By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG -- Ogdensburg City Councilors agreed to pay $92,785 for engineering services related to building demolition and hazardous substance abatement at Shade Roller.

Barton & Loguidice Stephen Le Fevre representative said the engineering will be for the removal and abatement of 11 foundations located on the property. He said the site contains PCBs, heavy metals and cyanide and may require extensive work to remove.

The project is estimated at $630,000. City Planner Andrea Smith said better estimates will be available as more information is collected and the city requests itemized quotes from contractors.

She said the city has about $30,000 left in a community development fund that can be applied to the engineering cost and suggested some additional funding may come through a revolving loan fund.

However, Le Fevre said the cleanup and removal could be done based on priority rather than all at once. Smith said that would allow the city to move forward as funds become available.

Deputy Mayor Michael Morley raised concerns regarding the cost to taxpayers, but voted in favor of hiring the firm to perform the engineering and oversight.

Councilor Jennifer Stevenson questioned if it was common for developers interested in the property to take on this kind of work. Le Fevre said it’s possible but not likely considering the liability involved.

“So it’s in our best interested to move forward with this,” Stevenson said.

Ogdensburg Mayor William Nelson and councilor William Hosmer were not present at the meeting, but the those in attendance passed the resolution unanimously.