To the Editor:

Great news was reported in the Sept. 28 edition of the Courier-Observer. The Village of Potsdam may have a developer for a 100-unit apartment complex.

Let’s hope that this revelation does not derail plans for village officials to meet with Mrs. Regan and Mr. Demick regarding the possible development of another 144-unit apartment complex outside of the Village of Potsdam.

Certainly we can all agree that Potsdam needs more housing opportunities and that the influx of occupants in (potentially) 244 new housing units will do wonders for Potsdam businesses.

Is it possible that the Village would settle for 100 when Potsdam could have 244?

The Sept. 28 article quotes Mr. Yurgatis this way, “I point this out because I think we as a community need to realize we have choices and can resist unreasonable or unfair developer demands and still get the kind of development we want.”

Mr. Yurgartis might feel that way, but most folks would argue that 244 new units is more than twice as good as 100 units.

The developer outside of the village requires water and sewer. Mr. Yurgartis and some other Village of Potsdam officials have made it clear that selling water and sewer outside the village limits is not in the cards.

The argument has been that it’s “unfair” to current village residents who pay both village taxes and for water and sewer, and although I agree that it does seem unfair on the surface, consider these facts.

Developers have made it clear that the combined taxes on a large scale operation within the Village of Potsdam are generally cost prohibitive.

The greatest tax that anyone in the Town or the Village of Potsdam pays is school tax. Large scale development will increase school revenue via taxes and lesson the school tax burden on all school district residents (whether you live in the village or outside the village).

Sale of water and sewer outside of the village will increase the revenue of The Water and Sewer departments and should decrease the cost of water and sewer for Village of Potsdam users.

Large scale development within the town will lower the tax burden in the General Fund which we all pay regardless of town or village.

So, what Mr. Yurgartis terms as “unreasonable” I call sensible: sensible because the greatest taxing entity will have more to draw from, sensible because water and sewer rates could decrease rather than increase, and sensible because in a time when little is being built, something may be built.

Village officials have told me that residents would be outraged if water and sewer were sold outside the village limits. If this is true, let me know.

If it upsets you to increase school revenue, lower water and sewer rates, and increase town general fund revenues all at the cost of knowing water and sewer is being sold outside of the village, email me – mzagrobelny@yahoo.com.

But – if you feel that increasing school and general fund revenue and lowering water and sewer rates may just be sensible – don’t tell me. I can’t change the law.

This is a law enacted long ago to lure development into the village to fill the empty store fronts.

Has it worked?

The Village Board made the law, and only they can change it.

Tell the Village of Potsdam Trustees, Mayor, and staff to change the law and negotiate with the town.

They are the only ones who can make it happen, and you’re the only ones they want to hear from.

Mike Zagrobelny

Town of Potsdam Councilman