Ryley man sells home to pay $4,000 village painting bill – elder advocacy group calls it “virulent, ongoing elder abuse”

A Ryley resident’s cause has been taken up by the Elder Advocates of Alberta Society (1992) after he was forced to sell his house to pay a $4,000 bill from the village for painting his house.

Bill Yarmovich will have to move out of his house in Ryley within two weeks. The closing date for the sale is Feb. 21. He said this was done to pay the Village of Ryley’s bill, which could not be paid any other way.

Yarmovich had been ordered by the bylaw officer to paint his house. Yarmovich started to paint it but at 86 years of age found it difficult. He got a third of the painting completed after falling and breaking a couple of ribs.

He asked to have more time to complete the job, but the village got the house painted and charged him $4,000, including interest. He was also charged $180 for cutting grass.

Yarmovich was directed to appear at Ryley Village Council Feb. 7.

The Elder Advocates of Alberta Society contacted the Village of Ryley to inform… for more see the Feb. 14/17 Mercury