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Ogdensburg working to shift funds to make up for cost of recent cyber attack

Posted 6/11/17

OGDENSBURG – The City of Ogdensburg is working to shift around funding in the wake of a cyber attack in April, according to a report. The city expended $25,000 to deal with a recent virus that …

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Ogdensburg working to shift funds to make up for cost of recent cyber attack

Posted

OGDENSBURG – The City of Ogdensburg is working to shift around funding in the wake of a cyber attack in April, according to a report.

The city expended $25,000 to deal with a recent virus that damaged computer equipment and is looking to cut costs in order to make up for the loss.

A report from City Manager Sarah Purdy informed the board that department heads are transferring funds from other line items to cover some unexpected expenses.

“Regarding IT expenses, the following transfers have been made to cover the unanticipated costs: $7,000 from City Hall Building salaries (second part-time cleaner position is being left vacant for now in order to free up the funds), $11,000 from DPW Building Maintenance (the cost of roof replacement came in under budget) and $1,000 from Council travel (not needed for conference attendance),” the report says.

Purdy says there are additional unexpected expenses that need to be addressed as well.

“One is a position that has become vacant due to retirement; it will remain vacant until the savings in wages equals the amount of the payout that was necessary due to accrued unused leave. We will have to budget more funds for these retirement situations next year; even though we budgeted more for this item in 2017 than in the past, the amount budgeted nevertheless is insufficient. Also, we know that we will have some expenses associated with the environmental work now necessary at the Newell Building, and are trying to figure out what we else we can rearrange in this year’s budget to cover the cost. Because the Contingency amount in this year’s budget is so small, I do not want to even consider touching it until we are in the last quarter of this year,” the report says.

Despite that news, Ogdensburg is seeing some positives. Overall sales tax receipts are up 6.24 percent, or $67,000 above the previous year. Additionally, healthcare costs are down by $198,000 from last year.

Ogdensburg City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in City Hall.