I thought I had seen the end of neighbors dumping on other neighbors’ property when I moved to the small town of Poulsbo.

How wrong could one person be?

I sat at my window one day and couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Over and over, I watched concrete and household items being dumped onto the property next to mine.

One day, I went out and asked her what she was doing and she told me to mind my own business. You see, I was minding my own business. I was asked to watch the property.

I was able to take pictures of her dumping, as I had been asked. She saw me, but the rest of the bathroom materials continued to be dumped.

So, she built a fence between her property and the “dumping property” and had a gate installed. She locked the gate and only opened it when she redid her bathroom, kitchen, and concrete, or to let her dogs do their business. Of course, her dog jumped the fence into my yard and did his business in my garden.

I’m guessing her kitchen and bathroom look really nice now. But the property she dumped the household materials on doesn’t.

I am glad there is someone living in the vacant home now. But guess what. Three times now, as I drove to stores I watched her carrying wheelbarrows full of her yard waste to another empty lot. I’m sure that she’s been dumping for more than the 17 or so years I’ve lived here.

I’m guessing that she knows that she’s not supposed to dump or even trespass on other people’s property without the owner’s permission. It’s illegal to dump and, for sure, it’s morally wrong.

Worst yet is, the first time she talked to me she was cashiering at a local and very environmentally friendly shopping center, where she still works.

My hope is that she sees this and stops. I can hope, right?

Maria Marsala
Poulsbo