Correction: An earlier verision of this story said the residency requirement had been changed, in fact a public hearing will need to be held before the change can take effect. North Country This Week regrets this error.

BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG — City officials voted to hold a public hearing to remove a residency requirement for the Ogdensburg City Police Chief position.

The hearing is set for Feb. 14 at 6 p.m.

The move would undo a 2020 charter change which was implemented by the same administration. The move was met with opposition from some members of the public at that time, including a former Police Chief Rick Polniak who said there was no reason to require the chief to live in the city.

At the time Skelly said the requirement would be following the same logic as city manager position, which requires city residence.

The resolution passed Monday did not remove the residency requirement for the city manager position.

City Manager Stephen Jellie has taken significant criticism in recent months from citizens as his family resides in Tupper Lake where he owns a home.

Jellie rents property in the city, and did own a home for a time, but sold it not long after purchasing it.

The mayor has defended Jellie saying that some citizens have made the city unsafe for Jellie’s family.

Skelly has alleged that some of his own family members have been harassed and currently a former city firefighter is facing charges for allegedly slashing tires on a vehicle owned by the mayor.

In 2020, city officials also removed the city manager’s power to hire and fire department heads, instead that power now lies with city council. That charter change remains in place.

Councilors Dan Skamperle, John Rishe and Michael Powers were all absent from the meeting Jan. 24, but Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly, Deputy Mayor Steve Fisher and councilors Nichole Kennedy and Bill Dillabough all supported holding a hearing to discuss removing the residency requirement.

Although there was not much discussion as to why the city was reversing the 2020 decision, Kennedy did ask the mayor what prompted the change.

The mayor said the city had a good candidate who does not reside in the city and wanted to open the pool up to a larger number of potential candidates.

Acting Police Chief Mark Kearns resides outside the city in the Town of Lisbon.

Kearns has been filling the role as chief since November following the retirement of Robert Wescott.