William J. Kemble is reporting in the Daily Freeman the Ulster Town Board is considering passage of a new zombie building law. The law would provide a way for the town to deal with zombie properties that banks fail to maintain after a homeowner has defaulted on their mortgage. The board plans to review the type of code revisions needed to keep abandoned properties from falling into disrepair. “There are...instances where we’ve had properties that have not been maintained and the town board has ... authorized the town Highway Department to cut the grass and clean up the outside,” Supervisor James Quigley said. “We take the costs of those services and then add them to the tax bill.” Town attorney Jason Kovacs said a state law that goes into affect Dec. 20, gives towns a little more power to compel banks to fix vacant properties. “It looks like a good law and we’ll see if we can use it,” Kovacs said. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.