Man refused to keep yard tidy enough for town officials, sent to psychiatric hospital

Daily Record
Aug. 17, 2005

A 56-year-old homeowner who has been fined and jailed in recent months for failing to keep his property tidy is now in a state psychiatric hospital after he allegedly sent a threatening letter to a township official.

James Dvoretsky, who lives with his dog and five cats at 50 Perry St., was arrested about 8 p.m. last Wednesday in the Morris County Mall parking lot by Hanover police on charges of harassment, obstruction and terroristic threats. Police had issued a warrant for his arrest earlier in the day, according to Hanover's Lt. Mark Roddy.

Dvoretsky's bail was set at $25,000. Under a municipal judge's court order, Dvoretsky was sent to the psychiatric unit of St. Clare's Hospital and then was transferred to the Ann Klein Forensic Center in Trenton.

The 200-bed, secured hospital provides treatment to mentally ill people in the legal system, according to the New Jersey Department of Human Services.

John Dorsey, township attorney, said Tuesday night that he doesn't know how long Dvoretsky will be in the psychiatric facility.

"I don't think it's a specified term," Dorsey said. "If the evaluation discloses that he needs treatment, they would retain him for treatment."

Police said Dvoretsky sent a handwritten letter to the township administrator, Joseph Giorgio, demanding that the township stay off his property. He allegedly wrote in the letter, "Human lives depend on it."

Giorgio is out of the office this week.

Two weeks ago, public works employees, acting on an ordinance passed in July by the township committee, cleaned Dvoretsky's yard over a two-day period. The township plans to bill Dvoretsky for the cleanup and will put a lien against his property if he fails to pay.

Police reported they had no run-ins with Dvoretsky during the clean-up.

Dvoretsky told the Daily Record last week that he plans to sue the township for violating his civil rights and doing "vindictive sabotage" to his property during the cleanup.

He said township workers threw out valuable belongings, tore up his landscaping, knocked down fencing and damaged a shed at the rear of his home, among other things.

Dvoretsky also said the township owes him at least $10,000 for the damages. That's also the maximum amount township officials said he would be charged for the clean-up.