Potsdam village clerk retiring after 31 years

BY ADAM ATKINSON

North Country This Week

POTSDAM — After 31 years, with a lion’s share serving as village clerk, Lori Queor is retiring at the end of August.

Queor and her husband Bob plan to relocate to Tennessee once her retirement begins and spend time gardening and living a more calm, relaxed life. Until then she is on hand to assist incoming village clerk Georgine Scott, but has been using some of her accrued vacation time this summer.

“I’ve never had a summer off really. Summer here in the village is traditionally tax season,” Queor said with a smile.

It’s much-earned time off for the outgoing clerk who has been busy working in public service for decades now.

Queor started with the village on May 4, 1992 in the code enforcement and planning office and worked her way up from the basement to serve the village and the taxpayers in a variety of capacities.

“I started downstairs in the planning department as a keyboard specialist,” Queor said. “I’ve worked with some great people over the years.”

When the clerk’s position was available after the previous clerk retired, Queor applied, was hired and started Jan. 14, 2002.

In October 2010, Queor took on the extra responsibilities of the village treasurer, in addition to the clerk job, after the previous treasurer retired, and saved the village money by filling both posts for years.

“It was not a difficult job, I’m good with numbers, but it was a tremendous amount of work. I got it done and did it for eight years,” she said.

When the registrar retired, the village board separated the clerk and treasurer positions and hired Queor as clerk-registrar instead on June 1, 2021.

“I’ve loved the job, and loved the people,” she said. “But thirty-one years, it’s a lot. I was getting burnt out.’

There have been many changes in the community and the clerk’s office over the years, along with many memories for the outgoing clerk.

Queor served with three mayors over her tenure, Bill…