Dear Judge, Fiscal Court and State Highway Department

Estill County has scenic landscape that has been ruined by trash in people's yards, along the roadsides and something needs to be done about it. What can be done about this situation? Why does it exist? How much can local officials do to pressure property owners to keep their community clean and beautiful?

The entrances into Irvine, including the Winchester and Richmond Road introduce visitors to eyesores that need to be cleaned up! Would property owners allow volunteers to help get rid of the unsightly out buildings, abandoned cars, fast food refuse, old tires, burned out trailors, remains of an old saw mill etc.

Coming from the Madison County line at Drowning Creek, the old sawmill on the Horn property should be torn down. The old trailor near the location should be moved. The flea market near the Riddell plaza could see some repairs in their shelters. The trailor near Clear Creek Road and the house adjacent to the location (with the abandoned cars) could be cleaned up. And the recycling center at Rice Station near the Emanuel Baptist church could construct a fence to hide the growing refrigerators, washing machines and other scrap metal visible from the main road. The car lot near the Trotting Ridge Road where small engines are sold is a bit tacky but acceptable I guess.

Coming from Hargett...The foundation of the old Jesse VanCleve/3 way country store should be torn down. Several trailors along this road are tacky and downright disgusting. The deteriorating apartment houses near the Cundiff Road (close to White Oak) could use new siding and a cleanup on the outside of the apartments. And the old mobile units from the high school could be moved off of the main road.

Residents entering Irvine from KY 52 East or KY 89 South, see some real eyesores. It is hard to tell people to clean up their property. I know it is a free country. I wished the local media would put some of the photos of these junky places in an editorial.

Let's make the Richmond and Winchester roads more attractive. Let newcomers to Irvine leave impressed with the natural scenery. Surely property owners would comply with reasonable suggestions.