What should I make sure my attorney does during the purchasing process?

Something that occasionally gets overlooked by the buyer’s attorney is the very important tax search. The purchaser’s attorney should request a tax search from the Clerk’s office. The cost is minimal, only $20. This search will ensure that any outstanding Village taxes or water/sewer bills are taken care of during the closing process, if they aren’t paid prior to that date. Unpaid taxes and water/sewer bills stay with the property, meaning if they are incurred before you own the property, you will be held liable for payment if they are not eventually satisfied. Your attorney should ensure that taxes are prorated, so that you are only responsible for the portion that covers the period you own the property in the tax year. Unpaid water/sewer bills will be re-levied onto the Village tax bill for the next budget year, meaning that any unpaid bills mid-April will be added onto your upcoming bill, regardless if you incurred them or not.

Another thing that is occasionally overlooked is having a final water reading done at the time of the closing. If one is not done, as the new owner you may be paying for the prior owner’s water/sewer use. Ask your attorney to make sure the seller has arranged for the final water reading within 48 hours of the closing date to ensure that you aren’t held responsible for the bill. Unfortunately, it has happened that the previous owner does not pay the billl, and you can be held liable for it (see previous paragraph). In this case, contact your attorney to see if there were funds held at the closing to satisfy the bill. You may also be forced to take the previous owner to small claims court, as well.

When is refuse and recycling pickup?

Refuse and recycling pickup is on Wednesdays, unless a federal holiday delays it a day. Refuse pickup is weekly. Recycling pickup is biweekly. For information on when recycling pickup is for your property, click on the Recycling Schedule in the column on the left-hand side of this website. Information about refuse pick up, large item pick up, and more may be found under the FAQs on the Public Works Department page.

The only holidays that delay pickup are: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Christmas. If any of these holidays fall on Wednesday or earlier in the week, pickup will be delayed to the Thursday of that week.

What do I need to know about water / sewer billing?

Water/sewer billing is done quarterly. Bills are sent out on February 1st, May 1st, August 1st, and November 1st of each year. Any bills still unpaid after 30 days from the bill date will have a 10-percent penalty added on. Any bills still unpaid after 60 days from the bill date will have an additional 10-percent penalty added on. Any bills still unpaid 60 days after the bill date may be subject to termination of service.

Water/sewer bills are issued to the property owner. The bill must stay in the owner’s name. Upon request, the owner may have a copy of the bill sent to the tenant, but as the owner is ultimately responsible for payment of the bill, any dispute about payment is between the owner and tenant. The Village will not enforce unpaid bills when rental property is involved. Water services will not be terminated at rental property if they are occupied. The owner will have to sign verification that the property is unoccupied prior to requesting water shutoff.

Are there parking regulations in the Village?

Some streets do prohibit parking during certain times of the day.

The Village’s code prohibits overnight parking, between the hours of 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM, on all Village streets during the winter. Enforcement is done from the first Sunday in November to the first Sunday in April. Vehicles will be ticketed if parked on Village streets during these hours. This prohibition is in place to facilitate snow removal efforts by the Village’s Public Works Department.

We need to do yard maintenance. Anything we should know?

The Village offers wood chipping services to Village residents. Chipping is done by the Public Works Department on Mondays, from April through and including December of each year. Wood chips are stored at the Village’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, located on N. Hartland Street, and are available to Village residents only to take for mulching purposes. The quality of these chips is not great, so we do not recommend them for landscaping. Please contact the Village Coordinator to let him know when you plan to take some wood chips. If a property owner has a tree removed, the contractor is responsible for removing the remnants; they should not be placed at the curb for chipping. More information regarding chipping is available under the DPW on the Departments page, including what can and cannot be placed to the curb for chipping.

In the fall, leaves should be raked to the curb for removal by the DPW. Leaf removal begins once leaves fall in earnest. Any other time of the year, leaves should be bagged and put in your garbage cart for refuse removal.

What do we do if we want to install a fence?

Any property owners wanting to install a fence are encouraged to discuss this with the Village’s Building Inspector, Brian Belson. He can be reached on Wednesdays at (716) 735-3303, ext 401, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, or via email at code.enforce@villageofmiddleport.org.

What do we do if we want to do some remodeling on our new home?

We encourage you to discuss any plans with the Building Inspector, Brian Belson, prior to undertaking any remodeling. He will be able to advise you if you will need any kind of permits, what Village regulations may apply, and if there are any county or state regulations to be considered, as well. He is in the office on Wednesdays from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM (716)735-3303, ext. 401) or via email at code.enforce@villageofmiddleport.org.

Is there stuff for our kids to do?

The Village is currently only offering a summer swim program.

The swim program is coordinated with the Towns of Royalton and Hartland and is open to all children under the age of 18 who reside in the Royalton Hartland School District.

The Village has offered a recreation program in the past to children entering Kindergarten through 6th grade in the fall who reside in the Village. We will notify all residents if we are able to once again offer this program in the future.

When are my Village taxes due?

Village tax bills are sent out June 1st of each year. They must be paid by July 1st to avoid any penalty. As of July 2nd, a 5-percent penalty is added onto the bill. In August, September, and October, an additional 1-percent penalty is added on each month, to a maximum of 8-percent penalty on the original bill. Any unpaid Village taxes are re-levied onto the County/Town tax bill that is sent out January 1st. The County adds a 10-percent penalty onto re-levied bills; however, only 3-percent of that is returned to the Village.

School tax bills are sent out September 1st each year and must be paid by October 31st to avoid being re-levied, as well. Contact the school business office for more information.

The County/Town tax bill is sent out January 1st each year. Contact your town tax collector for more information.

How do I apply for the STAR Program?

The STAR program is administered by the the town’s assessor’s office. Please contact your town assessor for information on applying for this program.

Is there a limit to the pets we can have?

Yes, the Village does set a limit on the number of pets and the kind of pets you may have within the Village limits. Please read the local law regarding animals under the Laws section.