BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg City Council will hold a special meeting Friday at 4 p.m. to discuss a compromise that would allow the city to continue providing security at the Ogdensburg International Airport.

In a letter to the editor to NorthCountryNow.com, Mayor Michael Skelly said a compromise between the council members should help secure the future of the airport.

On Tuesday, City Council failed to renew a contract with the airport after some council members were hesitant to move forward due to the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority’s history of making payments late.

In the end, the renewal failed to pass in a 3-3 vote with councilors Bill Dillabough, Steve Fisher and Mayor Jeffrey Skelly in support and councilors Nichole Kennedy, Michael Powers and Dan Skamperle against the measure. Deputy Mayor John Rishe, who is an employee of the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority abstained.

The nay voters said they would support renewing the contract with an amendment that aimed to ensure payment would be made within 30 days.

The current contract runs through May 31, after which time, if the OBPA is unable to secure a security deal, the airport would effectively shut down.

“It is a requirement by the FAA that security is required when loading passengers at a class 1 airport such as Ogdensburg International. Without coverage, the airport would have to stop airline services. I find it hard to believe they would come back. I believe that the Authority and the city can come to some agreement,” OBPA Board Chairman Vernon “Sam” Burns said.

In his letter, Mayor Skelly says he will support the a compromise resolution that includes a timeliness payment clause, which would give OBPA 60 days to make a payment for services.

However, he called the clause outrageous.

“Although payments have sometimes lagged, the bridge and port authority has always made good on its obligations to us in the past," he said in the letter.

“Because of an attempt by Ogdensburg Councilors Nichole Kennedy, Mike Powers and Dan Skamperle to force the Ogdensburg Airport to pay their bills within 30 days, a special meeting has been called to find a solution. Without airport security, the Ogdensburg Airport would effectively be forced to close when their current contract with the city expires at the end of May.

“A compromise has now been found where a 60-day “timeliness of payment clause” will be added to the airport security contract with the city. I will support it, although it is still outrageous that a minor faction of the Ogdensburg City Council would place such a burden on the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority at this time,” he said in the letter.

“Business and governments big and small are struggling now because of the COVID-19 economic downturn. Homeowners are being given extra time to make their mortgage payments, landlords have been told they cannot evict tenants and even credit card companies are helping customers with slow payments.

“The Ogdensburg Airport is a vital part of the North Country community and the OBPA has always been a valuable local and regional partner. If anything, we should be willing to offer a more flexible payment plan to the airport, not one that is more restrictive. “The Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority has also suffered a loss of revenue because of the closed Canadian border and a lack of flights because of the pandemic. However, despite that, the OBPA has continued to catch up on their bills to the city.

“I will support the new 60-day payment requirement being forced by the minority on the city council, but do not agree with its premise of placing more constraints on the bridge and port authority itself. The OBPA is too valuable a resource for the city and region,” the letter says.