BLOOMINGBURG – The restless anger of the audience was palpable at last week's July 10 village board meeting in Bloomingburg.

They wanted to know why work on the many buildings that developer Shalom Lamm has been purchasing and renovating, both residentially and as businesses designed to service his 396-unit townhouse development and the community's growing orthodox Jewish population, seemed to be continuing despite Stop Work orders being posted.

They asked about charges raised during the March village election that saw a complete shift in the makeup of the village government, and the scheduling of regular meetings for the first time in a year.

"Everything in this village is so time urgent, we lose one step and we lose everything," noted one resident. "Something's got to be done or we're just screwed."

When both the new mayor, Frank Gerardi, and the village's new attorney, Steve Mogel, noted how they were constrained by doing things "to the letter of the law" and/or pending litigation and liability matters, the audience shot back with more impatience.

They asked why no one could enforce the stop work orders. Gerardi said the state police and county sheriff's deputies wouldn't handle such matters but the village was close to hiring someone.

They commented how a new resident told someone how "they only follow the Torah," the Jewish book of laws, to which the mayor replied, "We're trying."

When Mogel said that the official request for the Sullivan County District Attorney to investigate suspected election fraud had yet to be sent, several people asked why everything was taking so long.

"You guys seem slow to me," someone blurted out.

"The fact is that this is a small village with a lot of big problems and no one is dragging their feet," the lawyer answered, adding that he was still waiting on some paperwork.

Someone noted that he'd been told by the county that those trying to prove election fraud had to somehow prove intent. Again everyone murmured amongst themselves.

In regular business, the public hearing on a local law strengthening laws for granting certificates of occupancy on structures in the village was closed, but a decision on passing the thing tabled while "the language needs to be reviewed." A review from the municipality's new private business building inspectors at Fusco Engineering, who were not present, showed no building permits granted April through mid-June, when a moratorium on such things was enacted. Twenty-seven inspections had been made since then, and long lists of violations and complaints listed, most involving stop work orders or work being started before applicants had gone to the Mamakating planning board, which took over the village's functions in land use law in recent weeks. Six items were grouped as a "Board of Elections report."

Particular discussion centered on the village's old hardware store, where groups of new residents had been gathering, supposedly for religious purposes. Gerardi said he was worried that "there is only one entrance and exit from upstairs."

As for other matters, the mayor noted how successful Bloomingburg's July 4 parade and family day had been, drawing "a lot of participation" and not costing the municipality anything.

He mentioned that six crosswalks would be put in "because we have a lot of walkers here now."

Later, Mayor Gerardi added that he himself would fix a traffic light that had gone out.