Richmondville To Crack Down On Permit Violators

RICHMONDVILLE — Town of Richmondville Officials are looking to put a law in place that would allow the town to start fining residents building structures without the proper permits.

The issue came up at the Thursday, Oct. 9 Town Board meeting during Code Enforcement Officer Cliff Dorrough's report.

"People are doing without permits," he said.

Town Supervisor Jeffrey Haslun pointed out that the Town of Blenheim has had a law in place since early this year. Dorrough suggested Richmondville get a copy of Blenheim's law to use as a kind of model.

During the discussion it was mentioned that the maximum fine for a permit violator should probably be no more than $500, but Councilman Harry Rode said that might not be sufficient in all cases.

"If somebody builds a $100,000 house without a permit, I think the fine should be a lot more than $500," he said.

In other actions from the Oct. 9 meeting, Highway Superintendent Brian Manchester reported that Town of Montour workers came to pick up a used 2018 RS 3500 dump truck Mountour had purchased from Richmondville. He added that plows and sanders are being put on trucks in preparation for the winter. Schoharie County workers have started bringing in sanding material and will bring half this year and the other half in early 2026, Manchester said.

Haslun asked Manchester to get a cost figure on another new truck for the town and report about it at the December meeting. It's important to get in line for new trucks as early as possible since it's taking so long to have them manufactured and delivered, Haslun indicated.

He said Town Planning Board Chairman Bob Reed and PB members are getting information together as part of the process for developing regulations for short-term rentals in the Town. Schoharie County Planning and Community Development Services Director Shane Nickle will be helping with that process, Haslun added.

Richmondville recently received $23,357 as the town's third-quarter share of the county sales tax, he reported. Haslun continued that the county has put up the new 25 MPH speed limit signs on Court Street.

The Town Board scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. Nov. 6 on the 2026 preliminary budget, to be held at Town Hall, 104 Municipal Lane, just off Podpadic Road. The board would then vote that night after the public hearing on adopting the budget as final. There's a proposed property tax increase of just over 2.7 percent in the preliminary budget.