By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg City Council voted 6-1 Monday night to support a grant application that would help the Fort La Presentation Association purchase an archeological site where the real fort was located.

Fort representative Barbara O’Keefe said the site is believed to contain artifacts dating back to Ogdensburg’s earliest days.

The asking price for the plot, which is about 1 acre in size, is more than $300,000.

O’Keefe said the association would not use the property to build on, but instead it would be an archeological site where artifacts would be obtained and others marked. She said it is a rare opportunity to reclaim some of Ogdensburg’s oldest historical artifacts.

Dan Skamperle said he had mixed feelings about supporting the grant, because the city has been working hard to put property back on the tax rolls. He said he cares deeply for Ogdensburg’s history and has always been supportive of the fort, but removing a valuable parcel of land from the tax rolls at a time where the city is verging on bankruptcy.

Council Jennifer Stevenson offered her support for the measure stating that there is an abundance of property the city wants to develop that the does not contain rare historical artifacts.

In the end, Skamperle agreed despite his concern.

Voting against the measure was Deputy Mayor Michael Morley, who said he'd prefer the city continue its efforts to increase the tax base.