I don’t intend to get into a name-calling contest with Bob Bartley, but I do think I am entitled to write this rebuttal in defense of my good name.

First of all, I am not the owner and never have been the owner of the home on Wexford Way. My wife’s mother continued to maintain the home, complete with all furnishings, as a secondary residence after she remarried. She planned to return to her home on Wexford Way if her elderly husband predeceased her.

Mr. Bartley did not respect her right to retain this home or her property rights in general. Once, he even trespassed, attached a black corrugated six-inch pipe to her downspout, and ran it down and on top of her concrete driveway.

I quietly and politely removed the pipe, placing it at the property line between the two houses. Mr. Bartley promptly came out of his house, very angry, calling me a name I cannot mention in the paper.

Mr. Bartley has made petty and mostly frivolous complaints to the city. Once, when he complained, I insisted on the department head meeting me to inspect the house, inside and out. The inspector quickly said, “There is no problem here,” and stated he would send Mr. Bartley a letter reflecting such.

Mr. Bartley can really exaggerate the height of grass. The leaves have been raked each and every year and trees have been trimmed and the gutters cleaned occasionally. Water runoff is a naturally occurring thing, and unfortunately Mr. Bartley’s house is downhill.

Since his home is up for sale, perhaps he should be very careful to disclose the fact that he obviously has had yard drainage problems, some possibly unsolved, because of how his home is situated.

My wife’s family had issues with Mr. Bartley being a good neighbor but continued to try and be nice and even gave him the statue and bird bath he presently has in his front yard. Unfortunately, some people just don’t know how to reciprocate and be good neighbors.

And yes, I do object to a $200 registration fee for so-called vacant homes, as it is discriminatory.

Clell Lambert

Peachtree City, Ga.