News

July 25, 2007

Wilkes-Barre evicts man, claims books are fire hazard

John Puchniak consolidates, but claims he cannot get inspectors to return.

WILKES-BARRE – John Puchniak quite literally lives in a sea of books.

He reads constantly except when he’s haunting bookstores, libraries and, when he’s able to get there, the Philadelphia bookstore that he co-owns. He filled his house with about 3,000 texts until it was repossessed by the bank, which agreed to move them all to an apartment Puchniak rented on North Main Street specifically because there was plenty of storage space.

For about a month and a half, though, Puchniak has had to shuttle his papery world to the Red Carpet Inn on Kidder Street because his apartment was condemned after city code enforcement officers said the books were a fire hazard.

During a routine yearly inspection, one that Puchniak had passed since he moved there in 2002, he was given three days to clean, but no indication about what needed to be done. Boxes and bags of books were everywhere, so he began reorganizing.

When Puchniak’s landlord, Caroline Lawson, city code enforcement officers Frank Kratz and Joann O’Donnell and city fire inspector Bill Sharksnas returned on June 1, the apartment was condemned, according to Puchniak’s attorney, Jim Hayward.

O’Donnell then indicated Puchniak needed to “get rid of the books” before it would be habitable again, Hayward said.

Certainly not an option for Puchniak, he began further consolidating his collection, clearing his two flights of stairs, the landings in between and pathways to most radiators.

Fight not first one

But the inspectors haven’t returned and claim Lawson must request the re-inspection. Hayward said his appeals to her have fallen on deaf ears. On June 4, she ordered Puchniak out. By July 2, she had filed a complaint in District Court. About two weeks later, Puchniak’s lease was revoked and he was saddled with nearly $1,000 in fees, court costs and past-due rent.

Lawson, who is from Dalton, refused to comment.

Kratz said he must receive clearance to speak about the situation from city solicitor William Vinsko because Hayward has filed and received a court order to re-inspect. Vinsko didn’t return calls, and Kratz didn’t call back.

Despite the court order, Hayward said he has received no indication regarding when the re-inspection will happen.

It’s not the first time Puchniak has had to enter a legal fight to save his home. In 1995, he agreed to allow two men he knew to use a house he owned as collateral for a business loan. Several years later, the men quit paying on the loan, and Puchniak eventually lost his house. His legal efforts compelled the bank to move his belongings to his current apartment.

Puchniak concedes the place looks “more like a warehouse than a home,” but says Lawson has seen it before, smiled and told him to do “whatever makes you happy.” He said medical issues have prevented him from organizing the books before, but he now has more time. The situation has “so spooked” him that he retired early.

He had hoped to get in shape in the upcoming months, but has scratched those plans while the fate of his home is in question.

“Trying to save my home is more important than losing weight right now,” he said.

Complicating the problem, he has spent all of his savings on the motel accommodations and has no money to appeal the inspection, much less pay the judgment against him.

Hayward took on the case pro bono after hearing Puchniak’s story because he felt the city should be spending tax money cracking down on the plethora of drug houses, problem tenants and eyesores rather than a quiet 59-year-old man who desires little more than to retire into his world of historical tomes, texts comparing religions, cookbooks and a drink at Senunas’ bar.

“Their (the city’s) priorities are wrong. This is not the guy they should be going after,” he said. “The average person may not agree with how John stores his books, but does that mean it’s wrong?”

Rory Sweeney, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7418.

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