BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg has settled two lawsuits involving Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly, according to a press release from City Manager Stephen Jellie.

One lawsuit was brought by Skelly prior to being elected to office regarding the assessment of an apartment complex he remodeled.

The other was a federal lawsuit brought by citizens of Ogdensburg who said the mayor had improperly blocked them on social media.

The lawsuit was filed in August in Federal Court by attorneys Gleason, Walsh & O’Shea on behalf of Cynthia Layng, Douglas Loffler, Brian Mitchell and Angela McRoberts.

The group known as Citizens Watch said they are active and vocal participants in discussions regarding the affairs and policies of the city and were denied a voice on a social media platform maintained by Skelly.

A rally was held at city hall at around the time the lawsuit was filed.

According to Jellie Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly settled the matter without judicial order.

Jellie said he unblocked those who had issued the complaint.

“Mayor Skelly makes no admission to any wrongdoing and/or any violation of any federal, state constitutional right or charter, law, ordinance, rule, regulation or policy,” Jellie said.

He also said the city spent approximately $21,000 defending Skelly.

Jellie referred to the lawsuit as baseless and frivolous. He went on to criticize the citizens who filed it saying it was done “simply garner attention, notoriety and political gain for a tiny group of residents that oppose every action taken by the Mayor and his strong allies on City Council, Deputy Mayor Steven Fisher and Councilor William Dillabough.”

“In addition to the City’s legal expenses, this group of so-called “citizens watch” demanded city taxpayers pay $6,000 of their legal expenses in this matter, bringing the total cost to city taxpayers to approximately $27,000.”

City Manager Stephen Jellie said he recommended the settlement” to stave off further costs to the City and its taxpayers for continued litigious action that would have likely continued for several more months and cost the City in excess of $100,000. “

Another settlement involved Skelly’s lawsuit against the City of Ogdensburg in the matter of the tax assessment for 616 Rensselaer Avenue.

Skelly’s assessment was increased from $80,000 to $785,000 over a single year period of time, therefore prompting him to use the Real Property Tax Law (RPTL) Article 7 process to challenge this significant increase, Jellie said in a prepared statement.

“ The City and Mr. Skelly agreed to an assessment of $555,000 for tax year 2020 and 2021, and $785,000 for tax year 2022. The City expended approximately $15,000 in legal and professional fees to resolve this matter.”