Journal:Council Votes For Report Attorney

Time to End the Knox Street Debacle

Why do we have a City Attorney? The cost to higher the Wladis Law Firm of East Syracuse is $195.00/hour. This is a very reasonable rate, I wonder what expenses will be added to this fee. They will review the report prepared by our lawyer and make recommendations on how the Knox Street debacle was handled.

The Wladis Law Firm should also look into how grant monies were handled and distributed. Paying $87,000.00 for rehabilitation on City owned property does not seem right. Then the City sells the property for $51,000.00 and they used grant money to pay for the property...nothing seems right in the picture.

You know what they say "If it is seems too good to be true, it must be illegal".

Wayne Ashley was the top vote getter and has been appointed to City Council replacing Doug Sholette.  Councilor Ashley will have some tough issues to deal with at the next council meeting.  On the agenda will be, overriding of the state-legislated 2 percent property tax cap and raising sewer rates. Mayor Nelson under budgeted State Aide last year and received more money than expected.  What happened to the rest of the money?
 
Do we have any conservatives on this council?

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Happy Thanksgiving

Time For Families and Friends!!!

Journal:Nelson Named Winner

Nelson Wins by 11 Votes

It is over and the voters spoke, Mayor Nelson will still be our Mayor. Mr. Nelson won his last two runs for Mayor by less than 20 votes. The people have sent Mayor Nelson a message and hopefully he will respond to their needs.

Mr. McGrath fought a tough fight which pivoted around the debacle on Knox Street. He had a good showing, but fell short by 11 votes.

One thing we did learn from this election is the people want a more open government, the management of grant funds must be revised, the city needs to stop buying house and competing with the private sector, and we need a new City Manager.

Renovating a house with $87 K, selling it for $51 K, and giving the individuals $51 K to buy it does not seem fair and equitable to the community. Let us hope that Mayor Nelson and the City Council will tend to the needs of the voters.
 
Priority #1 should be to clean-up Ogdensburg. Ogdensburg and Massena have been rated the highest felony crime rates in the county. Multiple unsolved murders, illicit drug use and sales, prescription drug abuse, petty theft, and pedophiles roaming the streets are the reasons for the demise of Ogdensburg. What good is a great water front, walking paths, and marina when the citizens of Ogdensburg do not feel safe. This must be rectified!

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Journal:Knox Street Property Lease Passes

Free House

Well, years later and the family living on Knox Street has a lease with the City. I guess the next step is to give them the house and we should have this mess cleaned up. The City used $87,000.00 of grant money to remodel the house then they sell the house for $51,000.00. Of that $51,000.00 the City will give them $51,000.00 in grant money to buy the house. The best part of this deal is the City magically convert grant money in to City Money.

In all my years of real estate I never got a deal like this. Free rehab and a free house, sounds like someone in the City was running a scam with tax payer's money. I do not blame the family, who would turn down a deal like this? This mess was created and managed by the City Manager and his staff. They should be held responsible!!

Time for the City to publicly list all properties owned by the City. They should be auctioned off and put back on the tax rolls.

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Journal:County Schools Need To Improve

Looks like Kennedy needs some work but the rest of the schools in the Ogdensburg School district did well.  Lets give a hand to the teachers.

No Kid Left Behind will be the demise of our school system. 

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Happy Veteran's Day

              

                                11-11-11 Remember A Vet.

Journal:Rupp Takes Clerk Race

Congratulations Mary Lou

I have to say, I expected Mary Lou to win the County Clerk's position but the voters beat down Mr. Regan and made a statement about his conduct and ability to run the office. Under Mary Lou's watch the office was run well and the revenues generated from the DMV were better. Some things come full circle and Mr. Regan will know what it is like to be out of a job soon.  Hopefully he will still do his job until the end of the year. 

Mary Lou, said she would keep Mrs. Streeter as her Deputy which to me would be a tough decision. Above all your deputy has to be loyal, willing to learn all departments, and this does not appear to be the case with Mrs. Streeter. Maybe she will change her registration again?

Good luck to Mary Lou and her family.

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Journal:New Councilors Elected

To Our New Councilors

We have our new Councilors but the Mayor race is still up in the air. Nine votes is all that separates incumbent Mayor Bill Nelson from his challenger Jack McGrath. With 111 absentee ballots received and 45 not returned this race is too close to call.

Congratulations to Republicans Wayne L. Ashley and William D. Hosmer, and Democrat Jennifer Stevenson each won seats on City Council.

The nice thing about an election under turmoil, it leads to higher than normal voter turnout. I want to thank everyone for voting and best of luck to Bill and Jack in the final tally.

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Vote Today

This is a big election and everyone should get out and VOTE!

Journal:City Council Candidates Discuss Issues

Candidates Say

The Candidates Say:

Looks like a good time to get a new City Manager

We Need to jump start the economy

Treat everyone fairly

Better Communication

Better Housing

Better Grant Management

No New taxes

Increase Public Safety

The means and knowledge of getting these thing done, is the question. These statements have been made at every election. No comments from the candidates for Mayor, that will be later in the week, or maybe tomorrow, hopefully soon. I would like some insight from Mr. Nelson and Mr. McGrath. Mr. Nelson has much experience and insight into our current issues, should be interesting.

Journal:Nelson Offers Sciorra Issue Resolution

Council Review City Attorney's Report     

The report is completed and each member of council had a chance to read the report prepared by City Attorney Silver. Mr. Nelson has submitted a resolution for Tuesday's special meeting calling for the suspension and removal of City Manager, Arthur J. Sciorra.

Nelson and Morley read the report and came to the same conclusion, calling for the dismissal of the City Manager. Skamperle and Vaugh think the report absolves the City Manager. It is hard to believe our elected officials could read the same report and be so far apart.

City Manager, Sciorra wants to release the report to the public. The report is about him, so let's see it!

Journal:Article