The Superintendent of Buildings shall:
A. 
Inspections, generally. Inspect or cause to be inspected, as often as may be necessary to ensure the enforcement of this chapter, all buildings in the Village for the purpose of determining whether any conditions exist therein which render such places dangerous buildings within the terms of § 95-2 of this chapter and whether any conditions exist therein not in compliance with the standards of this chapter.
B. 
Inspections upon complaint. Inspect any building, wall or structure about which a complaint is filed by a person to the effect that the same is or may be existing in violation of the terms of this chapter.
C. 
Issuance of notice to comply. Notify, in writing, the owner of any building found by him to be a dangerous building within the standards set forth in § 95-2 of this chapter and of any building found by him not conforming to the standards set forth in Article III hereof that he must repair or remove said building, in accordance with the terms of the notice and this chapter, or otherwise comply with the standards set forth in this chapter within a reasonable time to be fixed by said notice.
D. 
Contents of notice. Set forth, in the notice provided for in Subsection C hereof, a description of the building or structure or parts thereof deemed to violate the provisions of this chapter, a statement of the particulars in which the building is dangerous or fails to comply with the standards set forth in Article III hereof and a direction requiring compliance with the standards set forth in this chapter or that the building or structure be put in such condition as to comply with the terms of this chapter or that said building or structure be removed.
E. 
Report to Village Board. Report to the Village Board any noncompliance with the notice provided for in Subsections C and D.
F. 
Appearance; testimony at hearings. Appear at all hearings conducted by the Village Board and testify as to the condition of the dangerous building.
G. 
Institution of actions; proceedings. With the assistance of the Village Counsel, do such acts and take such proceedings as may be required to bring about the repair or removal of buildings as ordered by the Village Board and take such steps as may be required by the provisions of the Village Law § 4-412 to cause the removal or repair of any building which is dangerous or unsafe to the public and to cause the assessment of all costs and expenses incidental thereto against the land on which said buildings are located.
H. 
Posting notice. Firmly affix a notice, in a conspicuous place, in front of all dangerous buildings immediately after the issuance of the order provided for in § 95-7D of this chapter as follows: This building has been found to be a dangerous building by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Freeport. This notice is to remain on this building until it is repaired or removed or made to comply with the direction which has been given the owner. It is unlawful to remove this notice until such direction has been complied with.
The Village Board shall:
A. 
Issuance of notice to appear. Upon receipt of a report of the Superintendent of Buildings as provided for in § 95-6E hereof, give written notice to the persons interested in said building to appear before them on a certain date, within 15 days of the date of notice, to show cause why compliance with the standards set forth in this chapter should not be made or why the building or structure reported to be a dangerous building should not be repaired or removed in accordance with a statement of particulars set forth in the Superintendent of Buildings' notice provided for by § 95-6C and D of this chapter.
B. 
Hearing. Hold a hearing and hear testimony as to whatever evidence the persons interested in said building may offer relative to the dangerous building.
C. 
Written findings. Make a written finding of facts as to whether or not the building in question is a dangerous building within the meaning of § 195-2 hereof.
D. 
Issuance of orders. Issue an order commanding the persons interested in said building to repair or remove any building found to be a dangerous building within the terms of this chapter or to comply with the standards set forth in this chapter. Such order shall fix the time when compliance therewith shall commence, not more than 10 days after the making thereof, and shall fix a reasonable time within which such compliance shall be so completed. The Village Board may, in its discretion and upon good cause shown, extend the time for full compliance with said order.
E. 
Effect of noncompliance with order.
(1) 
If the owner fails to comply with the order provided for in Subsection D hereof or any extension thereof, the Village Board may direct the Superintendent of Buildings to cause such dangerous building or structure to be repaired or removed, as the facts may warrant, under the standards hereinbefore set forth, provided that, before proceeding to repair or to remove or cause the repair or removal of any dangerous or unsafe building, the Superintendent of Buildings may, with the advice and assistance of the Village Counsel, proceed in accordance with the provisions of Village Law § 4-412 and institute appropriate proceedings before a court of competent jurisdiction to obtain an order or judgment directing or authorizing such repair or removal. The Superintendent, of Buildings shall, with the assistance of the Village Counsel, take such legal action as may be necessary to cause the costs of such repair or removal, and all costs and expenses incurred by the Village in connection with said proceedings shall be charged against the land on which the building stands or did stand as a municipal lien, or such costs shall be added to the tax roll as an assessment or shall be levied as a special tax against the land upon which the building stands or did stand.
(2) 
The lien of the Village or any expense incurred with regard to the repair or removal of any dangerous building shall have priority over all other liens and encumbrances, except taxes, assessments and water rates. Except as to the liens imposed for expenses incurred as a result of the repair or removal of any dangerous building, nothing herein contained shall be construed as placing upon the property a lien which supersedes or is superior to the lien of any mortgage with regard to any building and property executed and recorded prior to the existence of such lien.
F. 
Report to Village Counsel. Report to the Village Counsel the names of all persons not complying with the order provided for in Subsection D hereof.
G. 
Authority to initiate proceedings. The Village Board may, in the first instance and without service of any notice by the Superintendent of Buildings, give notice to the persons interested in any building, which they have reason to believe may be a dangerous building, to appear before them on a certain date, within 15 days from the date of such notice, to show cause why the building or structure specified in such notice should not be repaired or removed or otherwise made to comply with the provisions of this chapter. Such notice shall contain the same particulars as are required by § 95-6D of this chapter. Upon the return day of said notice, the Village Board shall thereupon proceed in the same manner as prescribed in Subsections B, C, D, E and F of this section.
H. 
Vacation; amendment of order. The Village Board may from time to time and upon due notice vacate, modify or amend any order made by them, as herein provided, and may, either on their own motion or upon the motion of any person interested, reopen any proceedings in which they have made an order for the purpose of taking further testimony and, upon such rehearing, render any decision and make any order consistent with the provisions of this chapter that they shall deem just and equitable.
Any person deeming himself aggrieved by any order or direction of the Village Board may have the determination reviewed by the Supreme Court in the manner prescribed by the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
The Village Counsel shall:
A. 
Prosecute violations of orders. Prosecute all persons failing to comply with the terms of any order granted to be given under § 95-7D.
B. 
Prosecute violations of chapter. Prosecute all persons who shall in any way violate the terms of this chapter.
C. 
Appear at hearings. Appear at all hearings before the Village Board with regard to dangerous buildings.
D. 
Institute actions. In his discretion, bring suit to correct all municipal liens, assessments or costs incurred by the Village for repairing or causing to be removed dangerous buildings.
E. 
Enforcement, generally. Take such other legal action as is necessary to carry out the terms and provisions of this chapter, including actions to abate nuisances, or for the enforcement of this chapter by injunction or otherwise.
The employees of the Fire Department and the employees of the Police Department of the Village shall make a report, in writing, to the Superintendent of Buildings of all buildings and structures which, in the discharge of their respective duties, are found or may be suspected to be dangerous or substandard buildings within the terms of this chapter. Such reports must be delivered to the Superintendent of Buildings within 24 hours of the discovery of such building by an employee of said Fire Department and/or Police Department.
All notices or orders required to be given hereunder may be served by delivering to and leaving a copy of the same with the person entitled to such notice. In cases where any such person is absent from the Village, all notices or orders provided for herein shall be sent by registered mail to said person so absent to the last known address of said person or to the last address of said person as shown by the records of the receiver of taxes and/or in the office of the County Clerk of Nassau County. Whenever such service is made by registered mail, a copy of such notice or order shall also be posted in a conspicuous place on the front of the dangerous building or substandard building to which it relates. Such mailing and posting shall be deemed adequate service.
No officer, agent or employee of the Village shall render himself personally liable for any damage that may accrue to persons or property as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his duties under this chapter. Any suit brought against any officer, agent or employee of the Village as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his duties under this chapter shall be defended by the Village Counsel until the final determination of the proceedings therein.
The following remedies shall be applied in substance by the Superintendent of Buildings and the Village Board in ordering removal or repair:
A. 
Repair. If the dangerous building can be reasonably repaired so that it will no longer exist in violation of this chapter, it shall be ordered repaired. In all cases where a building cannot be repaired so that it will no longer exist in violation of the terms of this chapter, it shall be ordered removed. All repairs are to be performed in a workmanlike manner to the minimum standards of the respective trade.
B. 
Removal. In all cases where a dangerous building is a fire hazard, existing or erected in violation of any ordinance of this Village or statute of the State of New York, it shall be ordered removed unless such hazard or violation can be cured, in which event the building shall be ordered repaired.
C. 
Unsafe structures. Any structures or part of a structure or premises that from any cause may at any time become dangerous or unsafe structurally or as a fire hazard shall be repaired and secured or taken down and removed. A vacant building that is unguarded or open at door or window shall be deemed dangerous or unsafe as a fire hazard within the meaning of this section.
The several remedies herein provided with respect to the repair or removal of dangerous buildings or of substandard buildings or the assessment and recovery of the cost of repair or removal thereof incurred by the Village and any other remedies, legal or equitable, available shall be deemed cumulative, and any and all thereof may be pursued concurrently or consecutively. The pursuit of any remedy shall not be construed as an election or waiver of the right to pursue any and all of the others.
A. 
Responsibility of owner. The owner of any dangerous building who knowingly permits such dangerous building to be used for commercial purposes or human occupancy or who shall fail to comply with any order of the Village Board to repair or remove said building or otherwise make it comply with the standards set forth in this chapter shall be guilty of a violation, as said term is defined under the Penal Law of the State of New York, and be subject to a fine of not more than $5,000, or by imprisonment for not more than 15 days, or both such fine and imprisonment, for each such violation.
B. 
Effect of a continuing violation. For the purposes of Subsection A of this section, each day during which there is a failure to comply with the provisions of this chapter or of any order issued by the Village Board shall constitute a separate offense.
C. 
Effect of occupancy. In any prosecution under this section, the fact that any dangerous building or any part of said building was used for commercial purposes or human occupancy shall be presumptive evidence that the same was so used with the knowledge and consent of the owner.
D. 
Removal of notice. Any person removing the notice provided for in § 95-6H hereof shall be fined a sum not to exceed $250 for each offense.
E. 
Disposition of penalties. All penalties collected under this chapter shall be the property of the Village, but no provision of this chapter shall be construed to prohibit the Village from creating and maintaining a separate revolving fund out of such penalties, not to exceed the sum of $10,000 and out of which payment may be made for repairs or removals made or caused to be made as provided herein.