MONTICELLO — The Village of Monticello moved to terminate the employment of Building Inspector and Code Enforcment Officer Ronald Singer at their most recent meeting in March.

“We felt he wasn't doing the job the way the job should be done,” said Village of Monticello Mayor Gary Sommers. “The village has had no fire inspections done in two years at this point. Very few of our multiple dwelling inspections have been done. We haven't been issuing violations for snow or trash on the sidewalks.”

Sommers said that in the last six months he has only received one report from the Village Buildings Department.

Sommers explained that the Ohio-based architect and engineer the village hired to inspect work done for the Sleepy Hollow apartments project were not licensed in New York.

Singer was working as the Village Building Department's only code enforcement officer. Sommers said that in the meantime they have secured the services of Fusco Engineering for $100 an hour to do fire inspections.

“We're negotiating with Fusco Engineering over what the rate will be for the balance of the year. It will be considerably less than that [$100 per hour],” Sommers said. “I believe we can do this within what the budget for that department is between now and the end of the budget period in August.”

Attempts to reach Singer for comment were unsuccessful. Singer can appeal his termination at an article 75 hearing.