‘Move To Florida:’ Neighbor Charged With Setting Fires At PA Mayor’s House

YORK COUNTY, PA — A woman faces arson charges for setting multiple fires at a Pennsylvania mayor’s home earlier this week, and neighbors said the two had argued over trash pickup on their street.

Police in Spring Grove went to the home of Mayor Beverly R. Hilt on Monday at 7:30 a.m. to find three fires had been set around her home, according to reports from PennLive and WHTM-TV.

The fires were set against a screen door, on the side porch, near a detached garage, and underneath a gas meter at the mayor's home in the York County borough, the reports said.

Hilt was not home when the fires were lit, officials said.

Investigating officers found pieces of black garbage bags and pink insulation around Hilt’s home, and the Pennsylvania State Fire Marshal’s office responded to the scene and determined the fires had been intentionally set, according to WHTM.

Officials also spoke to neighbors who said they saw a woman come into her yard, PennLive reported. Witnesses further told police that Diane Oberdick, who lived up the block, had an ongoing feud with Hilt over her trash not being picked up, the report added.

According to court records, officials charged Oberdick, 69, with two felony counts of arson, a felony charge of risking catastrophe, and misdemeanor charges including recklessly endangering another person, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct.

Court documents show Oberdick was seen on video entering the mayor’s yard with two bags of material used to start the fire, according to WHTM.

Oberdick had already been arrested and charged in June for setting three other fires along the street — and placing two oxygen tanks in Hilt's back yard against the gas meter, the reports said.

She was also seen dumping trash in front of Hilt’s garage in July, then leaving a note telling her to “move to Florida” in a written note, as PennLive reported.

She is being held on a $100,000 bail, court documents show.