BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM — The Potsdam village board of trustees is expected to pass a resolution supporting SUNY Potsdam and calling on the state to bail out the college and others in the same boat around the state that are listed with multi-million deficits.

The board is scheduled to convene on April 1 at 6 p.m.

Among the agenda items, the board will pass a resolution along the same lines as one passed by the town board earlier this month, which calls on the state legislature to “allocate $139 million directly to campuses to close campus budget deficits at SUNY Potsdam and other cash-starved SUNY campuses and $110 million to enhance student programs and services.”

The resolution under consideration also urges the legislature to support passage of bill A.6430 (Wallace), which would reduce the number of Trustees the governor appoints and allow the Temporary President of the Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly to each appoint four Trustees to ensure disbursement of allocations to the SUNY system as advocated and intended by the State Legislature for their home districts.

Once passed, the resolution will be sent to the governor.

At the meeting April 1, the board is also expected to adopt the Pro-Housing Communities pledge, which will see the village implement various actions to help local affordable housing needs.

Also on the agenda, the board will set April 15 public hearings on the 2024-2025 village budget and on overriding the tax cap if needed.

Trustees and the mayor will also approve a SEQRA Short Environmental Assessment Form negative declaration for the development and construction of Brooks Street which will connect Raymond and Depot streets.

A resolution to approve a contract with the firm KAS Environmental to conduct an environmental site assessment at the Frosh Municipal Parking Area as part of the village’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative Rebuild Downtown Potsdam Fund will also be voted on.

Bids for annual laboratory testing at the Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant, and for chemicals for the plant, will also be addressed.

Finally the board will vote on the following appointments and membership:

• Kathrine Dinneen, SLC Arts Council, and Melanie Flack, Potsdam Chamber of Commerce, to the DRI Project Advisory Committee
• Stephanie Russo, Jane Lammers and J.P. Manke to the DRI Project Advisory Committee’s sub-committee on arts and marketing.
• Michael Weil as Zoning Board Member for a five-year term (retroactive) effective Nov. 5, 2020 and expiring November 5, 2025.
• Neil P. Conant, South Canton Road, Potsdam, as a member of the Potsdam Fire Department. A favorable vote of the department and satisfactory physical exam have been achieved.