POTSDAM — Upset about their high property assessments, a group of Norwood voters plans to plead their case with Rep. John M. McHugh when he visits Potsdam today.

The congressman, a Republican from Pierrepont Manor, will bring his mobile office to the Civic Center from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Mary A. and William S. Grant will be there. They hope to shine light on a pattern of high property assessments in the Norwood Lake area released this spring.

"We just want attention on the town and state level that this is a problem and we need to fix it," Mrs. Grant said. "What we know is what happened here in our vicinity — a lot of the higher assessments seemed to be aimed at us."

The couple, who are founding members of the Norwood Lake Association, did an informal survey of 116 properties in the Norwood-Norfolk Central School District recently.

They found that assessments on the mostly waterfront properties jumped by an average of 67 percent from 2007 to 2008.

"We were just shocked, because Norwood is not a rich area. There are a lot of people on this lake that have been there for many, many years, and it was complete wilderness when we bought," Mrs. Grant said. "It really seems like it's discriminating against the middle- and lower-income people, not to be able to own property on the waters of New York State."

The Grants, along with many of their neighbors, grieved their property assessments earlier this spring. But the couple is still worried about how they and others can afford to live in Norwood if assessments — and taxes — keep going up.

And they aren't the only ones — as Mr. and Mrs. Grant recently began drafting a complaint letter they sent to newspapers and town and state officials, people volunteered to sign it. A committee of 14 residents soon formed.

"We're just trying to get something done to relieve the people up here. If it continues this way, we're in real trouble," Mrs. Grant said.

Town Supervisor Marie C. Regan said she's aware of the group's concerns and will discuss the Grants' letter at the Town Council's next meeting.

"Unfortunately, the period of time for challenging assessments legally is over," she said, adding that she has not yet seen the letter.