BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – City Planner Andrea Smith will serve as interim manager for 120 days or until the position is filled permanently.

Smith will take the help at the height of budget season following City Manager Stephen Jellie’s Friday departure.

Jellie leaves with a $50,000 severance and has a job waiting in Wyoming.

This won’t be Smith’s first time serving in the top administrative role for the city. She also filled the position following the Departure of Sarah Purdy prior to Jellie’s hiring.

Smith is likely to face a difficult situation as the city tabled Jellie’s proposed preliminary budget that included 27 job cuts.

Council is planning budget workshops in hopes of reducing the need for cuts, though Jellie maintains adamant that there is nowhere left to cut aside from personnel.

Despite the existing divisions among council members, Smith seems to have support from the entire council having served as City Planner for nearly a decade.

“These next 45 days are probably going to be complete hell in the city of Ogdensburg,” Councilor Nicole Kennedy said at the Tuesday meeting. “Having someone who is invested in Ogdensburg is going to be our best bet to get us through this.”

Smith will receive a $9,000 monthly stipend while filling in as City Manager. The appointment followed an executive section at a special meeting Tuesday.