BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM — The village board of trustees will host a public hearing on its new teleconferencing law for public meetings, followed by its regular board meeting tonight, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m.

The hearing is to receive public comment on a new law which will allow the village board of trustees, municipal officials and members of the public to participate in public meetings via a teleconferencing platform like Zoom. The practice was authorized by the state during the pandemic but with that particular emergency power lapsing earlier this summer, municipal boards need to pass their own local laws to allow them to continue the practice and still stay flush with the state’s Open Meetings Law.

Later at the regular meeting, the board is expected to appoint Isabelle Gates-Shult of Parameter Road to the position of village treasurer effective Sept. 12.

Former treasurer Cara Adams resigned from the post on Aug. 5.

Adams, who previously served as deputy village clerk in Canton, was appointed to the post in July 2021 for an annual salary of $45,000. Adams recently accepted a position as district treasurer with Potsdam Central School.

Once appointed, Gates-Shult will fill out the unexpired term left vacant by Adams which ends Dec. 5, 2023. Gates-Shult’s annual salary will be $63,000.

The board is also expected to approve an appointment of Georgine Scott of Madrid to the deputy clerk/registrar position left vacant by Heather Wells’ departure, and approve a probationary appointment of Matthew Kroeger of Canton to the position of fire vehicle driver with the Potsdam Fire Department.

A resolution to match $7,000 in ARPA funds that the town of Potsdam is giving to the Potsdam Fire Department is also on the agenda. And, the board is expected to approve a contract with Eric York to update the village website.