August 09, 2021 by Staff

CONCORD, N.H. (WWNY) – Three north country communities will share about $1.5 million from the Northern Border Regional Commission.

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik announced the grants Monday for Lewis County, Ogdensburg, and the village of Potsdam.

Lewis County will spend its roughly $260,000 to bring affordable and reliable high-speed broadband to the village of Copenhagen and the surrounding area.

“This is a critical piece of our overall plan,” county Legislature Chair Larry Dolhoff said, “and we are extremely grateful for Congresswoman Stefanik’s help in procuring this award for Lewis County.”

Ogdensburg will use its $1 million for the city’s pump station project. The money is earmarked for updates to pumps, controls, system communications, and electrical heating, ventilating and plumbing systems.

“This is wonderful news for the city of Ogdensburg since without this sizeable grant we would have been hard pressed to find a way to pay for this important part of the pump station project,” Mayor Mike Skelly said.

Potsdam now has nearly $280,000 to spend on constructing a new connector street downtown. The project supports efforts to redevelop a part of the village targeted under the state’s DRI.

“Investment of federal funds will help construct a new two-way street, including sidewalks, street lighting, and transit improvements,” Mayor Reinhold Tischler said. “The project will directly support the commercial revitalization of a blighted area of downtown that is poised for redevelopment through the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative.”

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