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Ogdensburg residents question possible breach about hiring new city manager

Posted 1/26/23

BY JIMMY LAWTON North Country This Week OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg residents raised concerns that an executive session may have been breached after former City Manager Steven Jellie took credit for …

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Ogdensburg residents question possible breach about hiring new city manager

Posted

BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg residents raised concerns that an executive session may have been breached after former City Manager Steven Jellie took credit for the successful hiring of a new city administrator who has yet to be hired.

City resident Doug Loffler raised the question during public comment.

“There was a statement made by Mr. Jellie that we have a new City Manager. And that was due in part to the video that he produced and the conference that the mayor and him attended,” he said at the Jan. 23 meeting. “Is there any truth to that matter?” Loffler asked the council.

Councilor Nichole Kennedy raised concerns that someone may have disclosed information that came from an executive session.

“What’s really disappointing is that anything that would be discussed in an executive session would have been spoken to, to the previous city manager and I’ll leave it at that,” she said.

Loffler said that the former city manager shouldn’t be better informed on such topics than taxpayers.

“We should know what’s going on,” he said.

Loffler asked the council if the city did, in fact, have a new city manager.

“Well I have not voted on one, so I say no,” City Councilor Dan Skamperle said.

“There has not been a city manager that’s been voted for in the public,” Kennedy said.

“Maybe somebody should contact Mr. Jellie and tell him what he put on social media is not true,” Loffler replied.

Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly said that the post in question wasn’t actually made by Jellie, but Loffler was quick to say that John Lovely, who allegedly made the post, was quoting Jellie.

“Well I’m certain that the new manager, possible manager, candidate could contact the old manager to get some fill ins, that would make sense,” Skelly said.

“But his comment was, mayor, that we hired a new city manager and that was because of the $24,000 we spent on the video,” Loffler said.

Loffler suggested the city give an update on the hiring situation.

Also speaking at the meeting was Margaret Haggerty who said the council’s recent actions have led to distrust of members of city council.

City Council has been tight-lipped about the process. It appears candidates have been interviewed in recent weeks, but there has been no discussion regarding who or how many applicants there have been.

City Council did not provide any additional insight on the matter, though rumors on social media continue to indicate the city is close to making a hire.

A special meeting set for Jan. 26 did not include hiring a city manager on the agenda.