Sheridan board united in addressing neglected property
OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen Pictured is the Pawn Starz property, located in Sheridan on Route 20 at the intersection with South Roberts Road, which burned down last July.
Sheridan Supervisor Tom Wik said a resolution to the Pawn Starz property in disrepair on Route 20 in Sheridan is “a priority for the entire Town Board.”
OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen Pictured is the Pawn Starz property, located in Sheridan on Route 20 at the intersection with South Roberts Road, which burned down last July.
Sheridan Supervisor Tom Wik said a resolution to the Pawn Starz property in disrepair on Route 20 in Sheridan is “a priority for the entire Town Board.”
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SHERIDAN -- The Town Supervisor and a councilman's seat may have changed in Sheridan, but one thing remains the same: the "eyesore" property at the intersection of Route 20 and South Roberts Road.
The former Pawn Starz property that was destroyed by a fire just over a year ago remains in disrepair, as the owner of the property has ignored multiple demands to clean the site.
Throughout the past year, residents have consistently said the area is unsafe. Residents claim debris is frequently blown by the wind into the road and onto neighboring properties. At least one resident has allegedly told the town their vehicle was damaged by a piece of debris blown into the road.
Tom Wik, who has taken over as Town Supervisor, said a goal of his as Supervisor is to address the Pawn Starz location.
"The priority right now is that (location)," said Wik. "We're doing everything we know possible to get it cleaned up. It's a priority for the entire Town Board."
Joe White, the newest Town Councilman, also listed the site as a priority as he steps into Wik's former role on the board.
"The one thing that I want to really work on hard, and I'm going to zero in on, is the old pawn shop," White said of the location. "That's got to go."
White acknowledged the process will be difficult, especially with the long list of liens associated with the property.
With over $27,000 worth of liens on the property not including interest on each lien, according to White, and an owner who has reportedly claimed to be unable to pay a fine levied by the Town Court at a fraction of that cost, White only sees one clear solution to the matter.
"We've got to take this guy to County Court. That's the only way, there's no teeth otherwise," White said.
The property also created headaches in the town before it burned down, as the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force and the New York State Police Special Investigation Unit had the site under investigation in 2018, focused on the trafficking of narcotics and stolen property. Officers claimed to have seized narcotics and other contraband while executing a search warrant on the property. The location also previously hosted a "swingers club" known as the Badd Kitty Club.
Of the options the town has tried in the past to have the property cleared, Code Enforcement Officer James Crowell previously stated, "It's frustrating because we went to court on this ... and it doesn't get it resolved. Then to top it off, we stand in line to collect our money with everybody else."
Crowell said in March, "Hopefully he cleans it up. If he doesn't, we'll have to force his hand."