BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM – The $4.1 million budget for 2021 for the Town of Potsdam features some pay increases for elected officials, while remaining static from 2020 levels for others.

The approved salaries for 2021, compared to 2020 levels, are:

• Supervisor – $40,000, compared to $23,000 in 2020.

• Clerk – $52,790, compared to $51,253 in 2020.

• Town Justices (2) -- $28,500 each, which is the same amount as 2020.

• Highway Superintendent – $77,000, compared to the 2020 amount of $74,000.

• Councilmembers (4) -- $16,480, compared to $17,510 in 2020.

• Tax collector -- $5,400, an increase from $5,375 in 2020.

The 2021 salary increases were approved by the town board, said Town Supervisor Ann Carvill. The increase in the supervisor’s salary itself, reflects a “dramatic” expansion in the job duties, Carvill said. “While, for this year, the increase is notable, the total salary for the job requirements is not,” the supervisor said.

“There was an increase (in workload) from 2019 to 2020. The workload expansion is related to a number of factors,” Carvill said.

The supervisor said extra work includes development of new solar and battery energy storage laws; overseeing creation of RPF, and ancillary meetings, for solar development on town property; membership and involvement in the Downtown Revitalization Committee and the state required Police Reform Committee; overseeing the updating of computers in the office and engaging in a contract with Clear Data Solutions for better IT services for the village; and handling and setting up the town’s COVID remote meetings.

“The Clerk and I put in considerable time to set up effective remote meetings. We purchased an OWL based on advice from SUNY (Potsdam) officials,” Carvill said.

Extra hours have been spent developing the town’s Comprehensive Plan, working on the town’s new code book, meeting with LC Drives on their plans to open a factory, developing and approving the Route 56 water and sewer districts, and miscellaneous work involved from the governor’s PAUSE order in March following the furloughing of employees. Certain aspects of this work is expected to continue into the new year.

“These are just some of the things that jump to mind. There is much more and my short explanations above do not begin to clarify the amount of time involved,” Carvill said.

The budget features a slight decrease in the tax rate for town residents living outside the village at $435.90 per $100,000 of assessed property value, compared to $439.80 in 2020.

Other tax rates for town residents living inside the village or those residing in special districts vary.

View the budget online at file:///Users/Nctw5/Downloads/2021%20PRELIMINARY%20BUDGET.pdf.