BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM — The town board is expected to authorize Town Supervisor Marty Miller to sign off on all permits,  applications and other approvals for the Route 56 water and sewer projects.

The resolution the board will consider at its regular meeting Tuesday, March 12 at 6:30 p.m. declares that the town desires to continue with design, development and construction on the districts. 

The resolution will authorize Miller to sign all necessary applications, permits and documents including contractor pay applications for the development of the districts.

While the projects still have to go to bid, the total expected costs, based on estimates from last year, are currently estimated at $8,109,500 for the sewer project and $6,665,000 for the water district project. And, the costs could rise.

Those pricetags have increased substantially from initial estimates when the project went out for vote. 

The disparity caused some debate late last year between the project engineers with the firm C2AE who wanted to push forward, and Roger Linden, the town’s legal counsel on the project, who advised the town to count its losses and halt any further development. 

However, a state grant award of $1,399,484 in December gave momentum to the project and the town board decided to move forward.

With the nearly $1.4 million addition, the amount in grants both the Route 56 water and sewer district projects have received to date totals $7.4 million.

According to estimates from the engineers in December, construction work on the project could begin sometime by early summer after the bidding process has been completed.

The proposed water and sewer districts for Route 56 have been on the drawing board for years at this point. Town officials have wanted to extend municipal water and sewer service out along the roadway to facilitate greater commercial development there.

Other resolutions

In addition to the Route 56 water and sewer districts the town board is expected to approve declarations of support for local state correctional facilities and for the local colleges.

The board is also expected to also approve bids, appointments and handle other town business.