Canajoharie neighbors fed up with giant debris pile

CANAJOHARIE – Residents of one street in the village of Canajoharie are fed up that a pile of debris hasn’t been cleaned up in more than a year.

The site – in the area of 58 Otsego Street – used to be a boarding house that was destroyed in a fire. A big pile of debris has been there ever since.

Neighbors say they are fed up. Some people say they have health and safety concerns. One of the big issues is the smell.

A woman who lives next door to the pile she says her mother is 59 years old and on oxygen. She says the smell is so bad that her mom can’t even open up the window to get fresh air. The neighbors are hoping the village will do something to clean up the mess.

Clifton Dorrough, the village Code Enforcement Officer, says the mayor has been in contact with Montgomery County to try to resolve the issue.

Dorrough says there are procedures they have to follow to remove the debris and that it could cost over $50,000 to remove the debris. He tells NewsChannel 13 the village doesn’t have the money. However, that’s not the only problem.

Learn what the other hold-up is by watching the video of Jonathan Hunter’s story.