New Urbana board starts eviction process again

May 01, 2012 at 03:45 pm by Observer-Review


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New Urbana board starts eviction process again

    KEUKA LAKE—The Urbana town board, with new members elected last year, are starting the court process again for eviction of the Keuka Maid.
    Urbana Supervisor John Webster, who started this year, said the last court date for the eviction was in December 2011. Webster explained the judge said he was unable to hear any charges and no decision was made at that time. He added the town board has to “start all over,” but no future court date has been set yet. Webster said the town board has decided to remove the boat from the dock through the court process.
    Following federal safety changes in 2006, the Keuka Maid was unable serve commercially because the owner, Robert Pfuntner, did not complete an inspection. Pfuntner 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 added 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.
    At the April Barrington town meeting, board member Ken Christensen Jr. remarked on a recent meeting attended by other Keuka Lake officials. He said the town of Milo doesn’t want the boat here and he called it a “public safety issue.” Christensen said the boat causes a direct line of sight issue.
    “It’s like a junked car. Only I could get rid of a junked car easier,” said Christensen.

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