BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG — As Ogdensburg’s search for a new city manager begins, outgoing City Manager Stephen Jellie is eyeing a potential job in Alaska.

Under the deal struck with the city, Jellie will receive $50,000 and remain on the city’s health insurance plan for one year in exchange for leaving in November and assisting the city with this year’s budget. Jellie will provide a 20 percent contribution to his health insurance.

The news of Jellie’s departure came at a meeting Aug. 22, just days after he appears to have interviewed for another City Manager position in Unalaska, Alaska.

The small city has a population of less than 5,000, but has a website which includes a public notice that Jellie would attend a meet and greet there Aug. 18.

The notice lists Jellie as a City Manager Candidate. A second candidate for the position, Bil Homka, currently serves as the Unalaska City Planner. The previous city manager there also previously held the planner position, but the city decided not to extend her contract.

In June, Jellie had been a finalist for a fire chief position in Petersburg, Alaska, but he said he declined the position for reasons related to his family.

Jellie’s departure from the city’s employment has taken a variety of turns in recent months.

Jellie had announced plans to resign from his Ogdensburg post in July, but later changed his mind at the request of four members of city council. He eventually agreed to stay through the end of 2022, but now it looks like he’ll depart about a month earlier.

Although Jellie may have a new job soon, the city has not publicly shared any plans as to how they will replace him within the next two-months.

In a recent interview, Councilor Nichole Kennedy said she wants to see a nationwide search to ensure a strong candidate can be found.

On several occasions she’s expressed concerns about the slow start to find a replacement.

Jellie did not wish to provide comment on the matter.