OGDENSBURG – Two Ogdensburg residents have entered the races for mayor and councilor in Ogdensburg as write-in candidates in this fall’s election.

Mike Skelly, owner of JMS Mechanicals,  will run for mayor, and John Rishe, an employee at the Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority, will seek a seat on council. The two candidates will run together as a team, one Republican and one Democrat.

“We wanted to set aside partisan politics and form a team to work together with a common goal of improving Ogdensburg," Skelly said. “John and I share a common interest in working with the citizens of Ogdensburg to reform city government and make Ogdensburg vibrant again.”

Rishe, who was also a former employee at City Hall in Ogdensburg, "has extensive experience in government and business development," a news release said.

“This isn’t just about the present over-taxation of the citizens of Ogdensburg,” stated Rishe, who recently started an online petition to encourage Ogdensburg residents to fight for lower city and school taxes.

“It is critical to lower our present taxes, but Mike and I also wanted to team up to promote business growth and to help citizens by doing away with frequent issues from City Hall that frustrate them. We can do so much better.”

Skelly and Rishe will hold a formal press conference Monday evening at 7 p.m. at the former Ogdensburg Cinemas to announce their candidacy, meet with interested citizens, and discuss their plans. All are invited.