BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM — The village will hold its second and final public hearing on a state grant it received to help pay for the East Dam renovation and rebuild.

The public hearing, regarding the portion of its ongoing East Dam rehabilitation project funded by a state Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), is planned for Monday, Jan. 17 at 5:45 p.m. in the civic center board room at 2 Park St.

“We’re in the process of doing grant close-out work,” said Village Planner Fred Hanss. “We are required to hold a second hearing to close out the project.”

The village has received $750,000 through the grant program to help offset the cost of the work at the East Dam. The grant funding was spent during the renovation at the hydro plant, Hanss said.

The village has financed the total $4 million project through New York Power Authority over 15 years. NYPA provided the up front funding for the work. The CDBG grant helped to offset that bottomline, along with a $250,000 grant from the state Dormitory Authority of New York, the village planner said.

This second hearing is part of the state’s requirements for the grant. The first hearing was held last summer.

The remaining cost of the project not covered by the grant funds will be paid for by the village through a bond arrangement.

The dam’s two 400-kilowatt hydro generators are currently operational and making power again after several setbacks following an extensive overhaul and rebuild over the last few years. The village’s West Dam, part of the municipality’s overall hydro power complex, is still not operational.

The state’s CDBG program, administered by the Office of Community Renewal, helps fund local governments for projects like public infrastructure and facilities, as well as economic development and low income housing.

According to the resolution on the hearing passed by the village board of trustees at their regular meeting Jan. 3, “comments related

to the effectiveness of administration of the CDBG project will also be received” during the hearing, and more information on the East Dam project will be provided.

Written comments on the grant may be submitted to Village Clerk, Lori S. Queor at P.O. Box 5168, Potsdam, NY 13676 until 3:45 p.m. on Jan. 17.