Developer helps those in need
I am writing this letter in response to a letter that has been touted as the truth about Jimmy Ball and his actions concerning the development of his property.
The glaring inconsistencies and hypocrisy make it hard to know where to begin. One place seems to be as good as another, so I'll start with what I think would be the easiest to clear up.
The letter makes the claim that Jimmy developed the property by way of a fraudulent reason for putting in a guest house. If that is true, then why would he have asked for written permission to rent the said guest house? Permission that was granted in writing by the county. The county told him he could do it. That seems fairly clear to me.
The letter claims that he has no concern about permits and negative impact on the property. If someone wants to claim negative impact, I think they should be required to say what the negative impact is.
What actual harm was done by this development? Were property values lowered? Is the water or sewage system strained too much? We don't know and they certainly did not say.
The claim of negative impact might be easier to believe had not two of the three property owners making the claim tried to do the exact same thing. Are they claiming that Jim negatively impacted the area more then they planned to?
I'm only a simple farmer, but where I'm from we call that hypocrisy. This really sounds more like a case of sour grapes than anything else.
They claim that Jim owns 16 pieces of property approximately. The real number is way closer to half of that. They claim Jim is an opportunist and say it like a bad thing. The definition of opportunist is someone who takes of advantage of opportunities. Please put me and everyone else I know down as an opportunist as well.
They claim the case against Jim was not thrown out; it was dismissed. I hate to break this to them but that is what dismissed means. Please don't take my word, ask any judge or lawyer.
The one claim they have that seems to have any merit is that Jim crossed their property lines without permission. Did he break anything? Harm anything? What was the impact? Is their next action going to be to call the police if someone turns around in their driveway after making a wrong turn? It's technically trespassing, but boy doesn't that seem petty?
I have at times found myself looking with an open mind at both sides of conflicts, like these, and there are real concerns that are being expressed. I have also been to this property and I have seen this 'harmful' development. You can barely even see it from anyone else's property and it's a nice place for someone who is not a big property owner to live.
Jim really tries to help people who don't have a large income. He works very fairly and at times at a great cost to himself to help them. He has helped me and at least seven other families I know of to get into nice places they could afford.
I ask these people, who are claiming these things, to look into their hearts and see if there is any concern for other people who don't have as much money as them because Jimmy Ball most certainly has.
These are hard times. Is this the time to take an elitist attitude? Perhaps their anger should be turned toward the county that gave him the permission to begin with.
Did they read the letter from Mr. Weland giving Mr. Ball exact permission to do exactly what he did. Perhaps they should.
John Thole
Moyie Springs