BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI

North Country This Week

MASSENA — The town hall building is currently without automatic backup power, following a recent power outage that damaged a contactor transfer switch. 

If power were to go out again, a manual override would be needed to transfer the facility to generator power, potentially causing an interruption in service. 

During a town board meeting on Sept. 15, board members approved the purchase and installation of a new switch. The cost will be $9,073.96 for the switch and installation fee based on a quote from Emergency Power Systems. 

“Obviously, with winter coming, we want this done sooner rather than later,” supervisor Steve O’Shaughnessy said. 

Heating and cooling systems would be affected by a power outage, as well as village and town offices. 
The police department, which is located in the town hall building, would also be affected, including their dispatch and surveillance systems. 

Board members cited concerns regarding public safety in the event that power went out again.

Frank Diagostino, Highway Department Superintendent, assured the board that the generators would still work and a switch would have to be manually operated in the meantime.

The lead time for the delivery of the switch would be around three weeks, he said.

Following the delivery of the switch, the installation would take around five to eight hours.

“Obviously we have to work out the logistics to ensure we don’t interrupt any services, especially with the police department. We’re working on contingencies right now and we’ll have a game plan ready to go by the time we’re ready to install,” he said.

In the event the installation would take place during the week, town and village offices may have to close, officials said.