BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

CANTON – County legislators took a step toward hiring a contractor to check for underground fuel contamination at three properties that are in foreclosure and could be taken over by the county.

The Board of Legislators Finance Committee during a Monday, May 24 meeting voted to contract with Odin Environmental LLC to look for contamination at the three tax-delinquent sites in Potsdam, Russell and Fowler.

The sites in question include the former Grant’s Gas and Groceries in Potsdam, which has $157,913 in back taxes, fees, penalties and interest; a lot in Fowler owned by the Betty Davis estate that owes $22,102 in back taxes; and properties in Russell owned by Melvin Bice which have $99,549 in back taxes owed.

County Attorney Steve Button said the resolution that the committee voted on is the “culmination of a yearlong process where we’ve been examining the properties along with the Real Property Office and the Treasurer’s Office.”

The resolution legislators passed says the scope of work will involve “a limited environmental investigation of each parcel and preparation of a written report describing environmental conditions found after investigation.”

The full board will have to vote on it next month to make it official.