The mystery surrounding who put the boulders in front of public dumpsters on Valdemar Hill "Skyline" Drive Saturday has been solved. They were put there at the request of the Homer Wheaton estate, which said it owns the property.
William McConnell, attorney for the estate, said the boulders were to "put the public on notice that this is private property." He said the estate had instructed a local trucking company to place the boulders in front of the dumpsters.
McConnell said the government had plenty of warning. "They cannot say they weren't notified," he said.
Acting Public Works Commissioner Wayne Callwood said over the weekend that he would find the parties responsible for placing the boulders by the dumpsters. Callwood had the boulders removed on Sunday.
McConnell said a meeting with advisers to the governor about a year ago produced no action; he wrote to a number of government officials in September. The letter addressed to Territorial Police Chief Jose Garcia said in part, "You may not be aware that the dumpsters on Skyline Drive sit on property owned by the Wheaton estate. The estate has informed the government of this, and requested that the dumpsters be removed."
The letter further said that since no action had been taken, the estate was advising the company responsible for the dumpsters, Patrick Charles Enterprises Inc., that they were on private property and must be removed.
"Once the dumpsters are moved, the government should then post no dumping signs and will be held accountable thereafter for any garbage dumped on the estate's private property," the letter continued.
McConnell concluded the letter by requesting that, if necessary, police officers advise Charles company employees that they are trespassing and risk arrest.
Copies of the letter were sent to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull; Franz Christian, Police commissioner; Wayne Callwood, then Public Works assistant commissioner; Mark Biggs, Property and Procurement commissioner; Ira Hobson, Housing, Parks and Recreation commissioner; Andrew Rutnik, Licensing and Consumer Affairs commissioner; Iver Stridiron, attorney general; and Christine Wheaton.
McConnell said Wheaton had been very patient.
"Permission for the dumpsters being on the property was never sought, nor given to the government," he said. "Nobody wants their property to be used as a garbage dump, and especially without their permission."
Aside from the garbage in the dumpsters, McConnell said, old batteries and refrigerator parts on the property behind the dumpsters are creating an environmental health hazard.
Asked if the estate might do the same thing at Drake's Seat, McConnell said, "Hopefully, it won't." He said he had not noticed any vendors in the area Monday.
Callwood could not be reached for comment Monday evening.
