By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg City Manager Sarah Purdy says she will not issue a public version of the council’s weekly update, but will be issuing press releases prior to city council meetings.

There is debate among the press, the city manager and councilors as to the events of the city council meeting that took place Jan. 25, as no official vote on the matter was taken, but Purdy has since outlined her plan to address the issue in an email to the press.

“As you know, Councilors expressed different perspectives during the discussion. I therefore have reviewed the recorded discussion of this subject. The record shows that there was a majority consensus of four Councilors to retain the current practice of treating the weekly update as an intra-agency document,” Purdy said in an email issued to North Country This Week.

“The record also shows that the discussion concluded with the suggestion that I issue press releases on items for which I know the press will want information. I said I could try that, and then the suggestion was made to move on to the next agenda item. A majority of City Councilors want the procedure for the document that is given to them to remain as it currently is, so that is how I am handling it.”

The discussion can be viewed online at  http://1drv.ms/1PNfUnH around the two-hour mark.

Despite different perceptions from the meeting on what would occur, Purdy says the council will move forward with the press release option.

The policy change followed requests from the Ogdensburg Journal aimed at better informing the public of information presented at city council meetings.

Purdy had proposed the city post public updates for the council on the city’s website on Fridays prior to each city council meeting. Purdy said any private information, such as business interests, lawsuits and other information shielded from the public would be provided in separate, exclusive updates to the council.

But, that idea was abandoned following a lack of consensus.

However, after lengthy debate left the council in disagreement, the council aparently conceded to allow Purdy to handle the matter. Although, it was initially reported that the city council would be releasing two separate public updates, Purdy said that was is not correct.

She will instead be releasing information she believes the public is interested in.