Warr: Start Dissolution Talks; Potsdam Trustee Disagrees With Mayor About Waiting

POTSDAM - Trustee Stephen J. Warr thinks a new ad-hoc committee appointed by Mayor Reinhold J. Tischler to study dissolving the village government should begin meeting immediately.

Mr. Warr said he disagrees with Mr. Tischler, who said earlier this week he favors waiting for a $50,000 state grant to be awarded before convening the first meeting of the 14-member dissolution study committee appointed Monday.

The village applied for a $50,000 state grant in January to hire a consulting firm to help with the study. Word on whether the funding will be awarded is expected to be received sometime this spring, according to planning officials.

Mr. Warr said Friday he plans to contact dissolution committee chairman Timothy M. Connolly and recommend calling the group together for an initial meeting. He said now that a committee has been formed, he sees no point in waiting weeks or months to begin discussions.

"Some of this is about simple facts and figures," Mr. Warr said. "I'd like to see us share some information between the town and village and for the committee to begin meeting before we even get the grant."

The village's newly-formed study committee has been given until Oct. 31, 2012 to delve into the pros and cons of dissolving the village government and merging with the town. During that time the 14-member group has been charged with investigating the effects of village dissolution on town and village residents as well as its potential impact on employment, taxes and community character.

Mr. Warr, who was elected to office in November on a pledge to bring the dissolution subject to the ballot box, said he doubts many of those who carried him to office will wait years for a chance to call the question. In particular he points to a change in state law that goes into effect March 21 that will make it easier for village residents to force a referendum on dissolution by petition.

"If we begin meeting now, in six months we should have a lot of information under our belts," Mr. Warr said. "I don't know if anyone will carry a petition on March 21st, but on Oct. 20 they will."

Leroy Street resident Robert H. Wood Jr. agrees with Mr. Warr that dissolution committee talks should begin sooner than later in Potsdam.

In a letter e-mailed to Mr. Connolly Friday, Mr. Wood suggested the village of Potsdam is "one of the most highly-taxed municipalities in the state" and that restructuring local government is an idea long overdue.

"Our village taxes keep going up, but municipal expenditures don't seem to be keeping up with our potholed roads and aging water and sewer systems," Mr. Wood wrote. "Local government is supposed to have programs to effectively respond to vacant storefronts and rundown single-family and multi-family housing in many neighborhoods. Many of our neighbors, lifelong residents of the village, think the problems here are getting worse not better."

Mr. Wood's e-mail to Mr. Connolly also provided links to websites by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli explaining how dissolution works and the possible benefits derived by ending duplication of local governments.

Mr. Warr said more people should follow the initiative shown by Mr. Wood and begin sending e-mails and letters to let officials in the community know how they feel about merging governments in Potsdam. He said he welcomes all comments sent to swarr@twcny.rr.com

"I want people to contact me right away and let me know should we dissolve or not dissolve," Mr. Warr said. "Should we share services or not share services? Should we keep what we have or is it too expensive? Just give me opinions, so we can have those taxpayer opinions on file."