Friday, July 24, 2009
Judge LaBuda tours Hasidic shul in Bethel, ruling expected
Sullivan County Judge Frank LaBuda took a tour of a controversial shul and community center in Bethel on Friday afternoon to determine if it is safe enough to remain open.
He was joined by town officials and attorneys for the United Talmudical Academy, who have argued for weeks if a certificate of occupancy should be issued for the building, located in a Hasidic bungalow colony about 1,000 feet off Route 17B.
The town issued violations last week after colony members defied an order to vacate the 6,900-square-foot center.
The tour followed a morning hearing in county court in which Tim Dexter, the town building inspector, testified that he believes the building is safe. The colony’s attorney, Henri Shawn, indicated that Dexter was in fact prepared to issue a certificate of occupancy for the main synagogue but instructed by the town board not to do that. Shawn said that he believes that the sect is being singled out because of their Hasidic religious order.
Town attorneys indicated that Dexter should not have given the building permit in the first place. They said the planning board never reviewed the building.
LaBuda is expected to make his ruling on the certificate of occupancy Friday afternoon.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090724/NEWS/907249945
He was joined by town officials and attorneys for the United Talmudical Academy, who have argued for weeks if a certificate of occupancy should be issued for the building, located in a Hasidic bungalow colony about 1,000 feet off Route 17B.
The town issued violations last week after colony members defied an order to vacate the 6,900-square-foot center.
The tour followed a morning hearing in county court in which Tim Dexter, the town building inspector, testified that he believes the building is safe. The colony’s attorney, Henri Shawn, indicated that Dexter was in fact prepared to issue a certificate of occupancy for the main synagogue but instructed by the town board not to do that. Shawn said that he believes that the sect is being singled out because of their Hasidic religious order.
Town attorneys indicated that Dexter should not have given the building permit in the first place. They said the planning board never reviewed the building.
LaBuda is expected to make his ruling on the certificate of occupancy Friday afternoon.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090724/NEWS/907249945
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