Village needs plans, survey before accepting water tower

POTSDAM — The village still hasn't taken control of the new water tower on Route 56, weeks before the Lowe's store that it was partially built to serve is set to open.

The municipality is waiting for big box developer Jeda Capital 56 LLC to submit as-built surveys and drawings of the water tower before it will sign the agreement to accept the tower.

"Such drawings are important for helping us with future maintenance work. The ball has been in the developer's court for several months," Trustee Steven W. Yurgartis said. "We expect to receive these drawings from the developer soon."

The plans are the last things that have to be completed on the "punch list," a list of last-minute to-do items the developer must complete before turning the tower over to the village.

The village will not make its first monthly lease payment of $9,407 until those drawings are complete.

"This is something we've been asking for for quite some time," Village Administrator Michael D. Weil said. "I have every belief that it's something that's going to be expedited because I don't think Jeda wants to keep paying for this and we want to accept it. It's just got to be done."

Jeda Capital will wait until Mayor Reinhold J. Tischler signs the final agreement to accept the tower before giving the village $55,000. The developer agreed to make that payment under the project completion contract, to make up for a surveying error that made the tower 1.7 feet too short.

The water tower has been in operation since Oct. 31, Mr. Weil said. It already is connected to the village system.

"The system doesn't only feed the store; it's part of the village's system right now. It's like breathing in the air," he said. "If you turn on your faucet right now, the water could have come from the new tower."