Jury: Keuka Maid is a 'squatter'

    URBANA—A jury ruled that the Keuka Maid, owned by Robert Pfuntner, is a squatter in the town of Urbana court, Monday, July 23.
    Urbana Justice William Hewson explained the trial between Pfuntner, the defendant, and the town of Urbana lasted from 8 a.m. until just after 6 p.m. on Monday.  The town of Urbana has been trying to evict the boat, which used to pay rent for the dock on Keuka Lake.  Following federal safety changes in 2006, the Keuka Maid was unable serve commercially because the owner did not complete an inspection.  A crew even tried to move the boat, under Pfunter’s instruction, to the former Sarrasin’s Restaurant in Penn Yan, November of 2010.
    Hewson explained that action factored into the jury’s verdict.  He said even before the boat was removed from the dock, the lease had already been terminated.  He added, “when (the dock) was abandoned, the town took action to take it back.”  A barge was placed at part of the dock.  The Yates County Sheriff’s Department ordered the Keuka Maid back to Urbana, but Hewson said the boat re-docked without the town’s permission.
    “Never having given permission to return to dock, (the Keuka Maid) was found by the jury to be a squatter,” said Hewson.
    Now, both sides will have until Aug. 6 to submit memorandums of law to the court for the final verdict.  Hewson said the court will make its verdict on Friday, Aug. 10.  He added there are still clarifications from previous legal standings that need to be resolved before the ruling.
    Town Supervisor John Webster said, “Obviously we’re pleased to have a verdict they are a squatter.”  However, he added that until the Aug. 10 verdict the town will not know what course to take in the eviction process.  He also said Pfuntner has the chance to appeal the decision.
    Pfuntner previously had an agreement with the town allowing the boat to remain at the dock that was extended each month until June, 2009. After that last extension, the Urbana town board filed for eviction proceedings. Webster previously said  that since there is no longer any agreement, the board has forgone charging or fining the boat for being there.
    Eviction and trespassing notices were filed by the board in January 2011, after the Keuka Maid attempted to dock in Penn Yan. The Yates Sheriff’s boat escorted the Keuka Maid back to Urbana. Pfuntner appealed the town’s eviction, sending the case to Steuben County court. Steuben County Deputy Clerk Jennifer Bailey said the court ordered, Oct. 3, 2011, that trespassing should be removed from the charges.