident of Lucetta Drive issued a complaint about his neighbor’s chickens, citing the Center for Disease Control’s declaration that salmonella is generated by backyard chickens, thus creating a public health issue.

Zoning Officer Dennis Butler stated that he has given the residents 30 days to remove the chickens, although he noted that many municipalities are changing ordinances to permit chickens.

“Some call them pets,” he said.

Another resident, Bill Danley, of Highland Avenue also addressed the board with a complaint about his neighbor’s backyard ducks and recently hatched ducklings. The ducks are a nuisance to neighbors, according to the resident.

Mr. Danley also complained about neighboring properties with high weeds, suggesting that the township contact local volunteers, such as the Boy Scouts, to help cut grass for residents unable to tend their properties. Mr. Danley has contacted the Boy Scouts and is also willing to assist in grass-cutting.

The list of animal complaints at the meeting continued as another resident described an Alexander Street neighbor’s rats, skunks, and cats residing under a shed. The property also has excessive weed growth, according to the resident.

Zoning Officer Dennis Butler responded that the township is attending to the matter and described the situation as a rental property occupant not caring for the property as he had agreed with the landlord.

Resident Maya Patch also spoke to the supervisors, asking if they had passed a rental inspection law, to which the Board responded they had not.

Mrs. Patch, who regularly attends the meetings, and resides by a neglected property, remarked that the neighborhood is becoming “disgraceful” in the property neglect. A Carroll Township resident for 56 years, Mrs. Patch said, “Nothing gets done. I’ve had senators say they were going to do something. They said they make the laws but can’t enforce them.”

Board Chairman Thomas Rapp said the township has been to the Magistrate multiple times in dealing with Mrs. Patch’s neighboring property.

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