By MAUREEN PICHÉ

POTSDAM – If voters approve village dissolution Nov. 8, current and future members of the Potsdam Town Council say they would like to keep most village services and ordinances, and all but one wants to maintain a police department that serves and is paid for by people inside the present village.

Although they admit it will be an uphill battle, Supervisor Marie Regan, and Council members Rollin Beattie, Judith Rich and Michael Zagrobelny are all in favor of pursuing the creation of a police district within the former village limits if dissolution occurs. The cost of the district would be borne solely by current village taxpayers.

Rose Rivezzi, the sole candidate for Councilman Harold Demick’s open seat, is not in favor of the village police district, and instead, supports a town-wide force paid for by all town taxpayers.

Last week, state Assemblywoman Addie Russell and Sen. Joseph Griffo said the district would be a tough sell to the state legislature, in light of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desire to eliminate layers of government throughout the state.

Council members still haven’t given up hope on the district.

“A police district is the first thing we would explore,” Regan said. “Then taxes on town-outside-of-village residents wouldn’t rise as precipitously.”

“Legislators aren’t quick to carry flags for what-ifs,” Zagrobelny said, noting it’s all theory right now, and an actual vote for dissolution might motivate state legislators to pursue a district.

However, he suspects a town-wide force would most likely be the case, “but that doesn’t mean there won’t be conversations with the county legislature, and they wouldn’t consider making new population zones for the sheriff’s department.”

“I don’t think people in the township want to pay for another police department,” said Rollin Beattie, who noted that people like him who live in Norwood already contribute toward that department, not to mention taxes paid for county and state protection.

Rich said a town-wide force might mean the former village gets short shrift when it comes to police services. She said she is strongly against dissolution for a number of reasons, adding, “There will be less control of the village as a village.”

A village police district would mean current village residents would see less of a tax break from dissolution, since they would still be the only ones paying for the police department, which makes up $2.2 million of the $5.7 million village budget.

Rivezzi says this is one of the reasons why she is in favor of a town-wide force with the cost shouldered by everyone.

“I don’t support a police district. It keeps costs just to the former village limits, and the service is a benefit to more than just the residents in the village,” she said. “The village is the center of the community. When the police keep it safe, the whole community benefits from the economic opportunities the institutions within the village provide.”

It is still unknown what the village district would cost, given that dissolution would leave police contracts null and void—and up for new negotiations with the town council.

Airport, Town Administrator

On other issues that will face the town council should dissolution take place, members mostly agree they should stay as is.

All agreed they would be in favor of continuing operation of Damon Field Airport.

In fact, they don’t have much of a choice, according to the dissolution study report.

“Operations at the facility must be continued by the town, post-dissolution, lest the town be required to repay a significant number of Federal Aviation Administration grants that have funded projects there,” the report states.

But besides that, council members feel the airport plays a vital role in the community.

“It’s a source of economic development and an absolutely good thing to have,” Zagrobelny noted.

The town council can see the need for a town administrator to oversee a budget that could triple in size.

“Obviously, if we’re going to go from a $3 million to a $9 million budget, there’s no way the supervisor could handle it alone,” Regan said.

Community Development, Ordinances

All are in favor of a town-wide community development office. In fact, Zagrobelny said he would like to see a combined office regardless of dissolution.

“We have to stop being so parochial about things, saying we’re only going to develop within these particular boundaries,” he said.

Regan agreed. “Community development would probably be a lot easier if dissolution occurred,” she said.

Separate ordinances for the former village and town to handle things like lawn maintenance and parking on front yards come down to practicality, council members said.

“It will take some work and time, but there’s no reason why we can’t have codes for denser populated areas and codes for outside,” Rivezzi said.

Creating a district where apartment inspections are a requirement for units of one or more also makes sense, council members said.

Beattie said, however, all of the smaller items would need to be looked at individually over the 13 months the council would have prior to actual dissolution. Different individuals and groups would undoubtedly bring forth different proposals.

Park Maintenance, Sidewalks

When it comes to continuing maintenance of the former village for things like brush removal, sidewalk plowing and upkeep of village parks, council members are a little less sure what would be paid for by former village residents and the town as a whole.

Rivezzi thinks it might be a good idea for something like brush removal to be tacked on to the trash removal bill only current village residents pay.

“We’ll see what the former village wants, but I don’t think the whole town should have to pay,” she said.

Splitting hairs over who should pay for sidewalk plowing is not a good idea, Rivezzi, Beattie and Rich say. Rich pointed out even some village residents don’t have sidewalks. In the end, they say, it all comes down to the common good of the whole town.

“We’re making the community attractive as a place to live,” Rivezzi said. “Kids use them to go to school, even TOV kids use them. Sidewalks are something all people use at some time.”

“Just like in the town, some village people don’t have sidewalks in front of their homes. It would be too picky to make just the former village residents pay for it,” she added.

Zagrobelny and Regan suggest there might be other ways to handle the village sidewalks. Regan said it’s possible districts could be created and people within those districts would pay for the service. Zagrobelny suggested a lot of the shoveling by municipal employees could be done away with, and be left to the responsibility of homeowners and businesses.

And maintenance of public areas such as village parks would have to continue, everyone said. When the village parks and green spaces look good, visitors feel good about Potsdam, and everyone in the township benefits.

In the end, town council members concur, if dissolution comes about, there will be a lot of discussion and public input to consider before making any of these decisions.

“If dissolution happens, it’s going to be a very difficult and complex issue,” Zagrobelny said.