By Mike Pettinella
For Video News Service
Attorneys for the owner of the former Stafford Trading Post and the Town of Stafford returned to the Genesee County Court Facility on Thursday morning in an ongoing effort to settle the opposing parties’ dispute over code violations.
David Roach, representing the town, and Chad Hummel, advocating for James Pontillo, met for about 90 minutes with a law clerk outside of the Genesee County Supreme Court courtroom.
Roach, speaking to Video News Service, said he did not want to negotiate through the press.
He did say that “we’ve made a lot of progress” toward checking off items on the town’s lengthy list of code violations of the old building. He said the parties will continue to talk and hopefully will reach an agreement prior to the next scheduled court date of Feb. 20.
Video News Service reached out to Hummel via a phone call and email.
(Photos from December 4th)
Previously, Roach reported that the 134-year-old structure, which was built as the Odd Fellows Hall, could remain vacant while Pontillo worked on the items cited by the town.
According to the New York State Property Maintenance Code, the building can remain vacant as long as it is not a blight or a threat to anyone’s safety.
Speaking by telephone on Thursday afternoon, Pontillo said he is willing to abide by the town’s mandate concerning painting, siding and concrete, but is seeking to start that work in mid- to late-April, not in the middle of winter.
“They’re saying it all needs to be done in four months or we’re going to trial,” he said. “It’s not feasible to do painting, siding, roofing and concrete work in this weather.”
Pontillo said he plans to go to Code Enforcement Officer Gene Sinclair’s office on Dec. 31 to obtain permits for him to be able to do “some prep work.”
“There are some things I can do. I can build some forms, I can take the old deck that’s not being used in the back, move some stairs around,” he said. “There are some things I can do, and we’re going to do those things, which don’t require a permit.
“And there will be some things that will require a permit and that’s why I’m going to see Mr. Sinclair on the 31st at 9 a.m.”
Pontillo said the engineer that he hired, Matthew Hume, has inspected the building and determined that it is safe.
According to communication from Hume to Pontillo, the 11 columns that the town has had concerns about “are sufficient enough to support the loads from the first floor and the building is not currently at risk of structural failure due to these columns.”
“And beyond that, abandonment (another town concern) is no longer an issue,” Pontillo said.
Pontillo said he will be doing the work by himself.
“I do good work; I’m taking my time, but what they’re trying to do is push me to a deadline that I can’t meet so I have to hire somebody so that it costs me three times as much,” he offered.
The Town of Stafford seems now to have a lawyer willing to go to court for code violations. (in past years years we the residents were told the town lawyer we had would not handle them ?? )
There are a few that have many code violations and people living in them well before the Sale of the corner building, when asked about those … we are told “it’s a process” . Lawyer does not want to negotiate in the press? Stafford residents and anyone taxpayer that drives by there , or has visited the businesses there when it was operating should have the right to know the truth in all of this.