Jun 16, 2015 3 min read

Genevieve Miller feels Canon-McMillan School District is robbing her – not only of her property, but also of her safety.

Miller, who, along with her husband, attended a school board meeting Tuesday, criticized the district for its plan to acquire a 12-foot strip of land in front of their duplexes at 137-139 Locust St. in Muse. School directors voted to move forward with eminent domain proceedings to acquire two pieces of property in Cecil Township.

Additional property is needed to widen and straighten School Street to make it a safer access road for the new Muse Elementary School once it opens for the 2017-18 school year. The district is also taking action to acquire and tear down the Muse Post Office, but, if those rights are granted, the post office could continue operating for another year.

The district plans to remove a fence surrounding Miller’s property and 17 trees that serve as a buffer between the house and traffic, although Superintendent Michael Daniels said the district would replace everything at no cost to the property owner.

“My fence has been hit three times. My house has been hit once,” Miller said. “My concrete block window, my foundation, had to be replaced because of speeding cars, speeding buses, speeding everything. They’re bringing all that traffic closer to my house – and three times the traffic – so I’m concerned.”

Miller’s husband, Chuck, had a stroke three years ago and consequently was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She said the fence prevents him from wandering and also keeps their three dogs close to the house.

“We’re barely hanging on, and they’re going to take more from us,” she said.

The district offered the Millers and another property owner at 20 Locust St. $1,800 each for the 12-foot section of their properties. However, the district plans to utilize only six feet of each property.

“In response to the property owner whom the district has contacted about purchasing the 12-foot strip of land, the district will return approximately six feet of that strip, seed it, replace the landscaping and fence it at no cost to the property owner,” the district said in a statement.

Miller said she felt the offer was inadequate, but she is pleased Daniels met with her personally and explained the district would pay to replace her landscaping. However, she still plans to fight the property acquisition during the 30-day objection period. Miller said the other property owner, who was not present at the school board meeting, recently purchased the property at 20 Locust St.

Under Pennsylvania law, a school district can “exercise eminent domain authority against property located within its geographic boundaries” for public use as long as it compensates the property owner.