Since late fall, residents of the Skyline Vista Apartments I & II have faced piles of stinking, rotten garbage that overflowed from the private dumpster located on the property. That garbage attracted rats, roaches, and eventually, the Town of Front Royal.
After multiple residents were not able to reach anyone in the facility’s office, nor anyone at the company headquarters, Royal Examiner began getting calls. A resident who asked not to be identified, said, “It’s bad enough that we must deal with mold, rats, and roaches at this place. The least they could do is collect the garbage.”
We reached out to the Town of Front Royal after learning from a Skyline Vista renter that the town’s staff had performed a clean-up of the overflowing dumpster around Thanksgiving. Because the apartment complex is a private entity with its own contracted trash service, the Town expects to be paid for its clean-up.
Royal Examiner questioned Town Manager Steven Hicks about the clean-up at the apartments, and if the town would be removing refuse once more, which still had not been picked up by the contracted service. Hicks relayed our questions to the Town’s contracted Communications, Marketing, Public Relations & Crisis Management Strategist, Joanne Williams.
Ms. Williams replied in an email, stating, “This is a complicated matter:
– The Town removed the overflowing garbage prior to the holiday at a cost of $1,200;
– The Town is exploring all legal options;
– The Town is in the process of aggressively rewriting codes that will include stronger legal actions for code violations;
– The Town will reach out to Warren County Social Services next week and area non-profits for assistance;
Moving code violations through the court system is a timely process.”
The complex is owned by Richmond, Virginia-based company Fairfield Lynn Limited Partnership; the State Corporation Commission indicates that the agent of record is Arild Trent. Royal Examiner has left multiple voicemails over several days to the local office, Trent’s office, and his home phone. As of press time, none of the messages were answered.
Later Thursday evening, Williams emailed Royal Examiner to say that a crew would pick up the trash at the complex Friday, December 31. She stated, “The Town will be charging the owner of the complex for trash removal, but I won’t have those figures until next week.”
The sanitation crew who gave up a day off to clear the mess worked cheerfully and according to those who watched the cleanup from the sidelines. The residents of Skyline Vista Apartments I & II no doubt appreciate the willingness of the workers, and the Town, for stepping in to help.
In a larger community, overflowing garbage dumpsters might have gone for months without intervention by its municipality. Kudos to the Town of Front Royal and the Public Works Department for putting the Skyline Vista residents first!
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