By CRAIG FREILICH

POTSDAM -- Village officials and representatives of several emergency services agencies are in a closed door meeting this morning discussing the storm that hit Potsdam yesterday.

National Grid is struggling to restore power to nearly 1,400 customers in St. Lawrence County.

The meeting room above the Potsdam fire station was full of 50 or more people as State Sen. Patty Ritchie arrived for a briefing.

Among those present was St. Lawrence County Sheriff Wells, who went into the meeting with Sen. Ritchie.

Even though she does not represent Potsdam, Ritchie said her connection with St. Lawrence County -- she lives in Heuvelton and was county clerk for years before her election to the Senate -- compelled her to see for herself what had occurred.

She said Sen. Joseph Griffo, who does represent Potsdam in the Senate, could not make it to the village this morning, so she offered to fill him in, she said.

A spokesman for Sen. Griffo said the senator will be in Potsdam this afternoon. He was in Utica this morning with Governor Andrew Cuomo at a bill-signing.

The meeting, closed to reporters, reportedly was having a round-robin discussion, and would likely take some time.

The storm hit at about 3:30 p.m yesterday, raking the village with 70 to 80 mph wins, according to the National Weather Service. Many trees and power lines were downed, and some roofs were blown off of buildings. The Weather Service says there were no indications of the event being a tornado.

The path of the strongest, most damaging winds rolled along Madrid Avenue, across Maple Street, where Evans and White Hardware suffered roof damage, across Market Street, where the winds ripped the roof off of the building housing Sergi's Italian Restaurant, and up Main Street, where at the intersection of Cedar Street, several great old trees were toppled.

Cleanup continues today, and power is being restored to 1,400 National Grid customers throughout St. Lawrence County who are still reported to be without power. The company estimates those customers will have power back by 7:45 p.m.