Letter to the Editor:
An open letter to my neighbors Fellow Fulton County Neighbors, something ‘funny/strange’ is going on that may affect every landowner whose property is adjacent to any paved road. Under the guise of a 1967 Highway Beautification Act, one man, a veteran, has been summoned regarding his ‘junkyard.’ A junkyard that has been there as long or longer than the Beautification Act. Being curious I did a drive by to see what the fuss was all about and I invite you to do the same. The property is about 7.5 miles south of Salem traffic light on Highway 9 on the east side of the road. Yes, it looks to be a 60-yearold junkyard. Very overgrown. However, when looking on both sides of the road, other properties looked worse in appearance. Why is this one being singled out? Why after being there 60 years? ARDOT wants this old vet to move everything back from the road 1,000-feet? The original ‘Beautification’ act was to regulate billboards. Now it’s going after someone because they have some junk? Why not have him just put up a fence if it’s so offensive to ARDOT? Or is there someone behind this trying to get this man’s property using color of law? We all better pay attention to this especially if we have property adjacent to pavement. What will prevent them from coming after your or my property if they so choose? ‘Beautification’? Sounds fishy to me. What say you neighbor? Sincerely yours, Mark Schreiber Elizabeth, AR