Elizabeth Township resident concerned about sliding hillside

By Jose Negron
jnegron@yourmvi.com
Less than a year after an Elizabeth Township resident approached the board of commissioners seeking a solution to a sliding hillside near his home in the Boston section, officials are still awaiting an answer.
Resident John Jarvis of Meade Street brought the issue to the board of commissioners’ attention during a meeting in May 2018. Jarvis lives on the back side of the property which houses the Dollar General on Smithfield Street.
He stated the hillside was causing safety problems in his backyard.
Jarvis then said he spoke with township code enforcement officer John Snelson, who stated the original plans showed a retaining wall at the site, but that Dollar General never constructed it.
After months of trying to get the company to move forward with a project to install a retaining wall, it has yet to be complete.
During Monday’s board of commissioners meeting, officials agreed that Dollar General has until May 6 to move forward with the project. If it doesn’t, legal action will be taken.
Solicitor Matt Racunas said property manager John Boots is meeting with Dollar General officials after April 22 to expedite the project and ensure that the wall will be built.
“The easiest route is never litigation,” Racunas said. “Rather than go through a court process, which is lengthy, get an order directing them to do it and then forcing them to comply with that order, it’s much easier if the person goes ‘Yeah, you’re right, there is an issue and I’m going to deal with it.’”
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