MAMAKATING – Town Supervisor Peter Goodman confirmed Tuesday night that the Town of Mamakating is actively working with state housing representatives to address concerns about conditions at the Horizons Senior Center.

At the February 3 Town Board meeting, residents raised issues about ongoing maintenance and management at the privately owned facility. Complaints included past reports of mold and pests, general building upkeep, and a recent incident where a burst heating pipe triggered the fire alarm, temporarily shutting down heat to the building.

Goodman noted that the loss of heat could have turned into a more serious emergency if temperatures had continued to drop. Because Horizons is privately owned, he added, the town and the Village of Wurtsboro have limited authority. Still, he assured the public that local officials are in touch with management and Wurtsboro’s Building Inspector.

At the February 17 meeting, Goodman provided a progress update. He said he had spoken with property representatives and officials from New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), the state agency involved in the facility’s development.

“They’re very aware of what’s going on,” Goodman said.

Looking ahead, the town hopes to hold a joint community meeting in the coming weeks, bringing together residents, management, property owners, HCR, and village officials to work together on solutions.

“These are our seniors,” Goodman stressed. “I’d like to see improvements made where needed.”

Similar maintenance concerns were also raised at Bloomingburg’s Godfrey Meadows, another privately owned senior housing facility. While Horizons was the focus at the February 17 meeting, Goodman said the town is exploring similar strategies to encourage cooperation and involvement from appropriate agencies.

Goodman assured that updates will be provided in the future.

In due process

A Due Process hearing for the building at 2 Dogwood Road was scheduled by the Town Board following ongoing concerns about the property’s safety and condition.

Town Supervisor Peter Goodman said the vacant building, located at the corner of Wurtsboro Mountain and Dogwood Roads, has been empty for years and has accumulated several violations from the Building Department. Discussions about the property began last year after it was sold to a new owner, but efforts to secure and repair the building have stalled.

Yankee Lake resident Michael Toledo addressed the board, asking whether the hearing concerned the red house or the adjacent garage.

“It’s for the red house,” Goodman said, though Toledo noted that the garage was also “kind of in disrepair,” adding that the garage floor was “all wonky.”

Goodman confirmed the structure had violations and noted that progress has been slow despite repeated efforts from town officials.

“The owner of that house died like a decade ago,” Toledo added.

“We’re declaring this an unsafe structure because it’s wide open. People can get in it and possibly get hurt,” Goodman stressed. “This is probably the last snowfall or so that the roof is going to hold on. If it stays this way, it’s going to get to the point where it’s going to need to come down. Right now, we’re looking to secure it, clean up the yard, and move along.”

Toledo also inquired about property taxes. Goodman said he did not believe they were being paid, but he was not certain.

Councilman Tyler Wood asked whether the town could intervene if the owner failed to clean up the property, sending workers in and placing the cost on the tax bill. Goodman confirmed that two proceedings would occur simultaneously: an unsafe building proceeding to secure the structure and a property maintenance proceeding to “clean up the problem.”

Councilman Gary Forthoffer made a motion, seconded by Councilman Rob Rogers, to set the Due Process hearing for March 17 at 6 p.m. The hearing plans to address both the unsafe structure and property maintenance issues. The motion passed unanimously.

The Democrat previously reported last summer in August on concerns regarding the building’s condition, when then-Supervisor Michael Robbins pointed out code violations and safety hazards at the property.