Published: July 22, 2006 11:33 pm      

Landowners complain about ATV damage

STOYSTOWN — Glenn Putman and his brother, Lindsay, own 100 acres of property in Shade Township, and they say their land is crawling with bikes and all-terrain vehicles.

And the riders leave their mark.

“They’re tearing up the land,” 65-year-old Glenn Putman said. “I don’t care if they walk on it, but I want them to stop tearing it up.”

Now, Putman said he is pressing the issue with local governments. He recently made Hooversville Borough Council aware of the trouble during a council meeting. ATV and motorcycle riders travel from Hooversville onto his private property, he says.

Hooversville officials said they would step up enforcement to catch ATV riders.

“We’re not condoning riding four-wheel vehicles on borough streets and onto private property,” council President Kenneth Karashowsky said.

“We pretty much told our police chief, ‘If you find anybody operating a four-wheeler illegally, they will be cited.’ ”

Putman said he has an agreement with the state game commission to allow hunting on his land. Game commission officials said they would police the area more often and post more signs warning against motorized vehicles, Putman said.

Putman said he will take his disagreement to local governments until the issue is settled.

After visits to Hooversville and Quemahoning Township, Putman said he plans to take the issue to Shade Township.

“I’m trying to cover all my bases,” he said.