To the Editor:

The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York State, NYS State Capitol Building, Albany, NY 12224

Dear Governor Hochul:

As the Deputy Mayor of the City of Ogdensburg, New York I wanted to write you to express my opposition to the planned closure of the Ogdensburg Correctional Facility.

The closure of this New York State facility will have devastating consequences for its employees and the City of Ogdensburg as a whole. I am not sure how such a small, poor community is supposed to survive such a major closure and economic loss, especially after the recent loss of over 200 jobs at United Helpers Nursing Home in Ogdensburg.

We wrote you and other State leaders to express our concerns about a possible closure and requested that you look at the socio-economic conditions in Ogdensburg. With insensitive disregard our pleas were ignored once again by our elected officials. While we understand that prison populations are down, we respectfully requested that closure occur in communities that have a strong private sector economy so people will have alternative places to work.

During my adult life I have witnessed New York State reduce 3,000 jobs at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center down to 100 or 200 jobs; attempted to close this facility as well; threatened in the past to close OCF; the reduction of Acco Brands jobs from 570 down to 70; the closure of Newell Manufacturing and the loss of 200 jobs; the closure and loss of an additional 200 jobs at Standard Shade Roller; the closure of our local cheese plant; closure of United Helpers; closure of Diamond International Paper Mill that employed over 800. The list goes on.

I have only one question. What is New York State’s plan to create jobs in New York and in Ogdensburg?

We cannot sustain these job losses, and I respectfully ask that you reconsider your decision to close this facility.

John A. Rishe
Deputy Mayor
City of Ogdensburg