BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – A debate over Ogdensburg Public Library Board of Trustees appointments got heated Monday after the mayor took no action on the matter despite requests from the public.

Several members of the public called on Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly to appoint candidates recommended by the Ogdensburg Library Board of Trustees to fill three seats on their board.

“The appointments to the library board are absolutely the mayor’s and confirmed by the city council,” City Manager Stephen Jellie told board members. “That is the law sent to me by Michelle McLagan, their board president.”

Jellie said he’s received emails from people with opinions about how it works, “but this is not a rubber stamp to the board of trustees recommendations,” he said.

Councilor Michael Powers asked Jellie if that was his interpretation of the state education law.

“That’s not an interpretation really, councilor. It’s written pretty black and white,” Jellie said.

Councilor Powers said he had the law in front of him and Jellie told him to read it.

At that point Powers grew heated.

“Save your F---ing, save your comments. You know what? Save your condescending comments,” he replied, adding an immediate apology, to which he later doubled down on.

Powers said he believed the trustees submitted the recommendations to the mayor who then made the nominations, which were then voted on by council.

Jellie said that was not the case, prompting Powers to request a legal opinion on the matter.

Jellie told him that he would need a resolution to “state that.”

Councilor Dan Skamperle seconded the motion for a resolution seeking to have the attorney attend the next meeting to answer questions.

Deputy Mayor John Rishe said he would support getting an attorney opinion, which Jellie said he would obtain.

However a vote on the resolution never occurred after City Councilor Steven Fisher called for a vote to table the resolution, which passed in a 4-3 vote.

Councilors Nichole Kennedy, Skamperle and Powers voted against the table, but were defeated.

Speaking in favor of the appointments was Ann Lesperance, who was one of the members seeking the reappointment.

Cheryl Ladouceur also spoke in favor of the appointments. She said the people recommended by the board of trustees have a history of volunteerism and knowledge of the library.

She asked for a show of hands from those who “feel a library is important.” Prompting a show of hands from most of those in attendance.

Councilor Kennedy said those nominated were upstanding citizens with a long-standing history of severing the city in various capacities across various boards.

“I would just personally like to just give personally my endorsement for Ann Lesperance, Jana Norris and William Flynn.

The mayor did not disclose if he would appoint those recommended by the board of trustees.