BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – An Ogdensburg woman was barred from reading a letter calling for the termination of the city manager at the city council meeting Monday.

Margaret Haggerty said more than 130 people signed on to the letter, which was sent to all members of city council as well as the city manager and the clerk.

The lengthy letter criticizes City Manager Steven Jellie for having “no formal education that would suggest qualification for the City manager.”

The letter also criticized Jellie’s failure to move to the city in a timely fashion, though Jellie has recently purchased a home in the city. He was hired as the city manager in September of 2020 after serving as interim city manager for several months.

However when she took the podium to read the letter the mayor stopped her immediately.

City Councilor Dan Skamperle objected to the mayor’s decision and stated he believed it was a violation of open meetings law.

Councilor Nichole Kennedy asked if the letter could be read without mentioning any names, but the mayor again barred the action.

“No there will be nothing about a city employee,” the mayor said.

He instructed her to turn the letter over to the city clerk which prompted shouts from some of the citizens in attendance.

Councilor Michael Powers also asked that the letter be read and asked for a legal opinion on the issue, which was supported by councilor Kennedy.

That prompted a call from councilor Bill Dillabough to take a vote on whether or not to obtain the legal opinion.

He then said he knew what the letter was and that they wanted to fire the city manager.

“Let's take a vote on that too,” he said.

The mayor said there would be no vote.

Haggerty asked what she could do and was instructed by Powers to submit it as correspondence as part of the public record.

Former City Councilor Jennifer Stevenson spoke later on the matter and was critical of the decision by the mayor and majority council not to seek a legal opinion on whether or not the letter should be allowed to be read.

“You’re putting the city in jeopardy. That’s not good governance,” she said.

Although the letter wasn't read at the meeting, it was submitted for the public record.

In the letter Haggerty criticized the city manager for “defaming” city employees and workplace violence complaints that have occurred since he took the position.

“He has created a hostile work environment by intimidation, at least for citizens who have business to attend to at city hall. He spars back and forth with citizens on social media. He goads on social media then has called OPD to warn the citizen,” the letter says.

Former city councilor David Price also spoke on the matter comparing the action to that of fascist leaders.

“If 130 some people sign a document maybe it’s at least worth listening too,” he said. “I for one applaud Margaret for getting up in front of you.”

In the letter Haggerty accuses the city manager for disrespecting city councilors and the mayor criticizes his management of the fire department for which he serves as chief. In the letter Haggerty alleges that Jellie has shown “irresponsible, egregious disregard” for standard operating procedures.

“We the undersigned remind you that knowing these truths, they cannot be ignored by you as councilors. They reflect on you as well, for being the responsible body for having hired him and allowing him to still be in the city employ. If you allow this to go on, you are aligning yourself with a harassing, hostile retaliatory, hypocritical city manager, one who should reflect the values of our city. While he should be a role model, setting the example of behavior he expects from city employees, he is instead exemplary of derision, division and deceit.”