BY JIMMY LAWTONNorth Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – In hopes of better keeping the public informed of city actions, some city councilors are calling for the return of public updates on the city website.

The idea came up during a recent City Council meeting, where City Councilor Dan Skamperle called for the city to resume publishing updates that were once a staple of its efforts to keep the public informed.

City Manager Fonda Chronis said the city could target the start of 2027 for a new public update and would put it on the priority list.

The city previously published updates similar to the weekly reports provided to councilors, but with some information withheld to protect confidential matters. The practice continued into the previous administration before being discontinued. The last public update posted on the city's website was in September 2023, Skamperle noted.

He said regular updates could help address public frustration by giving residents a clearer picture of the work underway, even when projects move slowly.

Skamperle said residents have asked him about projects such as East David Street and the redevelopment of the former Diamond National property. He said some residents believed the city was not moving forward with Diamond National, even though a request for proposals was underway.

“I think if people could see the progress, even as slow as it is,” he said, “at least it's something happening.”

Skamperle suggested publishing updates every two weeks, providing information about project progress without disclosing confidential details.

“I think we should have a public update as well as a council update,” he said. “I'm not asking for confidential information, but just the fact that we're using an RFP, it's underway. It's in the works.”

Deputy Mayor Jennifer Stevenson supported the idea, saying the city's website can make it difficult for residents to find basic information.

Stevenson said she frequently answers questions about brush pickup because the information is not easy to locate on the website.

“If we're having difficulties finding it, it's probably most people are not even going to be able to find it,” Stevenson said.

She suggested placing public updates prominently on the website's front page so residents can find them when they visit.

Mayor Michael Tooley supported the plan and said there has been interest from the public on the matter.

Chronis also said he holds open office hours from 5 to 5:45 p.m. on City Council meeting days, giving residents an opportunity to ask questions directly. He said attendance has been low and encouraged residents to take advantage of the time.