By JODI MAGALLANES
Staff Writer
[email protected] 

Lack of maintenance at a handful of residential properties occupied the dominant portion of a regular meeting of the Milford Town Council Monday evening.

Prior to  an update by building inspector Ken Brower on the state of several questionable residences, council members heard from Joe Graff regarding the designation of a property he owns at 112 N. West St. as a public nuisance.

Graff expressed frustration at being ordered to clean up scattered firewood and at a requested inspection of a firewood chute he constructed to a home on the property.

Initially heated exchanges between Graff and the town’s legal counsel, Jay Rigdon, yielded to a verbal agreement under which Graff will allow an outside inspection of the chute and stack and cover the firewood by May 26.

“We absolutely want to be fair, but you have to make a commitment, too,” summarized council member Dan Cochran for Graff. “You’ve got to react to that commitment and show us that you’re acting in good faith, too.”

Discussions with Graff have been ongoing for several years, council members indicated. However, in light of Monday’s discussion they agreed not to proceed with punitive action before the May 26 date.

Several other out-of-compliance residences were given similar deference by the council if Brower reported he was given some indication by the homeowners in question that deficiencies were in the process of being corrected.

A public hearing then took place regarding the voluntary, cost-neutral annexation of property north of Syracuse-Milford Road owned by BRTB Company. No members of the public spoke for or against the proposed annexation, which has been approved by BRTB and the Milford Redevelopment Commission. A second hearing will take place at the next meeting of the council June 11, after which the town may take action to finalize the annexation.

Milford Fest coordinator Tricia Gall received permission to close portions of several downtown streets to accommodate festival activities May 26. The longest closures will be from 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday morning, although some streets will be closed for less time. Affected streets include portions of Main, Catherine, Fourth and Emeline.

Milford Town Marshal Rich Miotto presented Michael Reece as a candidate to be hired as a reserve deputy. Reece has been riding with members of the department and training for the last few months, he told council members.

The council approved Miotto’s recommendation and Reece was sworn in by town clerk Joellen Free.

The next meeting of the council will take place at 7 p.m. June 11 at Milford Town Hall, 121 S. Main St.

For additional coverage from the Milford Town Council meeting, see today’s issue of The Mail-Journal.