Dear Reader,
Today is a different kind of update — a Black Friday edition, fitting for someone the Township has tried to cast as the “black sheep” of Valley Township. But here’s the thing about black sheep: we see what others ignore, we walk paths others won’t, and we do the work others are afraid to do.
Black Friday is about excess, consumption, and waste. But today, I want to talk about the opposite — how sheep reduce waste, strengthen communities, and perform disability-related work that’s federally protected under the ADA and FHA. And how Valley Township is choosing to spend your tax dollars fighting it.
The Black Sheep: A Symbol of Nonconformity — and of Truth
For generations, the “black sheep” was the one who didn’t fit in, the outlier, the one who saw things differently. But in agriculture, black sheep were essential — prized for their wool, their independence, and their ability to navigate terrain that other animals feared.
Today, on Black Friday, I’m owning that identity. If protecting disabled residents makes me the black sheep of Valley Township, then I’ll wear the wool proudly. Because black sheep aren’t the problem. Black sheep lead the flock when the world changes. And the world has changed.
Sheep Provide Legitimate, Documented Disability Accommodation
My sheep are not pets. They are not hobby animals. They perform a medically necessary function that supports disability management, reduces environmental triggers, replaces physically dangerous labor, and sustains the accessibility of my property. Under ADA and FHA rules, that places them in the category of “unusual service animals.”
Federal law is clear: if the work can’t be done by a dog and the animal performs a disability-related task, the municipality must evaluate that accommodation. Vegetation management can’t be done by a dog, but it can be done by sheep. That’s why they qualify.
Sheep Dramatically Reduce Waste — Unlike Black Friday
While today’s stores push excess and overconsumption, sheep do the opposite. They convert food scraps into nutrition, eliminate the need for chemical weed killers, reduce landfill contributions, and provide natural fertilizer. Essentially, they create soil health, not trash. It’s the opposite of Black Friday wastefulness.
ADA & FHA: Fighting This Will Cost Taxpayers Money
If the Township denies a valid disability accommodation, they risk federal complaints, legal action, and taxpayer-funded penalties. It’s a losing battle — legally and financially.
So ask yourself: do you want your tax dollars funding a discriminatory fight the Township cannot win? This isn’t about personal opinion. This is about federal law.
Black Friday Question: What Should Your Community Invest In?
A township can spend $0 and comply with the law, or spend tens of thousands fighting it. Which one sounds like good governance? Which one reflects the values of a community that cares about its people?
The Black Sheep Isn’t Backing Down
Just like black sheep lead the flock through terrain others avoid, I’m walking this path because it matters — for disabled residents, for civil rights, for the environment, and for the future of Valley Township.
I didn’t choose this title. The Township gave it to me. But today, on Black Friday, it carries a message: being the black sheep is only a problem when the flock is headed in the wrong direction.