City removes Native American artifacts and religious items from home because they violated the city's clean yard law, tells couple they were sent a notice but it went to the wrong address Mack Covey and his wife Merla were surprised one morning to find strangers in their backyard, taking things without notice, with not even a knock on the front door.
"Bottom line my freedom of religion was violated big time," Covey says, "The door to the teepee was taken and the buffalo robe."
"That was my teepee, which was an actual church," he says of the items' importance, "We've had ceremony here in it."
Other non-religious items like umbrellas and cleaning poles were also taken, in total about $2300 worth of things Covey wants back.
"I just want what's fair," Covey says, "The monetary means to replace the items they blatantly stole. We weren't notified, bottom line."
TV6 spoke with Alderman Bill Boom today who says a notice was sent, but to the wrong address. He tell us the city was notified when a neighbor complained, citing items in the backyard, both religious and non-religious, as an environmental hazard. The city sent workers in to clean up what they call 'debris,' but Covey disagrees.
"It'd be like me going into one of the churches here in town and taking a cross," he says, "That's how much significance it has to me."
The couple and their supporters have contacted public works and city aldermen, who have come to sort out the issue at the couple's home. Officials say they're working on a resolution.
"The workers I'm sure did not know what they took," Covey says, "This is as important as life and death itself."
An attorney for the city tells us the yard is in violation of an environmental ordinance that says residents have to keep your lawns clean and clear of debris. City officials say they've apologized to the couple and they're in the process of paying them back so they can replace the items gone.
City Removes Religious Items Off Property - KWQC-TV6 News and Weather For The Quad Cities -
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