By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG -- City council entertained a proposal for a $25,000 security camera system that would allow the city to watch, in real time, activities at the skate park, Kids Kingdom, and marina in the Greenbelt.

The setup includes seven cameras, one with ability to identify licenses plates clearly from more than 900 feet.

All cameras would be controlled from the Ogdensburg Dobisky Center where they can be manipulated to zoom, turn and pivot. The cameras would also be effective at night.

Data gathered from the devices would be stored for up to thirty days and would be available for review in case of an incident. The city would also have the ability to monitor them from the Dobsiky Center.

A representative from NCC Systems, Brian Bujnowski who gave the presentation, says border patrol agents in Ogdensburg and in Clayton use the cameras. He said with the high-resolution camera Clayton agents are able to identify a driver’s face from nearly a mile away as they come across the bridge.

City councilor Mike Morley and Dan Skamperle both said they opposed purchasing the cameras.

“I don’t think I’ll support $25,000 in cameras. We only had $1,500 in damage there and now we are talking about spending $25,000,” Morley said. “I think it’s spying on our citizens.”

Skamperle said the cameras impressed him, but he didn’t want to see them in the park.

“I think the cameras are great, but I don’t support Big Brother,” he said.

Mayor William Nelson said cameras help solve crimes. He credited a recent meth bust to a local business’s security camera. He said cameras are also used to solve abduction cases and can prevent crime.

Councilor Wayne Ashley said the cameras are more useful if they are monitored. He questioned if the police would be able to monitor them, or if the recreation department could monitor them.

Mayor Nelson said that’s something that could likely be done in the future.

Nelson said the cameras are used by Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center and can be accessed remotely, meaning people of proper authority could access the cameras through phones, mobile devices or computers. Nelson said city police are eager to have more cameras in the city because they are a valuable law enforcement tool.

Councilor Jennifer Stevenson said the city does not have the means to hire enough police to patrol the city’s many parks at all hours, but the cameras could do the job.

“It’s something we have to consider,” she said.

The city took no action on the proposal, but council will continue to investigate it’s options regarding surveillance at the Greenbelt.