'They're not bothering anybody': South Milwaukee man fights to keep year-round skeleton decorations despite threat of fines
CBS 58 SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A South Milwaukee man is pledging to keep two giant skeletons up in his yard despite the city threatening fines if they don’t come down.
The city says they violate municipal code because they’re out of season.
The homeowner argues they’re not hurting anyone.
Sean Oster has addressed other issues that were also cited, but for now, he’s not budging on the skeletons.
If they don’t come down by July 7, he could be facing hefty fines.
Oster told us, "The big ones are Hector and Henrietta."
It’s easy to spot the Oster house as you drive down N. Chicago Avenue in South Milwaukee.
For the past two years or so, Sean and his wife have dressed two giant skeletons and a smattering of friends to match the season.
Oster said, "Usually it's someone with kids that wants to come up and get a picture with them. That's what they're there for."
But the city of South Milwaukee sees them as strictly Halloween decorations and says they need to come down because they’re out of season.
"People bring their kids here for Halloween every year. For Halloween, I run a fog machine and completely cover the county highway here. Two inches," Oster said
It stemmed from a citizen’s complaint.
City staff reviewed the property and identified several issues.
The city administrator shared with us a letter sent to Sean that notes the following violations:
- Junk, tires, and gas-powered equipment stored in the back yard
- And two non-operable vehicles stored on the property
Sean moved the cars into the garage a few days ago and cleaned the rest of the items from the yard.
But for now, he’s drawing a line on the “Large Halloween decorations being displayed not during appropriate time of year.”
"This is the definition of a victimless crime to me. Come on. They're not bothering anybody," he said.
The letter notes non-compliance could result in a court appearance and “fines up to $500 per day.”
The city administrator told us, “The City's goal is to achieve voluntary compliance.”
For now, Oster is waiting. "We'll see where it goes. I don't think I'll end up in jail."
That's very unlikely. Even the fines are just a possibility.
Neighbors didn’t want to go on camera while we were there, but people next door and across the street said Sean is a nice guy, and they hope the skeletons can stay.
