List of Incidents Concerning Bob Pickering/Daniel Johnson/Creigh Moffatt

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Important Notice as of June, 2011:

Entering and Leaving the Building, Please Exercise More than the Usual Caution!

Sadly, another announcement about our neighbors. Bob Pickering has been actively harassing Museum patrons for years now, and this week has been a rough one. Yesterday he started threatening our lives. We like to think the best of people, and we would also like to believe that all visitors to the Museum are completely safe. But in light of this weeks events (it seems we are calling the police about every other day!) we feel that it is necessary and proper to warn you all, Once Again,

*Stay away from our neighbors! 
*Don't engage them in Any Way! 
*Do not park on their property! and 
*Please carry a cell phone and be ready to use it, should you attend a Museum event. 

We are sorry, but we dont feel that the right of way between our buildings is a safe place to walk, please park on the street, and do not loiter on your way into our building. These are bias crimes that are directed against people of color and people perceived as gay or lesbian and have been reported several times to the State of Vermont Civil Rights Commission. Pete Shumlin has even called several times about this issue. But we have been told again and again that there is nothing we can do. We don't know how this could be so, but thats what we have been told. If you wonder why this has been allowed to happen, Museum officials and staff are not the ones to ask. Please address all inquiries and comments directly to Daniel Johnson and Criegh Moffat, 802.291.7080. The Hartford Police dispatch number is: 802.295.9425. More here http://www.mainstreetmuseum.org/wiki/index.php?title=List_of_Incidents_Concerning_Bob_Pickering/Daniel_Johnson/Creigh_Moffatt

Thanks and once again we are so, so sorry that this has been allowed to happen.

Parking—Please Notice!

Please Don't Do Business with the Guy with the Cap

VISITORS—PLEASE PARK ON THE STREET when attending our events. White River Junction is quite safe. Railroad Row is close by. Public parking lots are conveniently located by the Railroad Depot. Please do not park in our buildings riverside lot unless you are familiar with the parking situation here.

DO NOT PARK CARS ON THE SIDE OF OUR BUILDING, or on the adjacent "Stolen Bike Building", or the well-lighted Home Comfort Warehouse lot in back of the Museum! CARS WILL BE TOWED WITHOUT WARNING FROM OUR NEIGHBORS PROPERTY!

Bob Pickering wears a baseball style cap and both he and his wife have been abusive to Museum Patrons in the past. The museum has filed "Notice Against Trespass" papers against Mr. Pickering. Please alert museum staff if they are seen on museum property, or if they approach museum patrons. THE MAIN STREET MUSEUM TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACTIONS OF EITHER BOB OR ELIZABETH PICKERING
Daniel Johnson employs Mr. Pickering. In the event of trouble or concerns please report his actions directly to Mr. Johnson at design-build@valley.net, or 802.291.7080 or to the Hartford Police, 802.295.9425.

We're sorry for all the trouble —The Management.

The Incidents

To: The Hartford Police Department, Glenn Cutting, Police chief. List of Incidents involving Robert Pickering against visitors and residents of 58 Bridge St. WRJ. Nov. 2009:

For the past 5 years I have experienced numerous incidents of harassment from Robert Pickering and his partner Elizabeth. Mr. Pickering claims to be the “night-watchman” or “caretaker” for both the property of Daniel Johnson, 52 Bridge St (802-291-7080), and the stove company “Home Comfort Warehouse” adjacent to my property at 58 Bridge St. Over 20 people have complained to me, verbally or in writing during this period of being yelled at, touched inappropriately, threatened verbally while flashlight shone in their eyes, etc. while trying to enter my place of business. There are presently both tenants and students at the Cartoon School who do not use the right-of-way and therefor cannot park in my parking lot, due to their fears of being threatened by Bob.  His behavior interferes in a serious way, in the day to day conducting of my businesses, the Main Street Museum (a public venue with exhibits, live music and film events) and the Hartford Fire District One, LLC, the “Old Fire Station” consisting of 9 commercial and residential rental units. Female visitors to my Museum, at night, have been harassed--and touched inappropriately--in my parking lot and then followed into my building by Mr. Pickering. This behavior has resulted in my filing “Notice Against Trespass” papers against Mr. Pickering. His behavior has directly interfered with the peaceable enjoyment of my legal Right of Way between my property and the property of Daniel Johnson. I have been given no satisfaction from Mr. Johnson in this matter, who has ignored my emails, phone calls and certified letters about his employee. 

• 2003 – 2007: Repeated incidents of aggressive behavior toward tenants and visitors to 58 Bridge St. including: 
• 2003, A Hispanic worker on the renovation project at the Fire District One building was verbally threatened at least twice with racial epithets (a six-letter word beginning with the letter N). 
• 2004-6, Susan Thompson, working in her studio downstairs, verbally harassed by Mr. Pickering, her delivery trucks stopped and yelled at by Mr. Pickering. After several of these incidents, the Hartford PD were called to the scene. 
• 2005, Two women (civil union partners) were followed and harassed verbally while living in my 3rd floor apartment. 
• 2005, After several weeks of Mr. Pickerings complaints to me that my cat was “ruining” the neighborhood, and informing me that he could “break its neck” with his “bare hands” my cat was found, adjacent to my parking lot but in plan sight, with its neck broken. 
• 2007, My snow plow driver, Mike Bettis, informed me in Spring of 2008 that he could no longer work for me if Mr. Pickering continued to harass him verbally, and to compact the snow in the Right of Way with his small, very loud motorized sno-shovel. All of my downstairs tenants exterior doors, and my hallway exit on the first floor level were repeated piled with compacted snow by Mr. Pickering. 

On all of these occasions, Mr. Pickering’s yelling at my patrons is loud enough to be heard inside my building, with storm and regular windows both closed.  In 2007 I was assured from the Hartford PD, and Daniel Johnson that they had both contacted Mr. Pickering and informed him that he was no longer welcome to set foot on my property. 

More incidents: Spring and Summer, 2008:

• While advertising space for rent, two different potential renters of my downstairs studio (studio #4) report to me that they could not rent the studio, even for daytime use because of the presence of Mr. Pickering—who one described as the ”Guardian” of the right of way—directly outside of the double doors of this studio. 
• 30 August, 2008: Live music night at museum. Mr. Pickering approached several members of band and informs them that if they park in back of the Museum, on Museum property, their “tires will get slashed.” Mr. Pickerings yelling loud enough to be heard from inside the building and concerned Museum patrons. 
• 11 Oct, 2008: Wedding rehearsal dinner for family from NJ. They had rented the museum space and several members of the party were harassed, told they could not park in front of Daniel Johnson's building. They were visibly shaken after the encounter.
• 14 Oct, 2008: Film night at the Museum. A woman visiting the museum reports that Mr. Pickering ordered her to park in certain areas of Daniel Johnson's property, making her move her car three times. When she stepped out of her car, he approached her, informed her that if she parked in my parking lot her convertible top would get slashed. Mr Pickering then put his arms around the woman and “squeezed” her in an inappropriate manner. Later in the evening Mr. Pickering actually entered my building, following my visitor, asking to see the woman in question. This behavior has resulted in my filing “Notice Against Trespass” papers against Mr. Pickering, (see below). 
• 18th Oct. 2008: Visitors from New York City are told that they cannot use the right of way for drop-off parking, are yelled at and told to “move along!”. 
• 26th October: A Hispanic student at the nearby Center for Cartoon Studies was shouted at by Mr. Pickering with the following phrases, in a noticeably louder voice, again loud enough to be heard plainly from indoors, “What are you looking for? You wont find anything here. You better move along now. The Museum’s closed.” The Museum was, at the time, very much open, with all of our lights on. 
• First week of November, 2008. “Notice of No Trespassing” papers filed, Windsor County Court, by David Ford against Mr. Pickering. 

After this letter circulated in an email, another cartoon student came forward, having been harassed by Pickering. The student indicated that he, also, believed that he had been targeted because he is Hispanic. 

• 12th Feb. 2009: Mr. Pickering stands in right-of-way and physically prevented two tenants at 58 Bridge Street from using our back parking lot. 
• 24th April, 2009: In spite of verbal and written assurance that visitors to the Main Street Museum  could park on the adjoining property from Mr. Johnson, Mr. Pickering has cars towed from the neighboring properties of Daniel Johnson and the “Home Comfort Warehouse”. No warning is given before the cars are towed. One of the cars was towed from the right-of-way legally owned by the Hartford Fire District One, LLC., owner of the building at 58 Bridge Street. Mr. Pickering objected verbally to the bumper stickers on the car in question, which were pro-gay. The young woman owning the car was in tears when she returned to the Museum. Openly gay visitors to my building, and workers on the renovation project have subjected to anti-gay epithets from 2004 to the present. 
• May, 2009 (forward email from Lauran Emerson, White River Junction):

On the afternoon of May 17, 2009, two bicycles (my own and an abandoned bike that I had fixed up enough to be usable) were stolen from the front porch of my home in White River Junction. The next morning, on the advice of the police, I went to Robert Pickering's "Used Bikes for Sale" location at the storefront on Bridge St. My own bike was not on display, but the second bike which had been stolen from my porch was there, in the "for sale" lineup. I reported this to the police, leaving three different messages, but never heard back from them. A few days later, I returned to Robert Pickering's shop, described the bike which I had seen there earlier, and told him it had been stolen from my front porch. He said someone had left that bike in front of his store, he had found it when he came in to work, and he didn't know where it came from.  He had sold it. This man is selling stolen merchandise. -Lauran Emerson, 157 Latham Works Lane, WRJ 05001. BirdWorks @ home 157 Latham Works Lane White River Junction VT 05001 Phone - 802.359.6786 & @ Upper Valley Co-op, 193 N Main, WRJ - 802.295.5804

• Last week of June, 2009: Lauren Emerson’s bike was found. Mr. Pickering was riding it around town. Ms. Emerson is not sure she will press charges in the matter however. 
• 30th May, 2009: Mr Pickering walks across my parking lot, at least 30 feet over my property line, while teenaged girls were unloading their canoes from the “Northstar Canoe” van in my parking lot. Ria Blaas, at witness, and I, filled out papers for two officers of the Hartford PD at that time. The officers however, informed me that they could not arrest Mr Pickering at the time because:

1) Mr Pickering didnt trespass far enough onto my property (over 30 feet onto my property).
2) i didnt get a photograph of him doing it. Officer Rich was proceeding with the investigation of this matter until Daniel Johnson opened a property/boundary line dispute against me. At this time (June 25th 2009) Daniel Johnson initiates a boundary dispute, verbally, with me. He is, apparently contesting the boundary that we have walked over several times, without complaint from Mr. Johnson. Investigation of violation of no-trespass currently not proceeding due to Mr. Johnson’s—apparent—boundary dispute. I have yet to receive any concrete information from Mr. Johnson regarding this dispute. 

• 9 June, 2009: Noise complaint called into Hartford PD against Robert and Elizabeth Pickering and their friends at approx. 930 a.m. on account of the yelling and general noise making (from 730 a.m.) directly under my bedroom window, as is their habit. 
• 26th June, 2009: Bob Pickering involved in a fighting incident on South Main Street outside of C&S Pizza. Hartford PD respond. See CV Spectator 
• Last Week of July: My employee, Josh Fogg is harassed with racist hate speech while trying to utilize the right of way. 
• 28th September, 2009: 7 p.m. Mr. and Ms Pickering are directly under my bedroom window, beating their tiny dog and yelling obscenities at it. The dog apparently bit Ms. Pickering during this episode. 
• 1 Oct, 2009: While stopped, unfortunately in Mr. Pickerings parking lot, my elderly parents were frightened and aggressively harassed by Robert Pickering about their seat belts.
• 9 Nov, 2009, morning: Noise complaint filed with Hartford PD against Elizabeth Pickering who was screaming unintelligible things, as well as obscenities, in the right of way. 
• January, 2010: Mr. Pickering starts walking up to the Tucker Box window and confronting my roommate, Brandon, who has had no contact with Mr. Pickering, and making obscene gestures towards him with his middle finger. Mr. Pickering continues, to the present day, to greet my roommate with obscene gestures.
• January: Mr. Pickering dumps dirty snow on the Fire Station property, in violation of our "Notice of No Trespass" papers against him.
• January: Due to our neighbors' refusal to place appropriate signage on their property, I placed signage on the Fire Station driveway warning patrons not to park or trespass on our neighbors' property.
• 27th February: Hartford police are called, by our "next door neighbors" during the presentation of the Bread & Puppet Cabaret at the Main Street Museum. "Underage drinking" was investigated. During that presentation, there was no drinking of alcohol either by performers or patrons, anywhere on Museum property, and that this was found to be the case by the officer present. Call #10-HF 00755.
• March: Mr. Pickering and Elizabeth begin "hanging out" with their friends in front of their building, whenever Mr. Johnson's car is not parked in front.
• Winter/Spring, 2010: A Hartford High School teacher and his 12 year old daughter report that while, walking up the right-of-way here he was met by "Bob" Pickering. They were asked where they were going and "what business" they had being here. When they told Bob they were going into the Museum they got the following response. The teacher in question answered the following questions as politely as he could—all things considered. "What do you want to go in there for? Don't you know that the guy who runs that place is a fucking faggot?" "Are you a faggot too?" "Did you know that the fucking homo that runs that place is dealing hard drugs?" "You shouldn't be willing to take your daughter into a place like that—nothing but a big drug ring in there, and a bunch of faggots!"
• 18 May, 2010: A family of four from West Hartford visited the bike operation. They were young parents with 2 year old twins in strollers. After looking at bikes, they head over to the Museum. Mr. Pickering then stated that I was "a fucking queer homo" and that I was a "gay-boy" who had put up "gay-signs" (the signage telling patrons not trespass on our neighbors property) and told them I had stolen some flowers that he had planted. In the month of April he had also yelled at them and told them similar things about me.
• Summer of 2010: Police Chief Cutting is observed chatting with Robert Pickering. In spite of my repeated emails, phone calls and letters to the Hartford PD, Chief Cutting has never spoken to me about this matter. It was about this time that I stopped calling the Hartford PD and reporting these matters, as no resolution to the matter has ever occurred. I definitely encourage all my tenants, guests, patrons and friends to report any "Bob" incidents. This summer, my neighbors on South Main Street circulate a petition condemning the actions of "Bob" and Elizabeth Pickering. Over a hundred signatures are collected some of of the written evidence on this petition includes allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct with a child.
• 16 October, 2010: Daniel Johnson and Robert Pickering, from Daniels office, call the Hartford Police reporting underage drinking at the Main Street Museum's "Tuck Rock Dojo" rock concert featuring local high school students. Absolutely no drinking of alcohol was discovered on our property at that time. Four uniformed police officers presented a significant disruption of a very fun, really nice celebration, which had been rented for the evening. Record of call # is on file with the Hartford PD.
• 2011: Robert Pickering continues harassment of Museum patrons, yelling at them when they park in front of his building, and stalking the property line whenever we have live events. He also consistently spits and curses when passing me on the street, sometimes forming homo-phobic slurs with his lips, but not allowing himself to say "fucking faggot!" which is his usual greeting upon seeing me.
• May, 2011: Mr Pickering "finds" a bicycle belonging to Jacob Colby, who works at the Tip Top Building. Bob claims that local teenagers stole it. For some reason they offered it to Mr. Pickering.
• 17th June, 2011: Brandon Ellston, after enduring three years of harassment, my roommate has to call the Hartford PD on the obscenity-laced threats of "Bob" Pickering. In spite of the fact that Brandon is straight, he is, apparently perceived as a "fucking queer" by Mr. Pickering. Hartford police investigate, as usual. There is no follow-up with Brandon.

Officers Lyman and Rich of the Hartford PD has been of great assistance in this matter, but I would like to know what further steps I could take to enable my business to function in an orderly and peaceable fashion, without hindrance from these individuals. Many of my visitors are, frankly terrified upon arrival. I look forward to working with you on this matter. Thanks for you time, 

David F. Ford, 58 Bridge Street, White River Jct. 05001.  802.356.2776

Letters to my Neighbors, Pleading with Them to do Something About the Situation

Daniel Johnson Watershed Studios 54 Bridge St White River Junction VT 05001 12 June 2009 Mr Johnson. After over a year of ignoring my emails, attempts at direct conversation, voice mail messages and a certified mail letter, I was shocked to find you at my kitchen door yesterday morning, before I was fully awake. Your wish to schedule a business meeting at that time, when I was not in my office was extremely inappropriate. Your insistence that I join you for a business meeting at that time, for which I had had no prior warning—and while I was not yet in my street clothes—was bizarre. In the future, please do not attempt to enter the residence, or third floor, portion of my building for any reason unless personally invited by me. All business matters concerning me, my property or my businesses take place on the Museum office level—the second floor—of my building. As you are apparently engaging at this time in a property line/boundary dispute with me, I enclose a photocopy of the engineered plan, surveyed by Hathorn and Associates in 2003. This plan matches the town tax map of our property line and is the boundary that I have been familiar with over the past 7 years, that I have walked over with you on more than one occasion and is the boundary that I intend to continue to refer to and to honor. If you have any objections to this please let me know in certified letter form. Given your history of blocking access to my parking lot and use of my right of way, of locating parking spaces in my right of way, of towing the cars of my guests without the courtesy of a warning, of allowing the racial gender and sexual orientation harassment of my patrons and employees, and of completely ignoring my attempts at communication with you, I would prefer that all communication between us be through certified letter until I signify otherwise. I also enclose—yet again—the list of incidents involving your employees, received and signed for by you on 4/24/09 and never responded to. This list has been revised to include the statement of Birdie Emerson concerning her stolen bicycle and the latest noise complaint made against Robert and Elizabeth Pickering and their friends at approx. 930 a.m. on 9 June, 2009 (on account of the yelling and general noise making—from 730 a.m. on, directly under my bedroom window, as is their usual habit.) You will be hearing from my council shortly concerning the civil aspects of this matter.

David F Ford, 58 Bridge St. WRJ. 05001
 cc: Glenn Cutting Simon Dennis Tim Fariel Bill Mathewson Law Offices of Mark Melendy Todd Steadman

Another Letter, Sent Certified to Daniel Johnson and Criegh Moffat, Ignored by Them, April, 2009

Daniel Johnson 52 Bridge Street, 
White River Junction, VT 05001

Last friday, the 24th of April all cars that belonged to guests of the Museum that were parked on your property were threatened with towing by your employee and the town of Hartford’s towing service. At least one of the guests of the Main Street Museum had her car towed from the marked spaces in front of your tenants at “Everything Glass”. There was no attempt to call or come into my building and alert us before the towing occurred. During the towing incident she was subjected to harassment due to the pro-gay themes of several of her bumper stickers. The parking space lies within the boundaries of my right-of-way, between our buildings. The parking space in question has never been permitted by the town’s zoning office. And was installed without my consent. In spite of your verbal and written assurances that our guests can park on your property, as long as Robert Pickering is acting as your property manager, this seems involve a considerable inconvenience and harassment for Museum patrons seems — prohibitive to the conduct of my business. • There are, approximately 2 3/4s parking spaces in front of “Everything Glass that are in my right of way, and as you have never permitted these spaces through the Town of Hartford. Therefor either I, or my legal counsel will ask you to remove those spaces. • If cars are to be towed from your property, and/or our right-of-way, reasonable effort shall be made to alert my business patrons and guests before the towing occurs. • Mr. Pickering, your employee, has been informing my neighbors, other business people in town, and the Hartford Police, that I am operating a “drug ring” having “drunk parties” and dealing illegal drugs from the Museum. These claims fit the legal definition of slander and must immediately cease. • The yelling and braying from Robert and Elizabeth Pickering and their friends that occurs everyday from the front of your building, directly under my bedroom window, beginning at 8 a.m. each morning, shall immediately cease. • Snow blowing of your property shall not take place when there is not a significant amount of snow to remove. The noise of a small ill-tuned snow-blower makes it impossible for me to speak to people in my business, or to sleep at night, as the snow-blowing takes place directly outside of my bedroom window. • Full access to the rear of the building and my parking lot shall at all times be granted to my tenants and visitors. (your claim that “snow removal” should prevent people from accessing my parking lot is not feasible. This “maintenance” occurs, all day and night, between 8 a.m. and 1 a.m., from November to April, whether there is snow or not. Mr. Pickering will not inform potential visitors to the Museum that we are closed. Especially when we are not closed. • No customers, visitors, tenants, friends, students or any other individual entering or leaving my building shall be approached by Robert or Elizabeth Pickering in any way. • No prospective tenants shall not be harassed by the Pickerings and scared away from renting my property.

I direct that my legal counsel immediately take all necessary measures to insure, through the actions of the civil court, that my tenants, patrons, visitors and friends have access to my parking lot and to my building.

David F. Ford, Dir., Hartford Fire Dist. One and Main Street Museum
58 Bridge St, WRJ, 05001�

Yet Another Letter, Sent to Daniel Johnson and Criegh Moffat, and Ignored by Them

Mr Johnson:  I enclose an updated list of incidents, which still continue, featuring Robert and Elizabeth Pickering against the visitors and residents of 58 Bridge St., my place of business and my home. This includes the latest racial incident, in July, 2009, against my employee, an incident in October involving my elderly parents, and the incident of animal cruelty which they committed against their tiny dog, under my bedroom window, yelling obscenities, the last week of September, 2009.  Matt Bucy also informs me that, before the Halloween Parade, you informed him that we could park one of our musicians cars in your parking lot, if the need arose, during the festivities. You should know that for the duration of the Halloween event, Mr. Pickering parked bicycles across the parking lot and would not allow anyone to park there. So, same old story. You say we can park there. Bob says we cant. I am following Bob's lead in this matter. Hes the "man in charge"  Meanwhile, Winter is approaching and I dread the continuation of last years snow "maintenance" if Mr. Pickering is allowed to perform it.  --An undersized, noisy machine operating at high decibels directly under my bedroom and office windows from apprx 5 a.m. to 2 a.m., whether there is snow or not.  --My tenants being denied access to the right-of-way anytime Mr. PIckering is performing "maintenance" on any part of the property. I need to wear earplugs in order to sleep while this "maintenance" is being conducted, and as Mr Pickering appears to suffer from virulent Attention Deficit Disorder, this noise, and also the pollution from that engine, is virtually continuous, throughout the winter months, regardless of the need for snow removal.  The Pickerings continue to "hang out" with their friends on the front steps of the building--always when you are not present, usually in the early morning hours. And the honking of horns continues. Apparently there is a local taxi driver who believes they must blow their horn every time they drive by the PIckerings bike "operation". Ive taken down the license number. As this is annoying to both me and my tenants, and highly unprofessional for any business, I will report this to the police, unless you take action immediately to prevent this noise.  In the meantime, my lawyer and your lawyer have tried to set up a meeting—is it four or five times now? And each time you have not followed thru with these plans. You thereby demonstrate that you have as much interest in resolving this matter as you have in being a responsible property, and business, owner. Why not just put down in writing what you intend to do about these issues? It doesn't have to be a certified letter to me. I need to send certified letters to you, to protect myself, my building, my tenants and my businesses; but that is not necessary from you. Any communication at all from you would be a start in preventing me from taking further, necessary actions against you.  Ban the PIckerings from you property and I will have some reason to believe that you take this issue seriously.  Please respond in some way instead of just ignoring these letters. I now count five certified letters sent from me or my council to you, and you have not yet responded. Why?  Quite aside from degrading the quality of the neighborhood, and lowering the value of both retail space and the tax-base in the area--your retail space and signage associated with the bike "operation" which takes up most of the first floor of your building does not meet town zoning code. I will report this, and other aspects of your building that are not in compliance, if I havent heard from you in 10 days. 

David Fairbanks Ford 58 Bridge St, White River Jct., VT, 05001  
802.356.2776  dff@mainstreetmuseum.org