By JASON SUBIK
The Leader-Herald
The Gloversville Common Council on Tuesday approved the recommendation of the City Property Dispensation Committee to sell two city-owned properties for a combined price of $2,525.
The resolution to sell the two properties was introduced by Councilman-at-large William Rowback Jr., who is also the chairman of the City Property Dispensation Committee. The council unanimously approved the sale of the two parcels to these owners:
• 34 5th St. to David Wokaty for $1,000
• 39 Maple St. to Stanley Scarano for $1,525
Since it was first created in May, the City Property Dispensation Committee has now sold 13 properties to what the committee and the council have decided are responsible owners with plans to develop them. The 13 properties have been sold for a combined total of $94,775.
These are the other 11 properties sold by the committee and the council prior to Tuesday:
• 48 Spring Street to JPAK Holdings for $3,000, up from zero dollars paid by the city. The money for this property has been turned over to Fulton County.
• 68 and 68 1/2 E. Fulton Street to Gloversville Public Library for $4,250.
• 86 E. Fulton Street to Jenna Patterson for $25,000, up from $20,865 paid by the city.
• 200-202 S. Kingsboro Ave. to Alexander Luciano and Ines Rizo-Luciano for $14,500, up from $12,748 paid by the city.
• 211-213 N. Main St. to William J. Vannostrand for $4,000.
• 5-7 Nassau St. to Tarik Turner for $10,500, up slightly from $10,160 paid by the city.
• 37 E. 8th Ave. to David Connolly and Jennifer Connolly for $24,500, up slightly from $24,324 paid by the city.
• Dodge Street to Robert Floyd for the consideration of Five Hundred Dollars $500
• 15 Chestnut Street to Eleanor Brown $3,500
• 5 Maple Terrace to Richard Sardella and Jacqueline Sardella $500
• 69 S. Judson Street to Margaret A. Palloni for $2,000
At its May 11 meeting the council approved the purchase of 10 city properties that had been taken by property tax foreclosure in 2020 by Fulton County, for a total cost to the city of $145,404.
Of those 10 properties, so far five — at a combined cost of $78,303 — still remain unsold: 18 Pearl St. ($24,950), 66 East State St. ($21,252), 18 Franklin St. ($8,001), 7 Grandoe Lane ($16,542) and 88 Wells. St ($7,558).
Three of those properties, 18 Franklin St., 7 Grandoe Lane and 88 Wells St., all have tenants still living at the properties. Mayor Vince DeSantis earlier this month said the city is in the process of trying to relocate the tenants before the properties can be sold.
“They aren’t paying any rent,” DeSantis said of the tenants.
During the City Property Dispensation Committee’s sales process in June it had offered prospective buyers inspections of 18 Pearl St. on June 15 and 66 E. State St. on June 16, but sales have not been completed.
First Ward Councilwoman Marcia Weiss, who serves as the Democratic member of the City Property Dispensation Committee, said the committee plans to attempt to offer the property again. She said 66 E. State St. did receive a bid, but it had to be pulled to “get some issues resolved.”
Weiss said she thinks the City Property Dispensation Committee process has been going well, and she hopes the city will again purchase some county foreclosed properties in 2022 and offer them for sale through the committee.
“I think it’s a well rounded group of people,” Weiss said. “We work well together and offer different points of views. We listen to each other’s thoughts and then make a final decision. Our goal is to sell these to people that are putting in the effort and money to establish these homes to enhance the neighborhoods. It really is a win-win for the city and the people living around these houses.”
In addition to Rowback and Weiss the other members of the property dispensation committee are city assessor Joni Dennie and city grant writer Nick Zabowski, who also serves on the City of Amsterdam Property Dispensation Committee.
