By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- Twelve people are facing hefty fines for violating the village blight code.

On Tuesday, the Board of Trustees released a list of the first dozen properties to be hit with sanctions under a law passed last year aimed a tackling a growing problem of dilapidated properties in the village.

“We gave ample time for everyone to familiarize themselves and bring themselves into compliance,” Deputy Mayor Matt Lebire said. “The (Fire Department) foreman has given us a list of those properties who basically were notified appropriately … we received no response or corrective plans.”

The law assigns point values to various issues with a property, ranging from as few as five for peeling paint to as many as 50 for being deemed a fire hazard. Once a property hits 100 total points, it is deemed blighted and faces fines if corrective action isn’t taken. The fines are applied annually until the problems are fixed.

The village attempts to make contact with the property owner to give them a chance to get back into compliance before being hit with a fine.

“They have 30 days to say ‘I know I’m in violation, I have a plan,” Lebire said. “To get to the point value … you’re talking about a severely blighted property.”

The board voted on a what was listed on the meeting’s agenda as “Proposed Resolution: Authorization to Apply Registration Fees to Blighted Properties.”

The board voted 2-1 in favor, which wasn’t enough to pass it. Lebire and Trustee Tim Ahlfeld voted yes. Trustee Albert Deshaies voted no. Mayor Tim Currier and Trustee Francis Carvel were out of town.

Lebire said even though it was voted down, the fines will still be added to the owners’ next tax bills.

“The notification doesn’t turn to record, however the local law calls for the assessment of the fees,” Lebire said. “The board was looking to have entered into record more of … recertifying our stand behind this law, we’re saying yes … on behalf of the village, law still stands and is being utilized.”

Deshaies said he voted no because he didn’t think the village would be able to recoup the fine.

“I look on the addresses down here, Rosebriar Avenue, that’s a good part of town. MD after his name, that’s a doctor,” Deshaies said.

He was referring to 8 Rosebriar Avenue. A document made public at the meeting says the owner is Azhar Iqbal, MD.

“He (Iqbal) walked away from it (the property),” Fire Department Foreman Ken McGowan said. “The police department was witnessing drug activity there.”

McGowan said the code office wasn’t able to identify all of the owners. Some could be owned by banks after or during foreclosure proceedings, but they don’t know which ones.

“Three or four of the properties, the people who own them are deceased, there’s no estate, if there is an estate if we don’t want it. Some are bank-owned and we don’t know who the banks are. Some of them they’ve just walked away,” McGowan said.

The list of blighted properties released Tuesday, along with the owners and fines levied:

• 22 and 24 Main Street, Ted Chang, $5,000

• 31 Water Street, Michael Slavin, $5,000

• 31 Spruce Street, John Serbian (estate), $2,500

• 18 Amherst Road, Trishell Kinch, $2,500

• 191 Allen Street, Lorissa Jackson, $2,500

• 8 Rosebriar Avenue, Azhar Iqbal MD, $2,500

• 51 George Street, Rose Evans, $2,500

• 136 Liberty Avenue, Patrick Travis, $2,500

• 47 South Raquette River Road, Audrey Herne, $5,000

• 2 River Street, Joao Luis Salgado, $2,500

• 10 Bayley Road, Amanda LaPage, $2,500

• 36 Martin Street, Dennis Carriere, $2,500