To The Editor:

What’s wrong with Potsdam?

Excuse me, all I hear is Potsdam wants to extend water and sewer farther out Market Street down State HIghway 56 but every time a business wants to come into Potsdam they’re faced with a road block.

I am beginning to think there is a lack of education needed in the running of the village of Potsdam.

Let’s see, the village of Potsdam built a power house that they spent millions of our taxpayers dollars on. This is still not up and running. Several years of “no income from it” and if and when it ever does get off the ground and a malfunction ever occurs, it will be so outdated that parts won’t be available to repair it. They keep giving us warm fuzzies that it’s going to be up and running soon, they just can’t tell us what year.

Now, a hotel wants to build in Potsdam and we’re fighting it. Mr. Hanss stated, “Market Street currently handles 17,000 vehicle trips per day.” Mr. Hanss also stated, “He estimated the hotel would increase vehicle trips on Market Street an average of 60 to 200 vehicle trips per day, not including employees.”

I may be a little stupid, but I went to Potsdam Central School. There I had to do math. It’s called “addition and subtraction” in doing so you take away all the employees and patrons of the following businesses: Parkway Ford, Scoopuccino’s, the Flower Shop and Ton’s Sports Bar and what you have left is a “big zero.” Now you add up the employees of the “new hotel and their patrons” and you will have a lower number of vehicle trips per day than you had before.

One must ask themselves, how many customers patronized Ton’s Sports Bar, Scoopuccino’s and the Flower Shop coming and going every day? How many employees are employed in these places along with shift changing?

Now, ask yourself this question, which is going to bring in more revenue to the village of Potsdam?

Just the other day there was an article in the paper, it stated that there was no building construction in the village of Potsdam, only at the colleges or once in a while a new house. Could it be Potsdam don’t want anyone to build in the village of Potsdam?

Next question. If this hotel is going to cause a traffic problem on Market Street then what good would it be to extend the water and sewer lines out farther on State Highway 56? Wouldn’t this create a bigger problem with traffic going to and from these new businesses?

When Wal-Mart was built this created a traffic flow problem but no one was concerned. The corner at Bicknell Brothers is now a major problem for the peope trying to get on to Route 11; it needs a traffic light that is in sync with the Wal-Mart light.

But, Clarkson College wanted the light so they received it! They don’t even pay taxes on the food establishments that operate on their campus. But they tell us how to run our village.

What does this traffic light do at the top of Maple Street Hill? It adds to the traffic flow and congestion on Maple Street stopping us when no one is leaving or entering Clarkson Campus. Let’s move this stop light to the corner at Bicknell Brothers where it is greatly needed before someone gets killed. Wake up and small the coffee, Potsdam is just what it spells backwards, a “mapstop.”

A hotel on Outer Market Street will only be a plus for the local business. Gas stations for gas, jump-starts, tows and service, they’ll also need food and other supplies while shopping in Potsdam before heading out on the road again.

Let’s not forget it will bring in new jobs, this is called job growth! Maybe this is just what is needed to slow down the 50 mph traffic now traveling up and down Market Street, it’s a raceway to the next light.

William C. Paige

Potsdam

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