Tuesday, February 23, 2021 - 9:44 am
BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week
OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg will pay St. Lawrence County more than $800,000 in delinquent taxes owed, a portion of which has been owed to the county since 2003.
The decision to pay the debt was made in a split vote along normal lines with Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly, Deputy Mayor John Rishe and councilors Bill Dillabough and Steve Fisher supporting the measure.
Among those opposed was Councilor Michael Powers who urged the city to negotiate the price down with the county.
City Manager Stephen Jellie told council the county indicated they had no interest in discounting the money owed, but were willing to discuss accepting payments.
Sunday, January 31, 2021 - 7:51 am
BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week
CANTON – St. Lawrence County legislators questioned if they could clear a debt of over $800,000 that the City of Ogdensburg owes the county from unpaid property taxes 18 years ago.
The discussion took place during the legislature’s Jan. 25 Finance Committee meeting when County Treasurer Renee Cole was asking the board to approve a budget change to accommodate sales tax revenue in 2020 that was $1.8 million more than anticipated.
The budget modification passed unanimously.
Legislator Joe Lightfoot, R-Ogdensburg, said Ogdensburg City Manager Stephen Jellie “at one time mentioned that the city owed the county, I think the figure he used was over $800,000” and asked Cole to clarify how that happened.