By JOSHUA THOMAS

C-S-E Editor

CANAJOHARIE — During the Village Board of Canajoharie’s monthly meeting Tuesday, Mayor Francis Avery discussed the status of condemned Mill Street properties, noting that although the village has tried diligently to acquire the condemned buildings with the goal of removing them before they fall into the Canajoharie Creek, “the project is stalled.”

“We are all aware of the condemned buildings on MIll Street,” began Avery, continuing, “There they sit, and they will eventually end up in the creek.”

The property in question, dilapidated, basically propped up on sticks visible from the White Park side of the Canajoharie Creek, is privately owned. The owner has not paid taxes on the property since 2006.

Avery said that the village has created a paper trail proving that they’re trying to keep the buildings as secure as possible, although he said, “we are limited in what we can do because it’s private property.”

He also spoke of a failed plan wherein the board originally hoped the village could purchase the buildings for $1, so that when the village of Canajoharie officially owned the buildings, they could hire Montgomery County to come in and remove them at an affordable rate (possible a few thousand dollars, said Avery). He then hoped the board could approach the Arkell Hall Foundation for funding to fence off the area and turn it into a much-needed downtown playground.

The county has been paying school, village and town taxes on the condemned buildings, said Avery, and while they’ve agreed to forgive those taxes in the future, they requested that the village reimburse all taxes they’ve paid since the owner stopped paying in 2006. That figure is approximately $10,000.

Avery stated, “we don’t have an extra $10,000 laying around, so unfortunately, as far as I can see, the project is stalled.”

He concluded, “I admit, I have apprehensions about what will happen when that building falls in the creek ... We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

The board also discussed, with Code Enforcement Officer Cliff Dorrough, the apartment complex on the corner of Barclay Street. The property was condemned by Dorrough, and the new owners have made an effort to bring the buildings up to code at an expedient rate. “We got lucky that the place did not sit there empty. We don’t want any buildings sitting empty in this village anymore,” said Dorrough.

Avery noted that the Barclay Street project has been a positive for the village, as Dorrough has successfully worked “with landlords — not against them.”

During Tuesday’s meeting, the village board also decided to install new signage at the entrance to Wintergreen Park and at the Boiling Pot entrance on Floral Avenue. Police Chief Leonard Price approached the board and informed them that Floral Ave. currently has no signage regarding creek rules. Any signs posted at  Wintergreen Park are “old and outdated”, he said, stating that he fears nobody will see them.

One major concern is keeping unregulated drinking out of the park, as it often leads to people acting reckless, including jumping from the deadly Wintergreen Falls.

The village board decided it was a good idea to install the signage, which will state that alcohol is not allowed in the park, except at the upper pavilion, and only with proper permits. The signs will be printed in both English and Spanish.