By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG – City councilors Monday tabled an agreement that would allow the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority to tie the airport into the city’s water and sewer system.

In July OBPA Executive Director Wade Davis said the only major hindrance for the massive airport expansion is the water-sewer hook-ups.

The city’s water and sewer lines would need to be extended to accommodate the task, but they would run largely through OBPA property.

The airport improvement project will expand the runway and allow 177-passenger planes to land in and fly out of the city. Initially flights will be from Allegiant Air, an airline that invested $1 million in the expansion project.

Davis said in order to achieve the needs of the larger terminal the airport will need to hook into the municipal sewer and water lines.

Because the airport falls outside of the water/sewer district it would normally be charged additional fees for the hookups. Davis has asked the city council to waive the additional fees. Under the agreement, which has not been finalized or approved, the OBPA would pay for the cost of installation and hook-ups.

“We are not asking for special treatment,” he said.

Despite urgency expressed by the OBPA, city council tabled the agreement that would allow the OBPA to move forward.

Council said they would be willing to hold a special meeting to pass an agreement once it had time to review the proposal, but neither Wade nor city staff had time to properly review, because it was received Monday, according City John M. Pinkerton.

It was not included on the city council agenda that was issued to the public Friday.

Pinkerton said he there were some changes and clarifications he would like to see added to the agreement, but added that negotiations could be done following the approval.

Council Jennifer Stevenson said she had concerns with passing an agreement that was not properly vetted, but added that she understood the urgency.

Councilor William Hosmer suggested the city expedite the review and hold a special meeting in a timely manner to get it passed.

All present council members expressed support for the airport expansion project.

OBPA Chairman, Sam LaMachcia, spoke before the board to reiterate the urgency, adding that the water and sewer hook-ups must be addressed before the project could move forward.

Last week the OBPA accepted a bid from Marcy Excavating, Frankfort, to perform the $17.5 million expansion project.

The construction will be 95 percent funded through the Federal Aviation Administration with the remaining 5 percent split between the OBPA and the Department of Transportation.

Davis added that the request for water and sewer would not cost the city any money.