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Theresa
Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001
Posts: 27256
Location: United States of America
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 Sat Mar 11, 2006 11:13 pm Woman Faces Fine for Yard Sign Supporting Troops |
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Homeowners Board Votes to Impose Penalty as Long as Sign Is Up
WESTCHASE, Fla., (March 10) - When Stacey Kelley's husband, Army Pvt. David Kelley who is serving in Iraq, sent her a cardboard sign expressing support for U.S. troops overseas, she put it up in the yard of her suburban Tampa, Fla., home.
Kelley, 24, never imagined that it would raise controversy, or that she would be threatened with a $100-a-day fine if she refused to take it down.
"I've been in tears. I couldn't believe that they wanted me to take it down," she said. The Westchase Homeowners Association threatened her with the $100 a day for up to 10 days because the sign is in violation of association rules, but Kelley said she was ready to pay.
"If I have to pay, I'll pay the fines. My husband says the same thing," she said. "If we have to pay them, we'll pay them. If they're gonna try to give us more than a thousand-dollar fine, there's enough people out there that are willing to help me out."
It was an issue that caused a conflict for the association's president, who is also an Army reservist. Daryl Manning, an Iraq War veteran, said he hoped that some compromise could be worked out.
"I've been there. I know right where her husband is. I've been in [the] country. I was over there for 20 months," he said.
A compromise was reached Thursday night, but it doesn't mean Kelley won't be facing a fine -- just one a lot lower than the amount originally threatened. Instead, the seven-member board voted to impose just a $1-per-day penalty for as long as the sign stays up.
The fine will eventually go up if Kelley doesn't take the sign down, Manning said.
"There's a violation to have any sign in any homeowner's yard, regardless of what it says," Manning said.
Manning said the association's rules about signs, which only allow "For Sale" or "For Lease" signs, were in place to keep the community clean and keep the peace.
"The problem could arise where it could be a neighbor across the street or across the road that says, 'Bring the troops home. Get out of the theater. Cut and run.' What happens when that occurs? So we cannot make exceptions in this case," he said.
"All my neighbors told me this morning they're willing to go out and buy signs today and start putting them in everyone's yard because that's how it should be," Kelley said on Thursday.
Some neighbors said they didn't agree with the homeowners association's objection to Kelley's sign, despite the community rules.
"Of course, they say that there are rules, but in this particular case I think we should overlook that particular rule and give her the moral support," resident Ed Drost said.
"Gee whiz, the sign says, 'Support our troops.' OK?" said Merv Shiner, another neighbor.
ABC News affiliate WFTS-TV in Tampa, Fla., contributed to this report.
03-11-06 09:59 EST
Copyright 2006 ABCNEWS.com
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IntrepidIsMe
Pimp Handed
Joined: 14 Jun 2002
Posts: 13057
Location: New York
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| Sat Mar 11, 2006 11:46 pm |
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That's pretty stupid, most people support the troops, but not the war. However, if there are rules saying that signs aren't allowed, then why be surprised? We can't have signs in our yard because of my father's job, no matter how much anybody might want them. Rules are rules. But should there be an exception in this case? Yeah.
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jonathan95
Delta Prime
Joined: 29 Oct 2002
Posts: 1544
Location: UK Newcastle
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| Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:01 am |
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I think that is terrible,
I think instead of it being in the yard to attach it to the house that way it isnt in the yard.
But does this mean if your selling your house your not allowed to stick a For Sale sign up eather?
it is a bit stupid that they are fining her at all for supporting her husband and I think its even worse that the president has been there and knows what it is like.
But like said rules are rules you are ment to follow then.
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Seven of Nine
Sammie's Mammy
Joined: 16 Jun 2001
Posts: 7871
Location: North East England
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| Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:10 am |
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^For Sale signs are exempt. I might not support the war, but I do support the troops. The reduced fine is better than nothing, but I'm not sure where I stand on this.
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Seven of Nine
Sammie's Mammy
Joined: 16 Jun 2001
Posts: 7871
Location: North East England
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| Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:10 am |
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Double post- whoopsies 
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PrankishSmart
Rear Admiral
Joined: 29 Apr 2002
Posts: 4779
Location: Hobart, Australia.
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| Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:50 am |
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Umm, how can they tell you what to do on your own property? Someone better fill me in.
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Leo Wyatt
Sweetest Angel
Joined: 25 Feb 2004
Posts: 19045
Location: Investigating A Crime Scene. What did Quark do this time?
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| Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:09 am |
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I wouldn't want to live in Florida, cause I will tell them where to stick it.
People in my state stick signs up in their yards and police don't do anything but tell the wives they hope their husband's come home and safe, and thank them for us for fighting for what they believe in.
I put signs up .. when Charlie was in Iraq and never gotten a fine but I am not in Florida...
I think it is crazy for giving that woman a fine over that, gees... Remind me not to move to Florida... lol
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IntrepidIsMe
Pimp Handed
Joined: 14 Jun 2002
Posts: 13057
Location: New York
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| Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:29 am |
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| PrankishSmart wrote: | | Umm, how can they tell you what to do on your own property? Someone better fill me in. |
To live in certain private communities, you have to sign a contract saying you'll abide by their rules. Usually they include things like cutting your lawn every week, not having a dog over 75 pounds, that kind of thing.
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WeAz
Commodore
Joined: 03 Apr 2004
Posts: 1519
Location: Where you aren't
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| Sun Mar 12, 2006 12:10 pm |
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^I would never fit in to a place like that. I haven't mowed the lawn in 6 months... 
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TrekkieMage
Office Junkie
Joined: 17 Oct 2004
Posts: 5335
Location: Hiding
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| Sun Mar 12, 2006 5:57 pm |
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They need to lighten up. I'm sure they can come to a better compromise than that. I understand the whole gated comunity thing, I've had friends who've lived in them. But in that kind of situation they could have done better. I don't really know how, maybe they could have asked her to put the sign in her window or put in a subtler (not invisible) part of the yard.
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LightningBoy
Commodore
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 1446
Location: Minnesota, U.S.A.
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| Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:05 pm |
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There's more to this story than that article really tells. For instance, the homeowner's association offered to send care packages to the troops in exchange for her taking it down. The president of the association was also a member of the armed service as well. It's not that they don't want that message, they just don't want people to get in sign wars, say someone across the street put up a sign that said "Bring the troops home" then do they tell one to take it down and another to leave it up? It's part of the stipulations of moving into a development like that. I would never live in one, but she knew what she was moving into when she did.
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