Village to demolish house where woman died in fire

The apartment building on Russell Street is to be razed after an inspection is conducted.

SAUGERTIES, N.Y. >> The village has decided to hang onto to a vacant Montross Street property until it can be determine how to contact the person who donated the narrow parcel at the corner of Partition Street.

The decision to put off conducting an auction of the 0.06-acre parcel was made during a Village Board meeting Monday at which Mayor William Murphy said information from the village’s lawyer noted the donor would have to be asked if they wanted the property returned.

“The property was deeded to the village, and we cannot sell it unless the person who deeded it to us gives us written permission,” Murphy said.

“That person deeded to the village 40 years ago, and we don’t even know who they are,” the mayor said. “We don’t know where they live or even if they’re alive. So we can’t do anything until that person tells us we can sell it, or they have the right to take it back.”

The Ulster County GIS website reports the parcel has about 88 feet of frontage along Montross Street and is about 33 feet deep. The property has an assessed value of $41,000.

The board voted 5-2 in March to put the property up for auction with a starting bid of $10,000. In favor were Murphy and Trustees Brian Martin, Terry Parisian, Vince Buono, and Jeannine Mayer, while Trustees Donald Hackett and Jeff Helmuth were opposed.

Helmuth said there still were possible village uses for the parcel.

“Maybe that could be an electric charging station parking lot,” he said.

On Monday, the board voted 6-0, with Martin absent. to not move forward with the auction.