Photo: Michael D’Onofrio/The Journal News
“Ramapo has been selling surplus land to raise millions of dollars for the town’s depleted coffers — including one property the town apparently didn’t own.
River Equity Holdings in Monsey has now taken legal action against Ramapo and developer Mayer Jacobowitz to vacate the June sale. Jacobowitz bought the 15,181-square-foot parcel at 102a Saddle River Road for $195,000.
Records show the Town Board approved the sale after town Highways Superintendent Anthony Sharan recommended selling the property as surplus.
One hitch: A deed filed with the Rockland County Clerk’s Office and cited in the lawsuit shows River Equity, not Ramapo, owns the property, having bought it from Israel Wagschal on Sept. 12, 2012.
Town Attorney Michael Klein said Thursday that it’s Jacobowitz’s problem and the town will be keeping its money. Klein says the town sold its interest in the land under a what the real estate and legal world calls a quitclaim deed.
“We made no representation that we owned the property,” Klein said. “The tax assessor records reflected we had ownership. We conveyed whatever interest we had or didn’t have to the buyer. We got paid.”
Read the complete Journal News story here.