Dory disputes continue

Where is Jack Kiffer? That seems to be the question of the moment based on efforts to serve him legal papers related to his efforts to sell The Dory.

Milen Planas has proof of a notarized agreement she and Mr. Kiffer signed in 2009 indicating that Ms. Planas is owner of 49% of the Bridge Street bar and restaurant, which would jump to 50% in the event of a sale. Any sale would have to be approved by both partners.

Ms. Planas has several times through the years tried to assert her rights and stop possible sales. She has reasserted her efforts with word that developer Ron Webb and Island businessman Dan Calabro are purchasing The Dory.

Mr. Kiffer has acknowledged as recently as the past couple of weeks that papers pertaining to a lawsuit challenging any attempt to sell the building are with a lawyer pending a closing.

Initially, Ms. Planas and her attorney, Steven Altman of Southampton, tried to serve Mr. Kiffer with legal papers. She reported she observed signs that Mr. Kiffer was living in the building, while permitted electrical and structural work were taking place.

Ms. Planas said work on the building has been happening late at night and she and Mr. Altman have questioned why the Town Code doesn’t limit hours that work can take place. There is nothing in the code to set hours, although it’s not unusual for hours and/or days when construction work can occur to be written into permits granted to applicants.

With the charge that Mr. Kiffer is living at The Dory, Code Enforcement Officer Michael Chih sent an email to Ms. Planas Monday saying he has inspected the site and didn’t discover Mr. Kiffer living there. “I will continue to investigate your complaint of illegal residential occupancy at irregular intervals and issue the appropriate violations if any are found,” Mr. Chih said.

Mr. Altman had charged the Building Department with failing to enforce the  Town Zoning Code. Senior Building Inspector Reed Karen characterized the charge as a “rather dramatic allegation.”

Of three complaints Ms. Planas filed, two are not covered in the Town Code and the third was being investigated, Mr. Reed said, referring to the charge that Mr. Kiffer was living at The Dory.

Ms. Planas said she visited Mr. Kiffer at the Dory a few weeks ago and observed a hot plate, television set and other signs that he was living in the building. She said he acknowledged that during her visit. Since then she has observed his truck parked there late at night, but has not been able to find him since her charge was made.

In a brief telephone interview with the Reporter on Tuesday, Mr. Kiffer denied living at The Dory and called Ms. Planas’ charge “malicious.” He offered no further comment on the situation.