ALEXANDRIA BAY — The village's next Department of Public Works superintendent might not be a village resident. The Board of Trustees decided Tuesday to change the local law so the village can seek applicants from anywhere within the town of Alexandria.

"It just gives us more applicants," Mayor Terry J. Robb said.

Mr. Robb said the village decided to expand the residency requirement to the town because it is hard to find a DPW superintendent candidate with all the right qualifications. DPW superintendent candidates must meet Jefferson County's requirements.

The former superintendent, Roger L. Jobson, resigned last month to take a job at the state Department of Transportation. His last official day was Oct. 8

The village has appointed Gregory Millett as temporary DPW superintendent to fill Mr. Jobson's vacant seat.

However, Mr. Robb still prefers the village's next DPW superintendent be a resident of the village.

"If they're qualified and meet all the qualifications, they would have preference over those who do not live in the village," Mr. Robb said.

He said a village resident would be able to respond quickly and would be easier for village residents to get in touch with when needed.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, the village board decided to hold a workshop at 5 p.m. Tuesday to finalize the Redwood water rates with Bernier, Carr & Associates, Watertown, and a town official.

The village tried to hike the water rates of the hamlet's residents in Redwood by more than $1 per 1,000 gallons but retreated from its initial decision a month later. The proposed rate would have hiked the water rates from $2.61 to $3.82 per 1,000 gallons.

The next water bill will be sent out at the end of October.