BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM — The Village Administrator plans to present prices at the June village board meeting for jump barriers along the village’s two bridges over the Raquette River near where a Clarkson student drowned in early May.

Village Administrator Greg Thompson told the board at their meeting in May that the idea for fence barriers on the bridges was suggested in an email forwarded to him by Village Trustee Alexandra Jacobs Wilke.

“And it's just something I would like the board to consider, and I hope to have prices for you by the next meeting,” Thompson told the board.

“We were approached by a member of our community, also a first responder and has been for many years, about the opportunity of possibly using some of our ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds depending on expense, to put jump barriers up on the bridges,” Thompson said.

“Right now its very preliminary, we’ll get some prices for you and get some pictures for you and see what they look like,” he said. “It's just something everyone should think about right now, given that situation.”

Justin Howard, a 22-year-old Clarkson student from Vermont, went missing while swimming near the Maple Street bridge on May 5. His body was found near the West Dam the following day after an extensive search by first responders from multiple agencies, law enforcement and village employees.

“It would probably discourage them,” said Village Trustee Monique Tirion. “But you know you go back to 1982 a kid jumped off Sugar Island and you know kids can make these mistakes everywhere. And it’s going to be hard to make fences everywhere. But anyway we can discuss it further.”