BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG — Retired Ogdensburg Firefighter Gerald Mack says state police have filed paperwork to bring harassment charges against Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly in relation for a December incident that occurred on the steps of city hall.

State police had been investigating a Dec. 9 incident in which the mayor is accused of assaulting Mack. But state police were unable to provide and update or confirm that charges were filed as of 3 p.m. Thursday. A spokesperson from the state police said an update would be given once available.

However, a city court clerk verified that the paperwork was filed, but because the judges recused themselves, the documents were transferred to Canton Town Court.

North Country This Week was unable to obtain the documents from Canton Town Court as the court was closed Thursday. However, North Country This Week will seek the documents on Friday.

Mack and Skelly told contradicting stories of the events leading to the charges. Mack alleged Skelly used his body to knock him off balance and Skelly says Mack took a dive.

However, the incident was caught on cameras outside city hall, which are owned and controlled by the state court system.

Mack said that upon review of the video, he was told by a state police officer that charges had been filed with the court.

At this time however, Skelly has not been charged.

Mack says that’s because local judges were forced to recuse themselves and a judge is needed to issue the summons. A city court clerk confirmed that both city judges had recused themselves.

Mack said the charges vindicate his side of the story.

“There was this story of Skelly’s that went all over the place. He was saying I took a dive. But there is a video out there and state police say they made the charges based on the video,” he said.

Mack said he did not wish to comment further on the matter, but expects the mayor will be charged in the coming days.

Skelly says the allegations are false and he maintains his innocence.

“It appears that three firemen went there with the intentions of blocking me and set me up with false charges,” Skelly said this afternoon. “There was a lot people there and affidavits were only from the firefighters.”