CPA launches one-man war against Clinton over zoning violation

March 11--CLINTON -- Start with two well-known residents with penchants for publicity.

Blend in one of those resident's battle with city officials over alleged zoning infractions.

Simmer and spice with the start of a political season that'll only get hotter.

It's the perfect recipe for a small-town kerfuffle, a tempest in a teapot.

In other words, much ado about relatively little.

Still, this ruckus has Clinton officials adopting a wary, arms-length approach, and the city judge stepping away from an upcoming court case involving the matter.

Certified Public Accountant Ted "Teddy" Davis is waging a one-man war against the city over being cited for a codes violation that alleges he's illegally been living in a camper behind his house.

Davis lives on the city's main drag -- Charles Seivers Boulevard -- next-door to Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank and across the street from Clinton Police Chief Rick Scarbrough.

Davis claims a neighbor told the city he'd been living in the camper.

That's forbidden by city code. Davis said he only stayed in the camper a few days last summer while his refinished floors were drying.

He became distressed when a city official showed up last month armed with a citation summoning him to City Court to answer the alleged zoning violation.

That came after a certified letter was mailed to him about the infraction. Davis says he never received it. The returned letter carries a printed message from the U.S. Postal Service stating it was refused.

After receiving the summons, Davis fought back and set up a tent draped with an American flag in his front yard.

While giving the impression on Facebook that he was sleeping inside it, Davis says he hasn't done so. He says he's instead sleeping on a cot in his front yard.

Davis said he has since received another letter, this time from the police chief, stating that he can't live in the tent.

Out front, next to the busy highway, he's erected a sign: "City of Clinton has violated my constitutional rights!"

"This is my property," Davis said. "I want to show the city I can sleep anywhere on my property if I want to."

Enter the political side of this brouhaha.

Davis claims the city didn't start harassing him until staunch conservative Phil Harber, running for Anderson County chancellor, named him as his campaign treasurer.

Said Harber: "It appears this is retaliation for him becoming my campaign treasurer."

The plot gets thicker. The city judge who signed the zoning violation citation is Mike Farley, one of Harber's opponents in the May 6GOP primary for chancellor.

Farley has now recused himself from hearing the case when it comes to City Court on March 18, and a special judge will be appointed.

Both Davis and Harber have colorful backgrounds. Several years ago, Davis lambasted a local insurance office for canceling his homeowners' insurance policy by picketing on Main Street for several days while holding a sign castigating the company.

Harber used to publish a vitriolic free monthly newspaper, "The Eye of the Fire," where he sharply criticized local officials, including current Chancellor Bill Lantrip.

And several years ago Harber received a $95,000 settlement over an incident in which he allegedly caused a dust-up during a Clinton City Council meeting and was jailed for three hours.

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