A Kiryas Joel source tells News 12 Hudson Valley that a fire on the village border in Monroe was intentionally set and politically motivated.

The source, a member of the village's dissident group, says the fire was set after an Election Day dispute among the dissidents and their leader. The anti-village government's group allegedly owns the property and told members to vote against United Monroe. The anonymous source says the group does not want any support for United Monroe because the group feels their writings are anti-Semitic.

Another man, who claimed to be a Kiryas Joel village official but did not reveal his name, says the alleged property owner and dissident leader asked followers to vote in line with the village group Anash. The village official says the dissident leader wants the property annexed into the village.

The dissidents voted against the block vote and helped elect Dennis McWaters, who is against annexation, to the town board.

Police say they found several locations where the fire on Mountain Road was started. They are interviewing witnesses but say it could take weeks to determine if the fire was intentionally set.