An anonymous, though nonetheless concerned, reader left me a voicemail complaining about an eyesore. And it wasn’t a tree, praise be.

“I’m calling to report an old boarded-up house across the street from Spring Harbor on River Road. It looks terrible. And we pay over $3,000 a month to live here and look at that mess. Would you please look into it?”

How am I supposed to look into a house if the windows are boarded up?

I rode out and had a look, and it certainly does qualify as an eyesore. Behind very overgrown shrubbery sits an old white frame house with a sagging, crumbling front porch. The paint is falling off the place, the roof is a mess and the windows have plywood nailed over them.

There are no house numbers, but I believe it’s at 6940 River Road and is one of three adjacent lots owned by builder John Cargill, of Cargill Design Build Remodel Inc., a guy who is known for quality, high-end work.

But he’s apparently a man of few words.

He confirmed that it is his property, and I asked if he had plans to do anything about it.

“No.”

You’re not concerned about it being an eyesore in the neighborhood?

“No.”

Anything you’d like to add while we’re talking?

“No.”

Rebecca Wiggins, property maintenance inspector with the city, said she would take a look at it and see if it’s a candidate for demolition.

While we’re on the subject of this neck of the woods, I feel compelled to point one thing out.

Cargill owns three adjacent lots in that stretch of River Road, one of which is headquarters of his construction and remodeling business. In all, that land is appraised for just a shade under $200,000 and he pays about $3,290 in property taxes on it, according to city tax records.

Across the street is Spring Harbor, the posh retirement community where our Concerned Reader and many others pay $3,000 a month to live.

That property is appraised at more than $58.8 million dollars. The Medical Center Authority, which owns Spring Harbor, pays no taxes. None. The city claims the authority should pay taxes on that property; the authority says it is exempt. So the two entities are currently making boat payments for a gaggle of lawyers as they hash that out.

Meanwhile, Cargill’s house may be ugly, but at least he pays his taxes.

Update

Remember Wanda Sue Thompson? She’s the lady from Oakland Park who likes to walk her dog in the woods behind Oxbow Meadows.

She’s the one who reported people illegally dumping trash in the woods back there.

I wrote about it in October and Deputy City Manager David Arrington told me the city would send out a crew.

Then a while back, she called to report that nothing had been done, but the city assured me they were just waiting for winter so the foliage would be easier to see through and work around.

Well, Wanda called last week to tell me that she was out walking and noticed that the city has started (but has not finished) cleaning up the illegal dumps.

Thanks, city. But don’t stop now.

Seen something that needs work, besides that shiftless guy who married your cousin? Contact me at mowen@ledger-enquirer.com or 706-571-8571.