BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG -- Heated discussions were frequent Monday as the city decided in split votes to leave the fire chief position vacant and effectively end security service at the Ogdensburg airport by failing to renew a contract with the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority.

The meeting lasted over four hours and an executive session was held without a clear reason provided.

A resolution that would have allowed Acting City Manager Andrea Smith to hire an outside attorney to investigate claims regarding alleged workplace violence complaints was also voted down in a 4-3 vote. Mayor Jeffrey "Mike" Skelly who was at the center of the alleged issues did not abstain from the vote.

Mayor Skelly, Deputy Mayor John Rishe and councilors Bill Dillabough and Steve Fisher voted against the resoution.

Council also voted in favor of extending the existing sales tax agreement with the county due to difficulties negotiating during COVID-19 outbreak. The contract will be extended though 2021 if approved by the county and pending review from the city attorney.

Several other actions also took place a the meeting along with nearly an hour of public comment.

More detailed reports will be available on NorthCountryNow.com Wednesday.

Council was meeting in an executive session to discuss the employment history of a particular individual as the time of this publication at 11:04 p.m.

No action was expected and the meeting was to adjourn once the session ended.

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