BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – A call for a five-year comprehensive plan was met with resistance from councilors at a recent Ogdensburg City Council meeting.

The resolution, which passed 5-2 after a motion to table failed in 4-3 vote, paves the way for the creation of a plan that will give Ogdensburg vision for the community’s future, according to Councilor John Rishe.

However, councilors Dan Skamperle and Nichole Kennedy, who voted against the measure, questioned the merits of the plan.

Kennedy said the plan, which talks about housing and public safety, would be in direct contradiction to the recently implemented hiring freeze, which she says will limit the city’s ability to bring any such plan to fruition.

Meanwhile Skamperle said the city’s existing Local Waterfront Redevelopment Plan already serves as the city’s comprehensive plan. He urged council to review the LWRP before moving forward with the creation of a new plan.

The majority of council opposed any delay in creating the comprehensive plan. Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly and Councilor John Rishe said they say the plan as complementary. Rishe said he expected the document to be much shorter in length and complimentary to LWRP.