BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM — Major changes are happening among the village’s personnel lineup.

The village administrator is stepping down to a lesser role as codes enforcement officer and Department of Public Works superintendent.

The village codes enforcement officer is departing for a new position.

And, the village treasurer is stepping into the role of interim village administrator.

“The Village of Potsdam would like to keep the public informed about the changing roles of some of our valued staff,” said Village Mayor Alexandra Jacobs Wilke at the village board meeting April 30.

Village Administrator Gregory Thompson has decided to take a step back from his duties as administrator, and has taken on a dual role as code enforcement officer/superintendent of public works, effective May 1, 2024, Wilke said.

“This is a decision Greg came to after much consideration, and we are thankful that we can continue to rely on him as a key member of our team. His expertise in code and public works will continue to be instrumental, as we continue to move forward,” Wilke said.

Thompson previously served as the village’s code enforcement officer until his appointment to administrator in late 2016 after the departure of the previous administrator Everett Basford.

He still maintains his certification for the code enforcement officer job, Wilke confirmed.

Thompson will take a pay cut to $88,000 for his new position,  from just over $94,000 as administrator. 

The village board voted at a special meeting the day previous on April 29 to appoint Isabelle Gates-Shult as interim administrator/treasurer, effective May 1, 2024. Gates-Shult will be paid a monthly stipend of $2,500 for the new duties in addition to her base salary as treasurer.

“Isabelle is taking on both roles for the next few months, while we work to determine the best path forward for both of those critical functions. We have full faith in our team to move the village forward and we are thankful to have both working for us,” Wilke said at the April 30th meeting when making the announcement.

The village board is to conduct a review no later than July 31 to find a permanent solution to the administrator and treasurer positions. 

Also at the April 29 meeting a day earlier, the village board accepted “with regret” the resignation of village codes enforcement officer Lisa Newby Thompson who has accepted a new position with the town of Morristown.

“You will notice on the agenda that we are saying goodbye to a long time staff member. Lisa Thompson has accepted a position in another municipality and so we are saying goodbye to her as a code enforcement offcer, but wishing her nothing but the best,” said Mayor Jacobs Wilke at the April 29 meeting.

“We’re thankful for her years of service to the village and wish her well in her future endeavors,” Wilke said.

Newby Thompson has served as the village code enforcement officer for the last seven years.

Her resignation was retroactively effective April 19.