By CRAIG FREILICH

POTSDAM -- The village government is working on a revision to local law that would allow taxi companies to set their own rates, subject to approval by the board of trustees.

The trustees are also expected to take another step in the examination of the proposed building of a Taco Bell on Market Street.

At their meeting tonight, the board plans to set Dec. 19 as the date of a hearing on amending local law, which now says that any taxi ride within the village can't cost more than $6.

John Meyers and Elisa Meyers run Taxi Zero Transport based in Potsdam, and have complained that the $6 limit "is not enough in most cases."

John says if the village goes ahead with a law that allows them to set their own rates, "that would be exactly what we asked for" in their recent appearances at village board meetings.

The law is at the moment only in draft form, and will have to be finalized before next month's hearing.

The draft calls for the rates to be submitted to the village every year in April, when taxi licenses are renewed, and approved by a vote of the board.

But village Clerk Lori Queor says that is just a working proposition and could easily change between now and Dec. 19.

Another agenda item tonight is a preliminary step in the process of giving the go-ahead for the proposed Taco Bell developmemt at Market and Sisson streets.

The vote tonight would certify that the restaurant would comply with the village's Comprehensive Plan and that rezoning a residential parcel as part of the development would have "no adverse impacts on the natural or built environment."

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Civic Center board room.