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PUBLIC AGENDA

THURSDAY , JUNE 9

Montgomery Town Board Audit / Work Session , 7 p . m . Town Government Center , 110 Bracken Road , Montgomery .

MONDAY , JUNE 13

Town of Montgomery Planning Board , 7:30 p . m . Town Government Center , 110 Bracken Road , Montgomery .

TUESDAY , JUNE 14 Pine Bush Board of Education 7 p . m ., Pine Bush High School .

WEDNESDAY , JUNE 15

Shawangunk Zoning Board of Appeals , 7 p . m . Town Hall , 14 Central Ave ., Wallkill Village of Walden Planning Board , 7:30 p . m . Village Hall , 1 Municipal Square .

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OFFICE : 300 Stony Brook Court Newburgh , N . Y . 12550

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The Wallkill Valley Times , ( USPS 699-490 ) is a weekly newspaper published every Wednesday at Newburgh , N . Y . 12550 , with offices at 300 Stony Brook Court , Newburgh , N . Y . . Single copy : $ 1 at newsstand . By mail in Orange , Ulster or Sullivan Counties : $ 40 annually , $ 44 out of county . Periodicals permit at Newburgh , N . Y . POSTMASTER : Send address changes to Wallkill Valley Times , 300 Stony Brook Court , Newburgh , N . Y . 12550

According to Gregorio and her neighbors , rats are only one of the many problems they are facing due to the abandoned properties in their secluded cul-de-sac off Route 52 , just outside the village of Walden .

They told the town board that one home has been vacant since an elderly woman was found dead inside last year . According to neighbors , her body lay undiscovered in the home for two weeks . Dog feces covered the floors . A window was left open and the house has been sitting ever since . Neighbors say the smell from the home , surrounded in overgrowth and infested with rats , is noxious .

Some of the foul odor also comes from the in-ground pool , which is filled with black water and possibly dead critters . Neighbors complain of frogs and mosquito swarms .

Shannon Fisher , a neighbor who is employed by Orange County ’ s Division of Emergency Management , said that cleaning up the pool will require full hazmat suits . She warned the town board that the pool threatened the health of not only those on Houtman Drive , but those in the neighboring village of Walden should the black water begin leaking from the pool and infiltrate the local water supply .

Lauren and Timothy Hendrickson , who also live on Houtman Drive , expressed concern for local children as the properties and their pools are not secured , and explained that the dilapidated homes invite criminal activity . They said the area has seen a recent increase in police calls .

According to the residents , approximately 20 percent of the homes on Houtman Drive are abandoned and only two see at least periodic mowing by the banks that own them , causing the property values of the rest of homes to plummet in response .

Fisher said her home was appraised in 2013 , after the “ housing bubble burst ” and since then she has invested $ 75,000 in the home . Yet , when she had it assessed just a few days before the town board meeting , it was appraised for $ 20,000 less than when she purchased the home .

“ It ’ s because of the properties around us ,” said Fisher .

Gregorio added that she used to be proud of her town of Montgomery home , located on a nice cul-de-sac with great schools , but she is now “ embarrassed ” by the state of the neighborhood .

“ I have a nice home . I want to be proud of my house ,” said Gregorio .

Wallkill Valley Times , Wednesday , June 8 , 2016

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Houtman Drive home with overgrown brush .

Residents stated they have made numerous complaints to the building inspector , but all he is able to do is send a letter . If there is no response , all that can be done is another letter .

“ I think we ’ re all just a little bit frustrated ,” said Timothy Hendrickson .

Fisher told the board that rather than just come with a problem , they also brought possible solutions and the promise of support . She urged the board to work with Orange County on developing a list of banks and their contractors for maintenance of foreclosed properties , to study other municipalities ’ efforts in the state and reach out to the local land bank .

She also called the board ’ s attention to a bill recently passed by the NYS Assembly and currently before the Senate , the “ Abandoned Property Relief Act of 2016 .”

The bill , if made law , would require the loan servicer to maintain the property , even while in “ pre-foreclosure ” and perform periodic inspections to determine if the property was abandoned . It would allow local municipalities and the attorney general to enforce the maintenance requirements and create a statewide registry of abandoned residential properties , as well as a toll-free hotline for the public to report properties .

As of 2014 , according to the Attorney General ’ s office , there were 16,701 zombie properties in New York State .

“ Years after the housing crash , too many New York communities are still stuck in the crisis of foreclosed , abandoned zombie homes ,” said Attorney General Eric T . Schneiderman in a statement that applauded the Assembly ’ s move . “ These abandoned homes drag down property values , burden local code enforcement and threaten the safety of the neighboring communities . I call on the Senate to follow suit and finally get the zombie crisis behind us .”

Fisher asked the town board to pass a resolution of support , saying it would be

Julie Gregorio

an easy step that would not only support the state ’ s efforts to resolve the problem , but encourage other municipalities as well .

“ We just want you to be tough . We ’ ll back you ,” said Gregorio , adding that the residents in the neighborhood are very willing to work with the town .

Supervisor Mike Hayes said the town board would have to look into the issue and consult with the town attorney .

In other business , the board approved an inter-municipal agreement with Walden so that each municipality is covered when their building inspector is on vacation or otherwise absent . The agreement is to be simply a shared service , with no fee .

The town board also agreed to provide an additional $ 3,000 to the Village of Montgomery Recreational Program , to help with increased costs due in part to a large increase in campers , many from Maybrook . The recreation director and his assistant attended the town board meeting , explaining that they had expanded the program to seven weeks and had to close registration , as they are already maxed out on the number of campers for this summer .

“ We just grew so big , so fast ,” said Montgomery Deputy Mayor Joann Scheels . “ It kind of snuck up on us .”

In order to take on the additional campers , they needed to increase staff and supplies , which brought their budget up to $ 155,000 . The cost to families for one child for four weeks is $ 350 , with a discount for additional children .

“ The only way we could make it up with the increase in minimum wage was to increase the registration fee ,” said Recreation Director Tom Taylor .

The town board noted that the last time they increased funding to the program was 2009 and agreed to increase the town ’ s contribution to $ 21,000 per year .