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LAST WEEK'S WEATHER jgg^S? Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat. Sun. . Mon. Hi 44 37 18 28 29 18, 36. VOL. 136 NO. Lo -7 27 10 10 2 -10 9 42 PC P /VMI f*rititfiti 2.25 sn /•( • 2.35 sn (• •It sntr \MLF' 1 sntr ^fUl n \u\fmy\ III HI IU Uulltf 1.50 sn ^W V^ \^ 0 .38 sn A PARK NEWSPAPER COURIER & FREEMAN, (USPS135-460) POTSDAM, N.Y.-TUESDAY, JANUARY 3,1989 16 PAGES. Town to post Sisson Street spr- ing. See story this week. 35 CENTS No Official Action Taken On Downtown Fife Lanes RESCUERS HONORED — Three Potsdam Village Police Department officers were honored by village officials and the department Monday night for their heroic rescue of a 16-year-old Clarkson School stu- dent from the icy waters of the Racquette River Dec. 13. Shown from left are Police Chief Clinton R. Matott, who presented the officers with the police ribbon of valor; Sgt. Leonard Oney, Patrolman David Bartlett, and Patrolman John Kaplan. The of- ficers received a letter of commendation and a cer- tificate from Mayor Paul Claffey. (Betsy Baker photo) Five Honored For Heroism BY BETSY BAKER and was released in time to see proud to have this caliber of officer - BY BETSY BAKER No official action was taken Mon- day night on the widening of downtown Potsdam alleyway fire lanes, though the fire lanes were discussed at a public hearing and at the regular Potsdam Village Board of Trustees' meeting. The need for compromise was mentioned, but there was no formal resolution of the matter. Village Administrator Robert Burns will seek a ruling from New York State on the status of the fire lanes. Downtown merchants continued to press for leaving the fire lanes as they are, saying they need the parking spaces that would be lost if the lanes are widened. Several village officials called for compromise on the fire lanes, though village code enforcement official Herbert Crump, Trustee Helen Brouwer, fire department members and county fire and rescue coordinator Patrick VerSchneider said that safety con- siderations must come first.. The fire lanes controversy sur- faced last month after Crump ask- ed the village board to rescind Mayor Paul J. Claffey's 1984 order to police not to ticket vehicles park- ed in the alleyways behind buildings on Market Street. Crump maintains that the fire lanes must be kept free of obstruc- tions so that fire or rescue vehicles coming and going during the early morning hours, and those employees park in the alleyway, close to the building, for safety's sake. She said that merchants are \be- ing put in the regrettable position' of being against safety, against saving lives,\ because they.are.ob- jectlhg to the widening of the fire lanes, Rich noted that The Bagelry has been approached several times to move to a shopping mall. \We have resisted, we like being in Potsdam, but if we keep getting chopped off...\ Fire Coordinator Fire and rescue coordinator VerSchneider said he thinks the village will \have some very, very serious problems if you don't main- tain the fire lanes.\ J \Part of my job with the county is to advise locals. I would advise them to keep the fire lanes,\ VerSchneider said. \I don't think people understand what happens when a building is on fire,\ he continued. \By the time the fire department arrives and is on the scene, seconds count. /Every edge we can give the fire depart- ment getting there on the scene is important.\ VerSchneider said that if fire broke out in back of the Market Street buildings, the local fire department would call units from board empowered him to enforce the codes. \I'm not trying to place a burden of any kind on the owners of stores, but it is imperative that the rescue squad and fire depart- ment have access to their (the businesses) required second ex- its.\ Crump said it's necessary for the fire chiefs to be able to get trucks into the alleyways uninterrupted.. \Every one of those (Market Street) businesses has a secondary exit on those alleys,\ he said. \With cars blocking the exits, the fire department can't get to gas main shutoffs\ and can't use equip- ment needed to fight the fire. Crump also said the law on fire lanes does allow parking for pick- up and deliveries. Charles Gerrlsh disputed the need for fire vehicles to get into the alleyways. \Herb thinks access means surrounding,\ Gerrish said. \All those buildings have access from Market Street or Depot Street,\ he said. , \The alley should be just as it was,\ Gerrish continued. \The on- ly tinle I've seen a fire truck in that alley was the Ray Williams fire and the building was lost.\ Gerrish said the owner of an ad- joining business had to move mer- chandise out around the fire truck. Fire department member James Corbett said he was driving the truck that pulled into the alleyway \Rescue Squad member were honored Monday night in the Civic Center Board Room for their heroism in the Racquette River rescue of a 16-year old youth on Dec. 13. Sgt. Leonard Oney, Patrolman David Bartlett, Patrolman John; Kaplan, dispatcher Paul Howard, and rescue squad volunteer William Corbett were honored in ceremonies preceding the meeting of the Potsdam Village Board of Trustees. Mayor Paul Claffey presented the m*n wttli * lettfcr orcommanda- tlon and a framed certificate of ap- - preciation. Police Chief Clinton Matott presented the officers with the police medal of valor, a letter and certificate of commendation. On the evening of the 13th, police were called to Ives Park in the village, where 16-year-old Vivek Narayanan, a Clarkson School stu- dent, had fallen through the ice while walking on the riven Patrolman Kaplan and SgtjOney went onto the ice with a canoe to rescue the youth, but they went into the river when the canoe tipped as the youth attempted to grab it. Patrolman Bartlett and Corbett crawled onto the ice on their bellies, and formed a human chain to pull the officers and the youth to safety. The youth was hospitalized over- night at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, with handling the complex com- munications during the incident and keeping the airways open for messages. Mayor Claffey told the honorees and their families who had gathered in the board room that the village \is very gratified, very pleased\ with the heroics of the men's actions. His letter commended the men for their heroic actions on the 13th. \Your response was above and beyond the normal call of duty,\ the mayor said. \Risking one's life to save another is an example of the titsMW^MMItr^nf your profes- sion and our society.\ Chief Matott said the police rib- bon of valor is given only \to those officers who perform a heroic act even though they are at great risk of death or injury to themselves and as a result, the life of another is saved.\ Matott's letter of commendation stated, \The above certainly describes your actions on December 13, 1988 at 11:13 .p.m. when having full knowledge you might be overcome by the cold waters of the Racquette River and possibly drown, you without hesita- tion ventured out one hundred yards, from shore to save a drown- ing man and nearly became a vic- tim of cold icy waters. \I salute you for your courage and dedication and I am sure the department and community are Town To Post Spring BY BETSY BAKER Town of Potsdam officials will post the Sisson Street spring, a popular source of drinking water for local residents, on the advice of the New York State Health Depart- ment. Town Supervisor Gene Brundage said at last Wednesday morning's end-of-year town council meeting that while there have been no com- plaints about the quality of the water, the problem with, the spring is that there is \no way that we can control the flow of water or anything getting into it.\ Since the spring is on town-owned land, the town could be liable if there were problems, he said. Town officials agreed that people will likely continue to get drinking water at the spring, but posting It eliminates the town's liability. The state health department recommended posting the spring with a \no trespassing\ sign and a warning, Brundage said. The warn- ing would read that \the public is hereby advised not to use the Sisson Street spring as a potable (drinkable) water source.\ The health department notified the town that it recommends against using roadside- springs because such use is \potentially unsafe due to the inability to pro- tect the spring from surface con- tamination and the variability of source water quality.\ Brundage.stressed that both the health department and. Atlantic Testing Labs Ltd., Potsdam- Canton Road, have tested the SlMon Street spring water and found it pure. But, he said that Atlantic Testing recommended monthly testing, at a cost of $80 per month. Brundage said town officials tttVe been keeping an eye on the spring since last May, when there i, sewer problems at Potsdam , shopping center, and it was feared runoff might have con- Administrator Robert Burns said he is not sure the village has the authority to do such testing outside village limits. commendation were also sent to two Potsdam College students, Matthew Knapp and Anthony PHaniello. The two were walking on Bay Street the evening of the 13th when they heard Narayanan's cries for help. Knapp stayed on the shore of the riverwith Narayanan, while Pitaniello-ran to a nearby apartment building for help. Chevy Dealers Give To Brass Firemen The. Norwood Brass Firemen have been invited to Washington, D.C. to march in the parade for the inauguratyion of President-elect George Bush. The band is scheduled to appear in the inaugural parade on Jan. 20. The band traveled to Washington In 1985 for President Reagan's in- augural parade, but bad weather forced the cancellation of the parade, and the band performed in the Cap Center in Maryland in- stead. The North Country Chevy Dealers Inc. (N.C.C.D.I.) has con- tributed $l,6.QO,tfl_provide transpor- tation for the 27 band members who will leave on Jan. 18 at 8 a.m. from the Norwood Volunteer Fire Department. , Band manager Bob Haggett said that a total of $2,400 in contribu- tions for the band's trip has come in thus far. He said he would like to extend his thanks to local com- munities and businesses for their ongoing support of the band. Donations for the band's trip may be sent to: Norwood Brass Firemen Inaugural Fund, c/o Village Clerk, Municipal Building, Norwood, 13668. cars parked there, he said, and the trucks would be unable to get at thejr equipment to fight a fire. _ On Dec. 5, the trustees approved a resolution calling for increased enforcement of the fire lanes law, but several downtown business owners came to the Dec. 19 trustees' meeting to complain that their vehicles had been ticketed. On Monday, Trustee William Lawson said he hoped some kind of compromise could be worked out. He said he had checked the fire lanes behind the 9 Market St. business of Judith and Eliot Rich, The Bagelry. Lawson said he noted 10 cars parked along the riverfront, \pretty much blocking the (fire) hoses to the river,\ but eliminating two cars would leave a path for the hoses, he said. \I can understand business owners wanting to have vehicles out there for deliveries,\ he said. \They've spent money to fix the in- teriors and extreriors of their stores. I do think we should give them a little consideration.\ Trustee Brouwer said she agrees that compromise may be possible, but she said she thinks \you have to put primarily the safety considera- tions — the requirements of the fire department have to come first,\ for the sake of the downtown lan- downers. There \may be some leeway for a few parking spaces,\ she added.. Judith Rich said she doesn't think Crump \understands the nature of what goes on behind our business.\ \Our delivery vehicle has to stay in one little corner\ behind the building, she said, to be ready to do an early morning route and make evening deliveries. The Bagelry also has employees streets and at the scene, you're go- ing to need lots of room to maneuver,\ he said. Crump said that the village alleyway . tight, he said, adding the firefighters helped the adjoining store owner carry out his merchan- dise. Moore Retains Top Spot In County Legislature BY RYNE MARTIN CANTON — Three Republican legislators crossed party lines this morning (Tuesday) to allow Clare Republican Lloyd Moore to retain the chairmanship of the St. Lawrence County Legislature. Moore, a 61-year-old St. Lawrence County native, outpolled Massena Republican Bennett Abrams by a 14-7 vote to retain the chairmanship for a second year. Republicans Duana Carey (Stockholm), Robert Snider (Star Lake) and Carl Ashley (Ogdensburg) joined their Democratic colleagues in re- electing Moore to the helm of the county legislature. Ashley told the Ogdensburg Advance-News in early November that he was strongly considering backing Moore for the chair- manship. Republicans thought they had the votes to oust Moore when Republican Charles Romigh was elected in a heavily Democratic ^legislative district. Romlgh's victory over Democrat Josephine Catanzarite gave Republicans a 12-10 advantage on the county legislature. Abrams was viewed as the odds on favorite to sit in the chairman's seat for the next year. But when the veteran Massena Republican was hit with health pro- Monday night's Potsdam Board of Trustees' Trustee Hugh Sprague the village undertake the spring, but Village blems last month, the door was opened for Moore to return to the helm of county government for the next year. Abrams was unable to attend Monday morning's reorganizational meeting. The Clare Republican, who join- ed the 11 Democrats on the county legislature last year to elect himself to the chairmanship, said he learned last week there was a strong possibility he would return to the chairmanship. Snider informed Moore on Thurs- day that he had his vote in his bid to retain the chairmanship. Ashley told the Clare Republican he was in his corner on Sunday. \I felt the votes might be there,\ he noted. Ashley said his decision to aban- don his fellow Republicans on the chairmanship vote could be at- tributed to the role Moore has played dm >ng his year as chairman of the county legislature. \Lloyd from. my perspective, has done a wonderful job for the past year, I think he has earned the respect of about all of the legislators. The man is very sincere and hard working,\ ac- cording to Ashley. The Ogdensburg Republican said he has also been impressed with Moore's decision to attend a number of jurisdictional commit- tee meetings. \He makes it a point to know what is going on. He has run county government as a good chairman,\ Ashley said, shortly after casting his vote for Moore. The chairman of the county legislature said his two priorities for county government in the next year will be transportation and a proposed building project. Moore pledged to run county government in a bi-partisan man- ner when he was elected to the chairmanship last year. Despite again receiving the support of the Democrats to retain the helm of county government, Moore deserted his supporters and voted with the Republicans on a vote for \county attorney.\ < County Attorney William Maginn recently announced his plans to step down from that post. Democrats backed Massena Democrat Francis Lavigne for the county attorney's post, while the. Republican legislators voted for Canton Republican Richard Dudley. Ashley was the only lawmaker to cross party lines. Lavigne out- distanced Dudley by an 11-10 margin and gained a 48.6 to 47.1 ad- vantage under the county's weighted voting system. Later, Dudley was elected county attorney when Canton legislator James Smith, a Democrat from, Canton, joined the Republicans to elect Moore: REHEARSING FOR.D.C. TRIP — Members of the Norwood Brass Firemen gathered Saturday to rehearse for their upcoming trip to Washington, D.C, to march in the Inaugural parade for President-elect George Bush. In photo at left are Darrin LaGarry, sousaphone; and Bill Phelix, trombone. At right, from right, are trumpet players Bob Thorpe and Paul Vakjj. (BetsyBaker photos) a v In The Courier D Arts.... i Page 7 DChurch Page 2 D Classifieds .Page 13-15 DEditorials .Page 4 DEvents P.age 2 DLetters Page 4 DLocal News Pages 1,5,9 D Obituaries Page 10 DSports Pages 12-14 D Weddings Page ft
