OGDENSBURG -- Former St. Lawrence County Legislator Sam Burns will run for city council.

Burns made the announcement Friday in Ogdensburg.

"It’s been almost 10 years since I stood before another group in this same room to make a political announcement. Since that time I have cast hundreds of votes on behalf of the citizens of the City of Ogdensburg and St. Lawrence County. It has been said and written many times that I was truly Ogdensburg’s Legislator. During my first term of office, I was often criticized by others that I was too strongly advocating for the City. I admit it," Burns said.

"Time has passed quickly but my commitment to the City of Ogdensburg and its citizens has not changed! After many weeks of discussion and support expressed by several in this room and the many citizens that have urged me to stay involved, I now announce, without reservation, with total commitment, that I am a candidate for the office of Mayor of the City of Ogdensburg."

Burns said he fully understands the challenges before the city, which he says has a shrinking tax base.

"At one time the population of our City was over 18,000 and at the latest census estimation it is 11,000. Where have those 7,000 people gone? It clearly demonstrates that we are not heading in the right direction. We need to sound the alarm because our City has been losing population at the most rapid pace in New York State," he said.

Burns said that each year at least 100 of our young citizens graduate from Ogdenburg Free Academy.

"Look around our City, where are these people now? Ask them this question when you see them at Seaway Festival or around the holidays, after you do your time in college or the service where are you going to buy a home, raise a family, and contribute to the community? The answer comes back loud and clear—certainly not in Ogdensburg. Friends, each year we are losing our youth to other parts of New York State and the rest of the country. I am deeply concerned that no plan has been offered to stop this drain. I will work with others to offer a plan," he said.

Burns says it wasn't too long ago that the buildings in the OBPA industrial park were full of workers, but now you see empty buildings and empty parking lots.

"Every day, this council must be working to create jobs for our citizens and never stop working with all levels of government to take advantage of any program or grant available. If it requires a trip to Albany, we’ll make that trip," he said. "If it requires a meeting with our federal representatives, we’ll set that up. We will keep the pressure on so that everyone knows that Ogdensburg is open for business, wants business, welcomes business," he said.

"It is my intent to open a dialog with our business owners to understand their needs and work to make their relationship with the City a pleasant, productive one. I’ve spent thousands of hours over the last 35 years working on helping local business to expand or retrain their workforce. I am proud to say that I submitted the proposal for the local Foreign Trade Zone and will continue to seek increase use of FTZ #118."

Burns says it's too often that politicians running for office say that their major focus is on economic development. "That’s easy to say—but lets back it up with something of substance—I served as a member of the Regional Planning Commission in the 1970s, as a member and then Chair of the Ogdensburg Zoning Board of Appeals, as a member of the Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority during its most aggressive shell building construction period," he said. "I served on the OBPA for ten years and 4 years on the County Planning Board and as the County’s representative on the RVRDA-River Valley Redevelopment Agency. Let me submit the following proposal—the Governor has proposed that three regional economic development councils be awarded $500 million for economic development—its my goal that the City of Ogdensburg request that $25 million of the $500 million for our region be set aside as a revolving fund administrated by the Growth Fund for any kind of private development along the St. Lawrence River waterfront from the western edge of the City to the eastern limits," he said.

In addition, Burns says the city must support the OBPA and request that $50 million be allocated for repair and reconstruction of the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge.

He said the city also must submit plans that allocate an additional $10 million to finally build Fort de la Presentation, which he says is "real economic development with a realistic plan."

"As I move forward I will be asking for your support on that proposal. Under an Administration led by me, the status quo is not acceptable. Our city deserves better. Our people deserve better. We have many untapped resources all you need to do is to take a drive along our city’s limits. The empty land and undeveloped land with no definite date for development is not helping the people in our city. That is unacceptable. We must move faster at developing those parcels. It is too important to our tax base and taxpayers to sit still," he said.

Burns asked residents to consider the condition of the housing stock in the city, which he says needs repair.

"But most of us can not afford to fix them up or often are too afraid of the jump in assessments if we did. We must change this. Let’s work on a better plan," he said. "If you believe it is time to rebuild our city then we need a change from the policies and procedures of the present, join me in standing up with those of us that are proud to call Ogdensburg our home and want to change now! It will be a great honor to represent you as Mayor of the City of Ogdensburg! Let’s work together, to overcome any obstacle put in our way to make Ogdensburg the lead community in the North Country! It’s a long way to November, let’s show the people of Ogdensburg that we are ready to lead our City because it is our home and we are proud of it."