BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM -- The Potsdam Village Board of Trustees is expected to hear a presentation on downtown parking, consider an agreement for merchant services related to a parking kiosk study, approve an appointment and an expenditure for artifact preservation at their next meeting.

The trustees and the mayor will convene on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. at the civic center board room off Park Street in the municipal office building.

After board comments and the Potsdam museum director's report, the board will hear from Dr. Erik C. Backus, Clarkson University civil engineering professor. Backus will report on the 2023-2024 parking occupancy and options study.

The board has been considering options for paid parking in the downtown business district in light of the upcoming streetscape overhaul project funded by the state's $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative awarded to Potsdam in 2018.

At their meeting last November, the village board approved a proposal for a parking study from Backus and the Clarkson Construction Engineering Management Consulting Group (C3G) which is comprised of the school’s civil engineering students.

The study was requested after village enforcement actions had revealed that certain spots in the downtown business district were being taken up longer than authorized without the turnover needed for local business traffic. The study cost the village $5,717.

At a meeting prior to that the village also discussed installing digital parking kiosks at several locations downtown instead of replacing the classic parking meters, many of which are in rough shape. The kiosks could cost the village as much as $10,000 each.

The board at their meeting Tuesday, Jan. 16 is expected to discuss and vote on a contract with MMD Processing for merchant services related to the village’s parking kiosk trial study with IPS Group. According to the resolution on the meeting agenda "There will be a monthly service fee of $15.00, and a credit card fee per transaction where the rates will be determined by VISA and Mastercard rules. Such fees will not apply for cash transactions. This service will offer residents and visitors multiple payment options when parking within the Village."

Also on the agenda for the Tuesday meeting, the board is expected to appoint William Murphy or Potsdam to the Potsdam Public Museum Board of Trustees for a three-year term beginning Jan. 16, 2024 and expiring Jan. 16, 2027.

Finally, a resolution to approve the withdrawal of $4,310 from the Potsdam Public Museum's Rossie fund balance to pay the Northeast Document Conservation Center for completion of the conservation and restoration of a rare 1838 map of Potsdam.