Ross homeowner at odds with neighbors again lashes out at township

The occupant of a home in Ross who has been at odds with neighbors and township officials for more than a decade over the collection of outdoor ornaments and vulgar messages adorning his property has put up a new sign expressing his feelings about the municipality.

The message in nearly 4-foot-tall lighted letters on the Fairley Road home where Bill Ansell lives contains a profane, four-letter word.

Jeremy Shaffer, president of the Ross Board of Commissioners, said Tuesday that he will recommend that the township reach out to Ansell to try to resolve the dispute over the condition of the property.

It's been more than a decade since motorists lined the street to see the thousands of Christmas lights Ansell and his brother Robert, who owns the property, placed on the home to help raise money for Children's Hospital.

But after some neighbors complained about traffic, litter and having a public attraction nearby, Bill Ansell pulled the plug on the 80,000-watt light display and responded to the complaints by surrounding the house with broken outdoor ornaments, children's riding toys and signs with language targeting neighbors and township officials with whom he has had disputes.

Township officials have issued numerous citations for ordinance violations and spent more than $12,000 in legal fees trying to get Ansell to clean up the property.

Their efforts have been for naught. The Ansells have simply paid the fines and then challenged the municipality's actions in court.

Shaffer said he will ask the township to “extend an olive branch” to the Ansells to try to resolve the dispute.

“As one of five commissioners who have been serving on the board for less than two years and therefore not really directly involved in this dispute, I'd like the opportunity to sit down with this gentleman and try to work it out,” Shaffer said.

While Shaffer is hoping to end the dispute amicably, he wants the township to be clear there are consequences to not coming to terms.

“With one hand, we want to extend grace to resolve this so everybody's happy, but on the other hand, we need to say that we are ready to act,” Shaffer said. “Our patience has run out, and if we can't settle this, then we will act with the full extent of the law.”

Ansell did not return telephone or email messages seeking comment.

Township officials have declined to say what action they might take if Ansell refuses to remove the signs and displays from his property.

Last year, township Solicitor Bonnie Brimmeier said the municipality could ask the courts to force Ansell to remove what officials consider trash from the property.

She noted that if he failed to comply, township employees could remove the items and bill Ansell for the cost of doing so.

She did not return messages seeking comment on whether such action still is an option.

Tony LaRussa is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-772-6368 or tlarussa@tribweb.com.