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Potsdam property owners to vote Thursday on creation of town recreation district

Posted 4/9/14

POTSDAM -- Tomorrow, property owners in the town – except those from the Village of Norwood – will vote to decide whether or not a new tax district will be formed to support the recreation …

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Potsdam property owners to vote Thursday on creation of town recreation district

Posted

POTSDAM -- Tomorrow, property owners in the town – except those from the Village of Norwood – will vote to decide whether or not a new tax district will be formed to support the recreation program.

Voting will be between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday at Town Hall, 18 Elm St.

Voting will be done by owners of real property in the town, except in the village of Norwood. On advice from the state comptroller’s office, the town will allow people to vote if their names appear on the title of a parcel of real property. If more than one name appears, all may vote. If they own more than one piece of property, they will not get another vote. Partners in business who own a parcel of property may all vote.

Residents who don’t own property are not eligible to vote.

There will be no provision for absentee ballots, not even for property owners who are members of the military and are away.

For years, the village and town had disagreed over what each side believed was fair funding of Pine Street Arena, lifeguards at Postwood Park and Pine Street beaches, and the summer recreation and learn-to-swim programs for children, including bus transportation.

After several years of a joint town-village recreation program, the village unilaterally decided to pull out of the arrangement last year and turn the whole program over to the town.

The Village of Norwood, part of the Town of Potsdam, has had its own recreation program in tandem with Norwood-Norfolk Central School, so it will not be part of the new district or the restructured recreation program.

If approved, the recreation program will start with a budget of no more than $380,000 for the first year. Subsequent budgets will be figured by the town council.

That amount does not include money for any improvements to facilities such as Pine Street Arena.