After what Friends of the Flint House President Cindi Pytlovany said goes beyond the village’s failure to empty the trash, the group voted to end its relationship with the historic Scotia property.
Pytlovany said the Friends would no longer volunteer at the Flint House, but she would not officially resign as president until all loose ends are tied up.
Our [Vice President] Hasna Kaddo has resigned, and our group has definitely decided to disband. I feel an obligation to use up the Flint House funding as it was intended to be used, and that is on house preservation. Membership dues must be returned and files need to be closed out, said Pytlovany.
Pytlovany said she has spent the past couple of years trying to be an advocate for the Flint House, which is one of two parklands cared for by the village. She said there have been issues with garbage pickup, as well as septic problems and tree hazards.
`Two dangerous trees on the property were finally cut down a week ago. These trees have created dangerous situations, with large limbs falling on the house and narrowly missing visitors to the property. The mayor finally had these trees taken down when he realized that he was under the microscope,` said Pytlovany. `We have made numerous attempts which went ignored until I was arrested and went public with our problems.`
In what she called an effort to make her frustrations clear, Pytlovany delivered a bag of garbage to head of the Department of Public Works Tom Cushing’s office, leading to her arrest on violation-level charges of public dumping. The village eventually agreed to drop the charges.
Cushing has had no comment regarding the incident.
Last week Mayor Kris Kastberg said the village has many properties to tend to. He said the administration does appreciate the work that volunteers do, but added that he feels Pytlovany may not be happy with the timeframe in which things get done.
Since taking office, Kastberg has worked to make landlords and downtown business owners accountable for unkempt properties.
Pytlovany said she has consistently brought her concerns before the Village Board, but has gotten few answers. Pytlovany said the liaison between the board and the Flint House, Trustee Carol Carpenter, has been a key component in helping communicate her concerns with Kastberg.
`Countless times she (Carpenter) has brought our concerns to the mayor, and they have been ignored,` said Kastberg.
Trustee Armon Benny said he thinks the village has procedures that they need to re-examine.
`I have long supported the revamping of the procedures the mayor has been using to take care of village-owned property outside of Collins Park. I have toured all the properties with the mayor and reported to the Board of Trustees. They have decided no change was necessary. The Flint House problems are just an extension of the procedural problems I found on other village properties that are not maintained to the same standard we expect our residents and taxpayers to comply with,` said Benny.
The latest concern at the Flint House is the septic tank cover that, according to Pytlovany, rotted away more than two years ago leaving an 8-1/2-inch opening. Right now the septic hole has been taped off and covered with plywood and fill. The village is currently awaiting the installation of a grinder pump, which will hook the house up to the sewer line.
Benny said despite all the problems with the garbage, septic tank and communication, he hopes that the Flint House will be able to someday continue being a place for residents to visit and hold functions.
`The Flint House volunteers are frustrated after pouring their hearts, minds and money into this village property in the interests of bringing our history out for the public to view, and then the village administration can’t adjust to assist in maintaining the property. This is a real shame on the administration. I sincerely hope the volunteers of the Flint House reconsider and stay on in spite of the animosity by the administration and that other groups of volunteers don’t react negatively and stop their good work,` said Benny.“