Saturday, February 16, 2002
At least one resident uses an umbrella for protection.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- When residents in one upper South Side neighborhood pull out umbrellas to keep dry outside, it's not necessarily cloudy skies and rain they anticipate.
Euclid Boulevard resident George Economus said a daily infestation of large crows has left him and his neighbors frustrated, and his home covered with droppings.
Economus said his problem becomes more complicated because he lives in the last house in the city on the Boardman Township borderline and no one seems to know who should help get rid of the birds.
He said he's called several government agencies including the Youngstown Health Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Boardman Township police.
Cleaning up: Economus said he spent the greater part of last Saturday cleaning bird droppings off his house and he is still worried the droppings will leave stains that will not come out.
He added that a neighbor was seen walking the family dog early one morning this week carrying an umbrella -- and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.
It was then that he decided it was time to do something about the neighborhood's feathered pests.
No solution: Township police said the problem is not classified as a police matter, but they have been looking for various remedies to help residents in that area. They said representatives from the state Division of Wildlife told them they could not come out for what is seen as a resident complaint.
According to police, the wildlife division would send out a crew, but the township would be required to cover the cost. They say a crew working a few hours a day for two or three days would add up to between $1,000 and $2,000.
Economus said each agency he has spoken with says there is nothing he can do. He said a suggestion was made that he start a petition to be taken to city leaders or the health department to handle the problem, and that is likely what he will do.
jgoodwin@vindy.com