BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – Despite pleas from some councilors, the public and firefighters Ogdensburg decided to leave the fire chief position vacant, which is expected to cost the city more than $3,000 a month out of title pay.

Ogdensburg Firefighters Association Local 1799 President Allen Rickett told council that the department was struggling without a chief due to lack of continuity. He said the assistant chiefs are able to fill in for the chief here and there, but not having one person in charge causes things to slip through the cracks.

He also told the council that appointing an acting chief would actually save the city money as only one person would receive out of title pay rather than four.

Rickett told councilors paying an acting fire chief would cost the city about $950 per month, but the current plan would cost more than $4,000.

He requested the city make Fire Captain Gerald Mack acting fire chief for a term of 90 days.

Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly met the request with criticism.

He suggested the assistant fire chiefs could perform the work without extra pay to help the city save money and went on to discuss how the acting city manager had shoveled snow at some city owned properties to help cut cost, but was cut short by Councilor Michael Powers.

Powers told the mayor that request was reasonable as the city is required to meet the terms of contract. He said if firefighters are being asked to go above and beyond their normal duties their contract provides them with compensation.

He said appointing an acting fire chief would save the city money and help the fire department and questioned the logic behind leaving the position unfilled.

Councilor Steve Fisher agreed that appointing an acting fire chief could be beneficial for the department, but said an assistant chief rather than a captain should fill it.

He said if the fire department was serious about wanting an acting chief an assistant chief should step up.

Powers said that only three members of the department were qualified for the role and added that you can’t force someone to step up. He said the department has a person interested in the role and that members of the department are supportive of Mack taking on the duties of chief.

Several members of the public also questioned the council as to why they would choose to leave the position vacant when it would benefit the fire department and save the city money, but no response was given.

Former acting chief Don McCarthy was critical of the council’s decision. He told the council to keep doing what they are doing if their goal is “to have the structure fall apart at the fire department.”

Rickett told the council appointing the acting chief would be a win-win because it would save the city money and aid the department.

“A win would be to make a sacrifice and do a little extra,” Skelly said, adding that they could take the money and enjoy it if they wished.

Rickett told him that they did not want to take the extra money and would much rather have an acting chief.

The city voted 4-3 against appointing Mack as fire chief. Mayor Skelly, Deputy Mayor John Rishe and councilors Steve Fisher and Bill Dillabough voted against the measure.

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